SUPERFUND AND BROWNFIELDS
At Work in
Colorado
2009
-------
Colorado
Table of Contents
Section Page
Introduction
Executive Summary 1
Congressional District Maps 3
1. Remedial Program
Air Force Plant PJKS 5
Asarco Globe Plant 7
Broderick Wood Products 9
California Gulch 11
Captain Jack Mill Site 13
Central City/Clear Creek 15
Chemical Sales 17
Denver Radium Site 19
Eagle Mine 21
French Gulch 23
Lincoln Park Study Area 25
Lowry Landfill 27
Marshall Landfill 29
Nelson Tunnel/Commodore Waste Rock 31
Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site 33
Rocky Mountain Arsenal 35
Sand Creek 37
Shattuck Chemical Company 39
Smeltertown 41
Smuggler Mountain Site 43
Standard Mine 45
Summitville Mine 47
Uravan Uranium Project 49
Vasquez Blvd. & I-70 51
Woodbury Chemical 53
2. Removal Program
Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel 55
3. Brownfields Program
Argo Mine 57
City of Aurora 59
City and County of Denver 61
Colorado Coalition 63
Creede 65
Fort Collins 67
Jamestown 69
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Section Page
Kit Carson 71
Lakewood 73
Pueblo 75
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Executive Summary
Years ago people were far less aware of how the mismanagement of industrial chemicals
and hazardous wastes could affect public health and the environment. On thousands of
properties across the nation the result was abandoned waste sites that poisoned land,
water and natural environments, and threatened the health of the inhabitants. Since 1980,
when Congress and the President created the Superfund program, EPA has cleaned up
over one thousand of the worst contaminated sites across the country. These cleanups
have helped to make communities safer for millions of Americans. EPA Region 8 has
had a substantial role in this successful effort.
Many Region 8 communities were left to deal with the consequences of decades of
environmental neglect, but Superfund cleanups are changing that. Since 1980, 63 sites in
the Region have been placed on the National Priority List (NPL) which contains the sites
that present the greatest risk to human health, public welfare and the environment. By
the end of 2008, the EPA had completed cleanup at 33 of these sites.
Along with the progress on the NPL sites, hundred of hazardous waste sites in Region 8
have been cleaned up by the Superfund Removal program. The removal program has
reduced risks to the public and the environment from abandoned drums, derailed train
cars leaking chlorine gas, mine wastes left in towns and sensitive ecosystems, and many
other similar hazards.
In recent years Region 8's Superfund program has increased its emphasis on the reuse
and redevelopment of contaminated sites. Cleaning up these properties and promoting
reuse can help reinvigorate communities, preserve green space, and protect public health
and the environment. In addition, we've begun incorporating new "Green Remediation"
technologies into our cleanups. Examples include the use of wind, water and solar power
to provide clean, renewable energy to power treatment systems.
The job of cleaning up hazardous waste sites continues to be a formidable challenge. We
at EPA are blessed with an exceptionally talented and experienced workforce of
environmental professionals including engineers, scientists, community involvement
specialists, attorneys, and support personnel. All are dedicated to cleaning up and
restoring contaminated sites to beneficial use. But as talented as the EPA workforce is,
we would not be able to carry out our mission without the support and commitment of
our partners in state and local government, community groups, and the general public.
Together we can continue to move forward in making the communities and ecosystems
of this region, safer and healthier places to live, work and play.
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Section 1
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Superfund Remedial
&,
Air Force Plant PJKS
Southwest of Denver, Colorado
Congressional District No. 6
About the Site
Recent
Accomplishments:
The final two contaminated soil areas were ad-
dressed with the completion of the excavation of the
D-l Landfill in January 2009. The primary con-
taminants at the landfill were petroleum hydrocar-
bons and PCBs. The landfill was used during the
mid-1970s and covered 2.5 acres in a steep valley.
Contents of the landfill were disposed of in a per-
mitted, off-site facility.
The interim remedy continues for seven areas on
site contributing to groundwater contamination.
This remedy, called in-situ hioremediation. consists
of treating the TCE in place in the bedrock using
microorganisms which can break down the TCE to
ethane and chloride, which are non-toxic. The final
remedy for contaminated groundwater at PJKS is
being evaluated in part based on the results of this
interim remedy, which is showing varied but prom-
ising results overall.
Percent of
Construction Complete
The former Air Force
Plant PJKS comprises 464
acres, located 25 miles
southwest of Denver, in the
Front Range foothills near
Waterton Canyon, Colorado.
From 1957 to 2001, PJKS
operated as a government-
owned, contractor-operated
facility. Operations at PJKS
included Titan I and II rocket
and Titan III and IV launch-
vehicle assembly, rocket
engine testing, and rocket
research and development.
Today, PJKS is owned
by Lockheed Martin Space
Systems Company
(Lockheed Martin), and is
surrounded by 4,700 acres of
land owned by Lockheed
Martin, but not included as
part of the PJKS cleanup.
Portions of PJKS continue to
be active operational areas
with activities related to de-
signing, developing, testing,
and manufacturing advanced
technical systems for space
and defense.
The U.S. Air Force is
responsible for the cleanup
at PJKS, and is addressing
soil and groundwater con-
tamination from cleaning
solvents, fuels, polychlori-
nated biphenyls (PCBs), and
metals. The contaminants of
concern are PCBs in soils
and Trichloroethene (TCE)
and N-Nitrosodimethylamine
(NDMA) in groundwater.
All three contaminants can
cause a variety of health
problems in people who be-
come exposed to them at
elevated levels.
EPA placed PJKS on the
National Priorities List, com-
monly known as the list of
Superfund sites, in 1989.
The Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environ-
ment (CDPHE) is the lead
regulator of the cleanup with
EPA oversight.
To date, all of the con-
taminated soil areas have
been addressed and interim
remedies are in place to cap-
ture and/or treat contami-
nated groundwater. The final
groundwater remedy is forth-
coming.
The U.S. Air Force ex-
pects environmental reme-
diation at Air Force Plant
PJKS to continue into 2014.
Long-term operation of
groundwater pump and treat-
ment systems will continue
as long as necessary.
5
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Air Force Plant PJKS
Cleanup Approach
Many studies were done during the 1990s to deter-
mine the nature and extent of site contamination. The Air
Force submitted a Supplemental Remedial Investigation
Report (SRI) to CDPHE and EPA in 1999. The report
details investigations about the nature and extent of soil
and groundwater contamination across PJKS. The SRI
was used to help assess potential risks to human health
and the environment. It also supports the ongoing
cleanup.
