The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) Defense-Related Uranium Mines (DRUM) Program is protecting the environment through a cooperative partnership with Bat Conservation International (BCI).  

The DRUM Program partners with organizations, such as BCI, to inventory and screen for risks at the estimated 4,225 abandoned uranium mines that produced uranium ore for the federal government for defense-related activities between 1947 and 1970. BCI is a conservation organization dedicated to ending bat extinctions. Working collaboratively with other organizations, BCI’s goal is to redefine global conservation using cutting-edge tools, technology, and training to create a real impact on bat colonies worldwide.  

“The BCI partnership with DOE and other partner agencies is integral to the DRUM goal of protecting human health and environment,” said DRUM Project Manager Mary Young. “BCI has decades of experience and knowledge in bat conservation in relation to abandoned mine lands and is well respected and trusted within that community." 

In fall 2020, BCI undertook bat surveys of DRUM sites in Colorado and New Mexico, encompassing 104 mine openings. The surveys identified bat species and documented telltale signs of their presence, such as guano, insect parts, and roost staining. BCI made recommendations on which mines could be sealed off without disturbing bat habitat and flagged 41 openings as candidates for bat- and wildlife-compatible closures.