Groundwater: To treat TCE, a bedrock pilot study be-
gan in the fall 2003 at three locations known to be source
areas of contamination to the bedrock aquifer groundwa-
ter: the engineering propulsion lab, the systems and
components area, and the D-l landfill. Results indicated
that the in situ bioremediation process used in the study
reduced TCE concentrations by two-thirds at the D-l
landfill. However, this same treatment was less success-
ful at treating TCE at the engineering propulsion lab and
the systems and components area. After conducting sup-
plemental activities at those locations and performing
additional sampling, the study demonstrated that in-situ
bioremediation works at all three source areas.
As an interim remedy, in September 2005, the U.S.
Air Force prepared and provided for public comment an
evaluation of cleanup options for TCE in groundwater at
seven sites at PJKS. EPA and CDPHE agreed to select in
-situ bioremediation, as demonstrated in the promising
pilot study.
In-situ bioremediation has proven unsuccessful for
NDMA, and the Air Force continues to look for an ac-
ceptable technology to reduce levels of NDMA in
groundwater at PJKS. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin
has instituted a pump and treatment system by which
groundwater leaving Lockheed Martin property is col-
lected for TCE and NDMA treatment. This includes
groundwater from PJKS.
The Air Force monitors for NDMA and TCE in the
groundwater at PJKS every spring and fall. Groundwa-
ter monitoring indicates a decrease in TCE concentra-
tions at several locations. Groundwater monitoring also
indicates that the groundwater plume is stable. 2008
groundwater monitoring results will be available soon.
Soils: In October 2005, the Air Force completed nu-
merous interim measures, including excavating soils in
16 locations, known as the combined soils, that had
high levels of PCBS. One of these locations required an
environmental covenant, which ensures restricted use
because some PCBs remain capped in place in that
area. Currently, remediation is complete in all of the 53
contaminated soil areas at PJKS. The last two soil areas
of concern were addressed during the D-l Landfill ex-
cavation in 2008-2009.
Points of Interest
There has been significant community interest in the site over time. Some nearby residents believe that environ-
mental contamination at PJKS harmed their health. In 2000, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR) completed a public health assessment for PJKS, concluding that PJKS posed on apparent public health haz-
ard to the surrounding communities. The Air Force supports a community restoration advisory board comprised of
citizens and agency representatives, that has been meeting regularly to discuss site issues since 1995.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
David Rathke (EPR-F)
Project Manager
(303) 312-6016
rathke.david@epa.gov
Jennifer Chergo
Public Affairs Specialist
(303)312-6601
chergo.jennifer@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public
Health & Environment
H 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
¦ Denver, CO 80246
-1530
David Walker
Jeannine Natterman
Project Manager
Pulbic Information Officer
(303) 692-3354
(303) 692-3303
DAVID. WALKER@STATE. CO. US
jeannine. natterman@state. CO. us
Epa Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
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COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
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Superfund Remedial
sft
Asarco Globe Plant
Denver, Colorado
Congressional District No. 1
About the Site
Recent Accomplishments:
• In the fall of2004, Asarco, Inc. granted the state
of Colorado an Environmental Covenant on the
property to restrict certain future uses.
• In 2002, EPA began placing soils removed from
residential properties at Operable Unit I (OU1)
of the Vasquez Boulevard and 1-70 (VB-I70)
Superfund site on the Plant to continue covering
areas not yet covered with Globeville community
soils.
• In late 2003, materials contained within the For-
mer Sedimentation Pond were excavated, placed
on the Former Neutralization Pond, and covered
with approximately 4,000 cubic yards of clean fill
material. The pond and surrounding area were
graded and vegetated.
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
The Asarco Globe Plant
Site includes residential, com-
mercial, and industrial proper-
ties surrounding the Asarco
Globe Plant that were histori-
cally impacted by smelter-
related contaminants. The
Site Background
The Asarco Globe Plant has
been the site of various metal
and refining operations since
1886.
In 1974, the Colorado De-
partment of Public Health and
Environment's (CDPHE) Water
Quality Control Division col-
lected water and sediment sam-
ples from the Industrial Drain-
age Ditch located directly west
of the plant and detected ele-
vated concentrations of cad-
mium, arsenic, lead, zinc, and
other metals. In 1980 and
1981, CDPHE found the plant
to be out of compliance with
the Colorado Solid Waste Dis-
posal Sites and Facilities Act.
Subsequent to the investigations
and inspections conducted by
CDPHE, the EPA listed the
Asarco Globe Plant on the open
dump inventory for 1981 under
the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA). Three
groundwater-monitoring wells
boundaries of the site extend
east to the Platte River, west to
1-25, south to the Burlington
Northern Rail Road tracks (at
approximately 44lh Avenue)
and north to 58
Adams County.
Avenue in
were installed at the plant during
this time.
In December 1983, CDPHE
sued Asarco for damages to
natural resources under CER-
CLA in State of Colorado v.
Asarco. Inc.. Civ. No. 83-C-
2383, (D. Colo.). After a long
legal battle, a Federal Consent
Decree between the State of
Colorado and Asarco, Inc. was
signed on July 15, 1993.
The site was proposed for
the Superfund National Priori-
ties List (NPL) on May 10,
1993. The site was divided into
four Operable Units: The For-
mer Neutralization Pond,
Groundwater and Surface Wa-
ter, Community Soils and Vege-
table Gardens, and the Plant
Site. Asarco paid for the site's
cleanup. CDPHE is in charge of
administrative and technical
oversight.
7
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Asarco Globe Plant
Cleanup Approach
At OU1 (Former Neutralization
Pond), a clean soil cover that was
graded for proper drainage controls
the exposure pathways that would
result in unacceptable risks. Ground-
water continues to be contaminated,
requiring extraction from the Terrace
Drain and treatment in the Wastewa-
ter Treatment Plant.
The cleanup goals for OU2
(Groundwater and Surface Water)
will be attained through continued
extraction and treatment as well as
natural attenuation, which are ex-
pected to require several decades to
Points of Interest
Environmental Trust
In July 2002, Asarco informed the
United States of its intention to sell
its controlling interest in Southern
Peru Copper to its parent company,
America's Mining Inc. The United
States Department of Justice con-
tended that the original sale price
proposed by Asarco was unreasona-
bly low and would have jeopardized
Asarco's ability to continue funding
environmental remediation. Accord-
ingly, the United States filed suit in
U.S. District Court in Arizona and, in
January 2003, reached a settlement
with Asarco that significantly in-
creased the amount of money Asarco
achieve. Institutional controls are
preventing exposure to contaminated
groundwater.
The residential cleanup for OU3
(Community Soils and Vegetable
Gardens) has been completed. How-
ever, the commercial and industrial
properties have not yet been thor-
oughly sampled or remediated.
OU4 (Plant Site) includes five
components, three of which are com-
pleted: the remedial actions at the
Former Sedimentation Pond, Point
Source and Fugitive Air Emissions,
would receive in exchange for its
stock.
In addition, a Consent Decree
established an environmental trust
that now funds environmental
cleanup at Asarco sites throughout
the country. The money in the trust,
however, does not satisfy all of
Asarco's response cost obligations.
Accordingly, EPA prioritizes sites
throughout the country, thereby de-
termining which cleanup efforts will
be funded, and the amount they will
receive. A shortage of funding from
the Trust is the reason for a lack of
progress in some of the OUs, such as
the remediation of commercial and
and the Spill and Runoff Control
Pond. The remedial action for Sur-
face Soils and Buildings has not yet
been completed. Additional place-
ment of community soils on the Plant
will ensure protectiveness. Threats at
the site have been addressed through
stabilization and capping of contami-
nated soils and sediments, and the
implementation of institutional con-
trols. The remedy for buildings is
protective in the short term because
exposure pathways that could result
in unacceptable risk are being con-
trolled.
industrial properties and the Former
Neutralization Pond.
Environmental Covenant
Because the remedy at the Globe
Plant Site will not be protective for
all uses, Asarco will grant the state
an environmental covenant. The pur-
pose of the environmental covenant
is to ensure protection of human
health and the environment by mini-
mizing the potential for exposure to
any hazardous substance that re-
mains on the property.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Kathie Atencio
Post Construction Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6803
E-Mail: Atencia.kathie@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
^ & Environment
I 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Fonda Apostolopoulos
State Project Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3411;
E-Mail: Fonda.apostolopoulos@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
8
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
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Superfund Remedial
^DR'^
&
Broderick Wood Products
Adams County, Colorado
Congressional District No. 7
About the Site
Recent
Accomplishments:
The Broderick site was affected by
the implementation of the Utah
Junction Realignment Project that
realigned railroad tracks north of
Union Pacific railroad's North
Yard. The project improved rail
service and reduced congestion
and emissions in the Denver area
by straightening existing rail lines.
The rail lines cross over the Brod-
erick site. All operation and main-
tenance activities will continue to
function as planned.
A Five-Year Review completed in
September 2006 indicated that the
current remedy protects human
health and the environment.
Percent of
Construction Complete
The contaminants of concern are
polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), PCP byproducts, dioxins
and furans in sludge and liquid
waste from wood treatment that
contaminated soil, surface water and
groundwater. Swallowing or inhal-
ing the contaminants can possibly
cause damage to organs, irritation of
the upper respiratory tract and eyes,
and irritation or inflammation of the
skin.
Cleanup of the site is complete.
A land-treatment unit (LTU) for
Site Background
100%
too
75
50
25
Cleanup Approach
contaminated soils, a water treat-
ment plant for contaminated ground-
water and an oil recovery and bio-
venting system for the subsurface
are part of current operation and
maintenance activities along with
groundwater monitoring. Addition-
ally, since contamination remains on
site, five-year reviews are conducted
by EPA to ensure that the remedy
remains protective of human health
and the environment.
The 64-acre Broderick Wood
Products site in Adams County,
Colorado is a former treatment plant
that used creosote and pentachloro-
phenol (PCP) to treat wood prod-
ucts. In 1983, EPA detected PCP in
soil and groundwater samples taken
both on and off the Broderick Wood
Products property. The Agency
placed the site on its National Priori-
ties List in September 1984.
These cleanup activities have been com-
pleted either by EPA or the potentially re-
sponsible party, Broderick Investment Com-
pany (B1C):
• Removal of sludges from the two former
impoundments to a reclamation facility
in 1993.
Construction of a land-treatment unit for
contaminated soils in 1994.
Construction of a treatment plant to treat
contaminated groundwater in 1994
(modified later in 1996).
Construction of a bioventing system to
treat the subsurface area in 1996.
9
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Broderick Wood Products
Cleanup Approach Continued
A Five-Year Review completed in January 2001 indicates that the current remedy protects human health and the envi-
ronment for workers and people near the site. However, more data are needed to fully evaluate the groundwater remedy.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Armando Saenz (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6559
E-Mail: saenz.armando@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
& Environment
H 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
W
Jim Lewis
State Project Officer
Phone: (303) 692-3390
E-Mail: jdlewis@cdphe.state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
10
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
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Superfund Remedial
California Gulch
Lake County, Colorado
Congressional District No. 5
Recent Accomplishments:
Through facilitated work groups, EPA, CDPHE, Lake
County and the city of Leadville are resolving issues that
have prevented the deletion ofportions of the site from the
National Priorities List. In 2009, at the recommendation of
a work group, Lake County adopted institutional controls
for two operable units designed to prevent damage to
capped waste piles and insure that excavation of soils does
not spread contamination. Another work group developed a
long-term community health program that will serve as the
institutional control for residential properties. The educa-
tion-based program is designed to detect elevated blood
lead levels in children and pregnant women.
Now that cleanup work on several operable units is com-
plete and institutional controls are in place, EPA plans to
delete portions of the site in 2009.
In 2009 EPA will issue its proposed approach for managing
site-wide groundwater and request public comment.
In 2008, EPA and the state of Colorado reached a final
settlement with Asarco for past and future costs and for
natural resource damages.
Because waste is left in place at this site, EPA will review
the effectiveness of the cleanup every five years. The next
five-year review will take place in 2012.
Percent of
Construction Complete
About the Site
Mining, milling and
smelting in the Leadville
area produced gold, silver,
lead and zinc for more than
130 years. Mining in the
area began in 1859 when
prospectors working in the
channels of the Arkansas
River tributaries discovered
gold at the mouth of Califor-
nia Gulch. Wastes generated
during over 100 years of
Site Background
mining and ore processing
contain metals such as lead,
arsenic, copper, cadmium
and zinc that pose a threat to
human health and the envi-
ronment. These mining
wastes remain on the land
and wash into streams. Acid
rock drainage leaches metals
from the wastes into streams
and groundwater.
The California Gulch
Superfund site encompasses
about 16.5 square miles in
Lake County, Colorado, and
includes Leadville, the high-
est incorporated town in the
United States. The site was
added to the National Priori-
ties List in 1983. Mining
companies, with the over-
sight of EPA and the Colo-
rado Department of Public
Health and Environment
(CDPHE), performed
cleanup work. EPA also
conducted cleanups on por-
tions of the site. The site is
divided into 12 geographi-
cally based areas called oper-
able units.
100
75
50
25
95%
Cleanup Approach
The Yak Tunnel, one of two tunnels
that drain the historic mining district, was
the primary focus of studies and cleanup
activities between 1989 and 1994. Prior
to construction of the Yak Water Treat-
ment Plant, the tunnel discharged tons of
metals into California Gulch which
drains into the Arkansas River.
Since 1995, the EPA and several min-
ing companies have conducted removal
and remedial activities to consolidate, con-
tain and control more than 350,000 cubic
yards of contaminated soils, sediments and
11
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California Gulch
Cleanup Approach Continued
mine processing wastes. Cleanups included:
• Drainage controls to prevent acid rock runoff and
mine-water discharge;
• Consolidation and capping of mine waste piles;
• Cleanup of residential properties;
• Reuse of slag; and
• Restoration and development of wetlands and
streams.
Points of Interest
While the community recognizes that mine waste impacts the Arkansas River, many residents strongly desire to
maintain the historic appearance of the mining district. Consequently, EPA and CDPHE attempt to approach remedia-
tion activities so as to maintain the appearance of the historic waste piles to the extent possible.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Stan Christensen (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone; (303) 312-6694
E-Mail; christensen.stan@epa.gov
Linda Kiefer (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone; (303) 312-6689
E-Mail; kiefer.linda@epa.gov
Jennifer Lane (OC)
Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone; (303) 312-6813
E-mail; lane.jennifer@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment
I 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Doug Jamison
State Project Officer
Phone; (303) 692-3404
E-Mail; Doug.jamison@state.co.us
EPA Web Site; http://www.epa.gov/region8
12
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
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Recent
Accomplishments:
With the completion of the
remedial investigation and
feasibility study for the Site
in the spring of2008,
CDPHE and EPA presented
a proposed plan for alterna-
tives for the design and con-
struction of the site remedy
for public review and com-
ment. Following a public
comment period, a remedy
was selected in the fall of
2008 and a Record of Deci-
sion (ROD) was produced.
Following the ROD, design
and construction of the rem-
edy is scheduled to begin
2009-2010.
100
75
50
25
Construction has not begun at
Captain Jack Mill Site. Con-
struction is scheduled to begin
as early as 2010.
Percent of
Construction
Complete
0%
Superfund Remedial
Captain Jack Mill Site
Ward, Colorado
Congressional District No. 2
About the Site
The contaminants of con-
cern at the Captain Jack Mill
Site are zinc, cadmium, lead
and copper from mining and
smelting operations. The
affected media are under-
ground mine water, surface
water, soils and solid waste.
The site is in the upper part
of the Left Hand Watershed.
The watershed supplies irri-
gation water to Boulder
County agriculture and
drinking water to several
Boulder County communi-
Site Background
The Captain Jack Mill
Site is located at the headwa-
ters of upper Left Hand
Creek about 1.5 miles south
of Ward in Boulder County,
Colorado. The site is in a
narrow valley known as Cali-
fornia Gulch. Mining for
gold and silver in the region
began in 1860 and ended in
1992.
The site is comprised of
the Big 5 Mine (the upper
mine), Captain Jack, Ltd.
Mill, the White Raven Mine
(the lower portal), and other
mines and waste features in
the immediate surrounding
area. The Big 5 Mine lo-
ties. Left Hand Water Dis-
trict has a water intake 15
miles downstream from the
site that provides drinking
water to more than 15,000
users in north Boulder.
In June 2008, EPA and
the Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environ-
ment (CDPHE) completed
the site's Final Remedial
Investigation and Risk As-
sessment report and Feasibil-
ity Study report (RI/FS).
The FS report contains a
cated about 500 feet up-
stream from the mill, con-
sists of an adit (tunnel), a
large waste rock pile and a
settling pond. The mill
works area includes several
dry lagoons previously used
for settlings tailings from the
mill. The lower portal in-
cludes the White Raven adit
and a shed.
Other mine wastes in-
clude waste material in Left
Hand Creek and waste rock
from the mine tunnels.
Water and sediment sam-
ples from Left Hand Creek
show elevated concentrations
detailed analysis of remedia-
tion alternatives for various
site components. The Pro-
posed Plan presented EPA
and CDPHE's preferred alter-
native for the remediation of
the site. A public meeting
was held July, 2008, giving
the community a chance to
comment on the preferred
remedy. A Record of Deci-
sion (ROD) was signed and
published by EPA and
CDPHE, in the fall of 2008.
of metals, including zinc,
cadmium, copper and lead.
Mine and mill wastes have
been dumped into Left Hand
Creek. Blowing dust from
tailings, surface flooding,
overflow of the tailings pond
and subsurface groundwater
percolation are threats to the
environment. There are ele-
vated levels of heavy metals
in the soils. Improperly
stored drums and explosives
contributed to the hazards.
13
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Captain Jack Mill Site
Cleanup Approach
The selected remedy for cleaning
up the Captain Jack Mill Superfund
Site has two components, as it con-
trols both surface and subsurface
contamination sources.
To control subsurface contamina-
tion associated with the Big Five
Tunnel, the remedy consists of an
installed bulkhead, mine pool mitiga-
tion, and if needed, successive bio-
chemical reactor treatment. The con-
crete bulkhead will plug the draining
mine adit, impounding the mine wa-
ter. The mine pool environment will
have reduced oxygen levels, which,
coupled with an injected caustic
chemical, will increase the pH of the
water to a neutral condition (Phase
I). If necessary, after approximately
two years of neutralization, CDPHE
may install a series of biochemical
reactors outside of the mine (Phase
II). The reactors use microorganisms
to transform hazardous contaminants
into non-hazardous substances. Fol-
lowing bioreactor treatment, the wa-
ter may flow through wetlands for
additional "polishing" treatment be-
fore entering Lefthand Creek. Be-
cause of uncertainties over the mine
workings, there will be extensive
groundwater monitoring once the
bulkhead is installed.
Under the selected surface rem-
edy, waste will be excavated and
placed in several on-site consolida-
tion cells. The selected remedy calls
for excavation of site material con-
taining contaminants of concern in
concentrations above the remedial
action levels.
To contain the waste, consolida-
tion cells will be capped. The caps
will likely consist of a layer impervi-
ous to water, coarse material to pre-
vent rainwater from seeping down
and contacting the waste, and topsoil
to support vegetation. Before a liner
is placed on the more contaminated
waste, alkaline material would be
mixed into the top of the waste mate-
rial to minimize acidic leaching.
Officials will fully evaluate potential
locations for the consolidation cells,
as well as locations from which to
borrow dirt for the cap, during the
design phase.
Points of Interest
EPA, CDPHE, and Boulder
County Health actively engaged area
citizens and stakeholders. The Boul-
der County Task Force, a group of
citizens from the affected communi-
ties studied the site and recom-
mended the Superfund listing to the
Boulder County Board of Health.
Contacts
The board then recommended the
listing to the Colorado Governor's
office, which did not oppose the site
being listing on the NPL. As a re-
sult, on September 29, 2003, the Fed-
eral Register notice announced the
listing of the Captain Jack site on the
NPL.
The Captain Jack Mill Site is part
of the Left Hand Creek Watershed
Pilot which will provide a model for
a multi-program approach to ad-
dressing mining pollution problems
on a watershed basis.
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 wynkoop street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800)227-8917
Linda keifer (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6689
E-Mail: keifer.linda@epa.gov
Karen edson (80C)
Community Involvement coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6136
E-Mail: edson.karen@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
^ & Environment
¦ 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Mary boardman
State Project Officer
Phone: (303) 692-3413
E-Mail: mascott@cdphe.state.co.us
Daniel lutz
Community involvement coordinator
Phone: (303) 692-3310
E-mail: dhlutz@cdphe.state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/
14
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
&
Central City/Clear Creek
Idaho Springs (Georgetown, Central City, and Black Hawk), Colorado
Congressional District No. 2
Recent
Accomplishments:
In 2008, the Church Placer property was
acquired, and work began constructing the
on-site mine waste repository. The con-
solidation area where sediment will be
placed is complete and ready to accept
mine waste rock and tailings piles that will
be removed in the summer of2009.
In the fall of2008, sediment detention
basins, rock check dams, rock drop struc-
tures, and run-on control ditches were
built to help with sediment control and to
slow the flow of water. Some eroded
tailings were removed from the channel
and placed on a more stable site with
existing mine waste piles. Some mine
waste piles were re-graded and a rock
cover placed over them. This work oc-
curred primarily in Russell and Nevada
Gulches and included at least six waste
rock and tailings piles.
Phase / work of Operable Unit 4 began in
A ugust 2007. Two sedimen t deten tion
basins were constructed to help minimize
the amount of sediment entering the tribu-
taries of Clear Creek. One was built in
Russell Gulch and the other in Nevada
Gulch. Erosion control measures were
completed at five mine waste rock and/or
tailings piles and included run-on, and
run-off ditches, re-grading of steep or
eroding slopes, and placing rock at the
bottom of the pile if necessary.
About the Site
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
The Central City/Clear Creek Super-
fund Site consists of a 400-square mile
watershed extending from the Continen-
tal Divide east to near Golden. The Site
is located in Gilpin and Clear Creek
Counties.
Popular for activities like fishing, raft-
ing, kayaking, and gold panning, it also
serves as a drinking water source for over
500,000 people in the Northwest Denver
Metro area.
In September of 1983, the Central
City/Clear Creek site was placed on the
National Priorities List or Superfund list.
Historic gold mining and mine wastes left
behind in the Clear Creek basin contami-
nated the watershed. Elevated levels of
metals in Clear Creek were the driving
Site Background
factors in the listing of the site. Only a
small fraction of this watershed is actu-
ally impacted by the historical mining
operations. However, mine wastes are
scattered throughout the watershed.
The contaminants of concern for
aquatic life include zinc, copper, cad-
mium, and manganese. These metals are
found in surface water and primarily af-
fect trout, aquatic insects, and adjacent
habitat.
Contaminants of concern for humans
are arsenic and lead. Health risks to hu-
mans could result from long-term drink-
ing of groundwater containing high con-
centrations of these metals, ingestion of
tailings and waste rock, and inhalation of
airborne dust.
Gold was discovered near Idaho
Springs in January 1859 and in Black
Hawk/Central City the following May.
For the next 20 years, the Black Hawk/
Central City area was the leading mining
center in Colorado with the construction
of mills for processing the gold and silver
found through placer and hard-rock min-
ing.
The decline of mining in the area be-
gan with the silver crash of 1893 and the
rise of mining in Leadville. However,
mining continued to be an important in-
dustry in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties
from the turn of the century until ap-
proximately 1950. Since 1950, mining
in the area has been limited, with only a
handful of mines operating.
In 1992, limited stakes gaming began
in Central City and Black Hawk. Intro-
duction of gambling has led to some land
use changes. While these changes have
the potential to increase the direct human
exposure to mine wastes, many mine
waste cleanup projects were imple-
mented as the casinos developed prop-
erty in these communities.
15
-------
Central City/Clear Creek
Cleanup Approach
Abandoned mines along Clear
Creek produce acidic metal-rich wa-
ter that drains into the river. Piles of
mine tailings located along or near
the river's bank erode or leach metals
into the water. The state and EPA
have assessed potential impacts to
human health and the environment
from mine waste piles and tunnel
discharges.
Because mine wastes are scattered
throughout the watershed, cleanup
goals focus on improving water
quality rather than individual
tasks. This has made it necessary
to approach cleanups in stages
called Operable Units. Four dif-
ferent Operable Units were desig-
nated at this site.
The environmental issues ad-
dressed by these projects include
metals contamination in the sur-
face waters of Clear Creek, par-
ticularly the North Fork, and the
management of mine tailings,
waste rock and tunnel drainage to
prevent further contamination of the
creek.
Work at these operable units has
focused on removal or containment
of waste piles, slope stabilization,
run-on and run-off controls, con-
struction of sediment detention ba-
sins, rock check dams, rock drop
structures, collection and piping of
tunnel discharges, and chemical
treatment of the Argo Tunnel dis-
charge.
Points of Interest
The Central City/Clear Creek site
has received up to $5 million in new
funding through the American Re-
covery and Reinvestment Act of
2009. The new money will acceler-
ate the cleanup of the 400-square-
mile Clear Creek watershed that is
impacted by wastes from historic
mining activities. Improvements will
include the consolidation and cap-
ping of mine waste piles, sediment
control and water treatment to miti-
gate heavy metals impacts to Clear
Creek, a tributary of the South Platte
River. Work at the site will also re-
duce metals entering the watershed
which supplies water to Denver-area
residents.
The state and EPA have
worked jointly with other agen-
cies including the Colorado De-
partment of Transportation
(CDOT), Trout Unlimited, and
the Clear Creek Watershed Foun-
dation to mitigate mining impacts
under Superfund, restore fish and
wildlife habitat, and improve
transportation safety along the
State Highway (SH) 119 corridor
between U.S. 6 and Black Hawk.
By working together this has im-
proved efficiency, prevented du-
plication of work, and saved
money.
Another collaborative effort
between the state, EPA and CDOT
included two projects resulting from
a highway widening project on the
North Fork of Clear Creek near
Black Hawk.
One project involved cleanup of
the mine drainage from the National
Tunnel near Black Hawk. Another
project used the rock generated from
widening the highway for the rock
cover used at the Church Placer
Repository and the Pittsburgh waste
pile. Both of these projects led to
stream sediment improvements and
habitat restoration.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Mike Holmes (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6607
E-Mail: holmes.michael@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
& Environment
Hazardous Materials & Waste
Management Division
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Jim Lewis
Project Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3390
E-Mail: Jim.lewis@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
16
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Chemical Sales
Northeastern Denver, Colorado
Congressional District No. 1
Superfund Remedial
About the Site
The Chemical Sales Com-
pany (CSC) Site covers about
five square miles in a mainly
light-industrial area of north-
eastern Denver. The company
was a wholesale distributor of
commercial/industrial chemi-
cals, detergents and water
leisure products.
Groundwater studies by
EPA led to the discovery of
the Site as a source of volatile
organic compound (VOCs)
contamination in the area.
The 1990 Risk Assessment
showed that use of the con-
taminated groundwater for
drinking, cooking or bathing
could increase the chance of
developing cancer. Breathing
indoor air poses a potential
risk if residents use the con-
taminated water for shower-
ing, bathing or cooking.
The next Five-Year Re-
view is due by the end of
2012.
EPA proposed the CSC
Site for its National Priorities
List in June 1988 and final-
ized the listing in August
1990.
Current Operation &
Maintenance activities in-
clude operating the system
and monitoring groundwater
throughout the site.
Construction completion
was achieved at the site in
March 2000.
A Five-Year Review com-
pleted in 2007 indicates the
remedy protects human
health and the environment.
The next Five-Year Re-
view will be in 2012.
Cleanup Approach
Percent Construction
Complete
100
75
50
25
100%
The following cleanup activities have
been completed:
• Connection of over 400 resi-
dences to the South Adams
County Water and Sanitation
District (SACWSD) municipal
supply in 1986, 1992 and 1995.
• Construction of the Klein
Treatment Plant for SACWSD
in 1989.
• Removal of leaking and cor-
roded drums from the CSC
property in 1989.
Construction of an air sparging/
soil-vapor extraction system in
2000 to clean up the source
area.
The remedy was modified from
air sparging/soil extraction to
in-situ chemical oxidation in
2007 to optimize the cleanup of
sub-surface contamination and
groundwater.
17
-------
Chemical Sales
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
I ^ *. 1595 Wynkoop Street
V j) Denver, CO 80202-1129
' (800) 227-8917
Armando Saenz
Superfund Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6559
E-Mail: saenz.armando@epa.gov
John Dalton
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6633
E-mail: daltonjohn@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
& Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Jeannine Natterman
Public Information Officer
Phone: (303) 692-3303
E-mail: jeannine.natterman@state.co.us
Fonda Apostolopoulos
On-Site Coordinator
Phone: (303) 692-3411
E-mail: fonda.apostolo@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
18
COLORADO—Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
Denver Radium Site
Denver, Colorado
Congressional District No. 1
About the Site
Recent Accomplishments:
The most recent Five-Year Review was com-
pleted in September 2008 and confirmed that
the remedies at the various properties remain
protective of human health and the environ-
ment. A notice, placed in Denver newspapers,
announced that the review was underway. The
public review process included contact with
each property owner and with neighborhood
organizations in affected areas. EPA mailed a
description o f the site and ongoing actions to
interested stakeholders and included self-
addressed comment cards to solicit feedback.
All wastes from OU7 in the City and County
Right of Way have been removed.
As of January 1, 2008, the state of Colorado
concurred with EPA's intent to delete Denver
Radium from the NPL.
Cleanup of the Denver
Radium site is now complete.
The site consists of more
than 65 properties combined
into 11 Operable Units
(OUs). Most of the affected
properties are used for busi-
ness or open space. Redevel-
opment has occurred at sev-
eral of the cleaned-up proper-
ties.
The last step of the reme-
diation process was the re-
moval of all radioactive mate-
rials from the former Shat-
tuck Chemical Company site,
OU8, in July 2006.
At some properties, waste
was left in place. Institutional
controls have been placed on
these properties to ensure
long-term protectiveness.
The City and County of Den-
ver continues to remove con-
tamination underlying streets
as part of routine street main-
tenance.
Because waste has been
left in place, EPA will con-
tinue to conduct Five-Year
Reviews to ensure that the
remedy remains protective.
The next Five-Year Re-
view is scheduled to be com-
pleted by September 2013.
Site Background
Percent of
Construction Complete
too
100%
Radium was used for
commercial purposes in the
early 1900s when Denver
ore processing facilities pro-
vided a domestic source to
meet demand. After the ra-
dium industry's collapse,
numerous locations were left
with radioactive residues.
These residues were often
used as fill, for paving mate-
rials, or left in place.
Contaminants at the site
included radium, thorium,
uranium, arsenic, lead and
radon gas.
Radium is of most con-
cern. Radon gas emitted
from decaying radium
causes lung cancer; how-
ever, radon is only a health
risk if the gas is concen-
trated in buildings where
people may be exposed for
long periods of time.
The Colorado Department
of Public Health & Environ-
ment (CDPHE), EPA and
responsible parties worked
together on the cleanup.
The site was added to the
Superfund National Priori-
ties List in 1983. The Final
Close Out Report for the
Denver Radium Superfund
Site was completed in Sep-
tember 2006.
19
-------
Denver Radium Site
Cleanup Approach
Cleanup approaches included:
removal of contaminated soil to a
permanent disposal site; installation
of ventilation systems to vent radon
gas; and in place stabilization and
capping. Some wastes under struc-
tures and streets were left in place.
Remedial action for most of the
OUs consisted of excavation of con-
taminated materials and disposal at a
licensed facility in Western Utah.
Remediation of the final site,
OU8, Shattuck Chemical Co., in-
volved excavating and treating con-
taminated soils with cement and fly
ash and placing the solidified and
stabilized soils back on site, creating
a structure that was then capped.
Further review of this remedy,
however, and concerns raised by the
community, caused EPA to reconsider
its original decision.
EPA concluded that the long-term
protectiveness of the remedy could not
be guaranteed, and therefore removed
the stabilized waste to a licensed dis-
posal or recycling facility.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Kathie Atencio
Unit Chief
Phone: (303) 312-6803
E-Mail: atencio.kathie(q)epa.gov
John Dalton
Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone:(303) 312-6633
E-Mail: dalton.john@epa.gov
Colorado Dept. of Public Health &
Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
(888) 569-1831, EX. 3311
Mark Rudolph
CDPHE Project Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3311
E-Mail: mark.rudolph(q)state,co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
20
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Recent
Accomplishments:
In summer 2008, the
Colorado Water Qual-
ity Control Commission
adopted new water
quality standards for
the Eagle River and
Cross Creek near the
Eagle Mine Superfund
Site. The new stan-
dards are based on the
river's ability to sustain
biologically improved
and healthy fish and
aquatic life due to Ea-
gle Mine cleanup ef-
forts. As a result, EPA
is in negotiations to
conduct additional
cleanup work at the site
to meet the new stan-
dards.
> The third Eagle Mine
Superfund Site Five-
Year Review was con-
ducted in 2008. Overall
results show that the
remedy, due to the new
water quality standards,
is no longer protective
of human health and the
environment because
the zinc loading from
the site to the river is
now considered to be
too much. Plans for
additional work at the
Eagle Mine Site to re-
duce zinc loading from
the site are being devel-
oped.
Eagle Mine
Near Minturn & Redcliff in Eagle County, Colorado
Congressional District No. 2
Superfund Remedial
Monitoring metals in the Eagle River: Fish shocking,
counting, and weighing event, 2005
About the Site
The Eagle Mine Super-
fund Site is located in Eagle
County, Colorado, eight
miles southwest of Vail and
110 miles west of Denver.
The site is defined as the
area impacted by past min-
ing activity along and in-
cluding the Eagle River be-
tween the towns of Red Cliff
and Minturn. The site is
approximately 235 acres and
includes the Eagle Mine
workings, the former town of
Gilman, various mine waste
and waste rock piles and
their associated water diver-
sion components, Maloit
Park, the water treatment
plant, slurry line and trestles,
mine seepage and associated
Percent of
Construction Complete
100%
100
collection systems and the
Belden Mill area. The site is
bordered on the south and
west by the White River Na-
tional Forest.
Miners began working the
Eagle Mine in the 1880s,
searching for gold and silver.
The Eagle Mine later became
a large zinc mining opera-
tion, leaving high levels of
arsenic, cadmium, copper,
lead and zinc in the soil and
in surface water and ground-
water. The Eagle Mine
closed in 1984. Two years
later, EPA placed the Eagle
mine on its National Priori-
ties List, a list of the nation's
most contaminated places,
commonly known as Super-
fund sites.
The Colorado Department
of Public Health and Envi-
ronment (CDPHE) first
worked out a cleanup plan
with the site owner, who
today is Viacom Interna-
tional, Inc. In 1993, EPA
issued a Record of Decision
for the site that identified
additional investigation and
cleanup actions.
EPA, CDPHE, and Via-
com implemented the
cleanup requirements of
the Record of Decision via
a three-party Consent De-
cree. The Consent Decree
also calls for a program to
sample water quality,
aquatic insects, and fish
populations in the Eagle
River to assess the effects
of the remedial actions and
to evaluate the possibility
of establishing biologi-
cally-based standards for
the site.
Cleanup activities at
Eagle Mine have caused
zinc concentrations in the
Eagle River to go down,
and there has been a corre-
sponding increase in the
brown trout population. In
October 2001, EPA de-
clared that construction of
the required elements of
the remedy was complete,
marking EPA's 800th
completed Superfund Site
nationwide. Due to recent
water quality standard
changes, additional work
to reduce metal loads to
the Eagle River is being
planned.
21
-------
Eagle Mine
Cleanup Approach
Cleanup activities included mov-
ing a nearly one million ton tailings
pile; consolidating seven million
tons of tailings from across the site;
relocating nearly 140,000 tons of
roaster piles; protecting waste rock
piles and removing a large quantity of
hazardous materials, including chemi-
cals, PCBs and dynamite caps from the
towns of Belden and Gilman; collecting
water from the mines; and reclaiming
wetlands. After cleanup activities were
successfully completed in 2001,
EPA, CDPHE and the community
began working to develop long-term
water quality standards for the Eagle
River.
Points of Interest
• Ginn Battle North is a develop-
ment company that has ap-
proached EPA and CDPHE
with a proposal to develop the
North Property of the Eagle
Mine Superfund site into a resi-
dential golf course community.
The North Property historically
received the mine waste left
over during the mine operations
at the Eagle Mine. This pro-
posed new use of the site as
residential and recreational re-
quires that additional cleanup
actions be taken to ensure that resi-
dents, workers, and visitors are pro-
tected. EPA and CDPHE are re-
quiring that Ginn Battle North take
the steps required in the Superfund
process to allow for recreational
and residential use of the site.
• EPA provides Technical Assistance
Grants (TAGs) to community
groups so that community residents
can hire a technical advisor for in-
dependent review of the cleanup.
The Eagle River Watershed Coun-
cil, Eagle Mine, Ltd., is the cur-
rent TAG recipient. Their um-
brella organization, Eagle River
Watershed Council, has been
actively interested in the Eagle
Mine cleanup for many years.
EPA has worked with members
of the these groups and the
broader community, including
local elected officials and others,
as the cleanup has moved for-
ward.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Michael Holmes (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6607
E-Mail: holmes.michael@epa.gov
Jennifer Chergo (80C)
EPA Community Involvement
Phone: (303) 312-6601
E-Mail: chergo.jennifer@epa.gov
^ Colorado Department of Public Health &
¦ Environment
m 4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Wendy Naugle
On-Site Coordinator
Phone: (303) 692-3394
E-Mail: wendy.naugle@state.co.us
Warren Smith
Community Involvement Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3373
E-Mail: warren.smith@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
22
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
French Gulch Site
Summit County, Colorado
Congressional District No. 2
About the Site
Recent
Accomplishments:
EPA in partnership with
the Town of Breckenridge
and Summit County re-
cently held a Dedication
Ceremony and Public
Open House announcing
the operation of a new
water treatment plant to
treat metals-laden water
discharging from the
abandoned Wellington
Oro silver-zinc mine site
near Breckenridge, Colo-
rado.
Percent of
Construction Complete
95%
100
75
50
25
The French Gulch Site is
located approximately 2.2
miles upstream or east of the
confluence of French Creek
with the Blue River near
Breckenridge, Colorado.
The primary concern is
for aquatic life impacted by
acid mine drainage discharg-
ing from the Wellington Oro
Mine. The contaminates of
concern are zinc and cad-
Site Background
Extensive underground
mining occurred in the valley
from the late 1850s to the
1960s. Lode mining recov-
ered lead-zinc-silver sulfide
and gold ores from an exten-
sive network of tunnels and
adits originating on the steep
valley sides. Large floating
dredge boats were used to
placer-mine the valley floor
for gold. The placer dredging
disrupted French Creek and
its associated alluvial valley
material. This resulted in
large dredge piles covering
the French Gulch valley floor
and extending upstream ap-
proximately one mile east of
the former Wellington-Oro
Mine.
Sporadic mining and mill-
ing operations occurred at
the mine from the late 1940's
to the early 1970's. The
mine workings remain open
and are interconnected with a
bedrock fault and fracture
system. Since this area con-
tains a large quantity of sul-
fide-bearing minerals, these
conditions promote the for-
mation of acid mine drain-
age. This is caused by the
oxidation of sulfur in the
presence of water, forming
sulfuric acid in the mine pool
water. Metals such as cad-
mium and zinc are soluble in
acidic water. As a result,
acid mine water flowing
through the mine workings
mium that pose a risk to trout
and other aquatic life in
French Creek and the Blue
River.
becomes highly contami-
nated with dissolved metals,
exits the mine in the form of
seeps, and enters French
Creek. The zinc concentra-
tion in the seep water is ap-
proximately 5,000 times the
concentration in French
Creek upstream of the mine
and is primarily responsible
for the absence of fish popu-
lations in the downstream
portion of French Creek and
a segment of the Blue River.
23
-------
French Gulch Site
Cleanup Approach
In 1998, mine wastes including roaster fines, tailings,
and waste rock were removed from the mine site to an
area with reduced potential for human contact. The mate-
rials were capped with impermeable clay and clean
gravel. Drainage ditches were installed to reduce infiltra-
tion of rain and snow melt into the mining wastes. This
material provides little or no contribution to the water
contamination of French Creek and the Blue River.
Water discharging from the Wellington Oro Mine is
being collected. The collected water is being pumped to
the nearby water treatment facility. The purpose of the
plant is to remove cadmium and zinc from mine drain-
age, resulting in improved water quality in French Creek
and the Blue River and to protect the brown trout fishery
in the Blue River. EPA will collect water quality data in
2009 to evaluate the impact treatment has on French
Creek and the Blue River.
Points of Interest
The town of Breckenridge and Summit County pur-
chased the site and surrounding land totaling 1800 acres
to preserve the area as part of the Golden Horseshoe
Open Space. The town of Breckenridge and Summit
County reached a settlement as part of the 1800 acre
purchase that provided for the construction of the water
treatment plant at the Wellington Oro Mine. The con-
struction of this plant was completed and full operation
began in the fall of 2008.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Victor Ketellapper
Phone: (303) 312-6578
E-Mail: ketellapper.victor@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
& Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Mary Boardman
State Project Manager
Phone: (888) 569-1831
E-Mail: M ARY. BOARD MAN (a) STATE ¦ CO ¦ US
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
24
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
w.
Lincoln Park Study Area
Canon City, Colorado
Congressional District No. 5
Recent
Accomplishments:
The first Five-Year Review
report for Lincoln Park in
September, 2007 determined
the site was protective.
EPA, Cotter Mill and the Colo-
rado Department of Public
Health & Environment
(CDPHE) issued a report on
the Lincoln Park Water Use
Survey in January 2009for
work performed in the fall of
2008.
State groundwater standards
were established for uranium
and molybdenum of 30 ug.l and
35 ug.l respectively, effective
May 2008.
Old Ponds Area reclamation is
progressing under state li-
cense.
CDPHE license decision was
issued mid-December 2004.
Cotter is permitted to continue
to process uranium ore, but not
allowed to accept waste from a
Maywood, N.J. Superfund Site.
The decision was upheld in the
courts and Cotter chose not to
appeal in 2007.
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
50%
B
A
About the Site
In 1958, the Cotter Cor-
poration began milling ura-
nium ore outside Canon City,
Colorado. Mill operations
released radionuclides
(radioactive particles) and
metals into the environment,
causing soil contamination
around the mill itself, as well
as groundwater contamina-
tion in the nearby community
of Lincoln Park.
Cotter has been cleaning
up the contamination under a
radioactive-materials license
and a court settlement with
Site Background
The site is an operating
uranium ore processing mill
on 2600 acres with a current
license issued by the Colo-
rado Radiation Control Pro-
gram.
The facility is not cur-
rently processing ore.
Releases of contaminants
to the environment were
found to affect surface soils
and groundwater in
neighboring Lincoln Park.
The Lincoln Park site was
added to the Superfund Na-
tional Priorities List in 1984.
The listing includes Cotter
Mill and areas where con-
taminants have come to be
located.
Before 1980, Cotter dis-
posed of tailings and other
wastes from uranium proc-
essing into unlined ponds,
following the custom of the
times. Contaminants leached
into groundwater then mi-
grated to Lincoln Park affect-
ing local wells.
Currently, very few resi-
dents use groundwater for
domestic purposes since
most are connected to the
Canon City water supply.
Some individuals in Lincoln
Park still use groundwater to
irrigate lawns and gardens.
Wind deposited contami-
nants on soils adjacent to the
mill. Tailings, the waste from
ore processing, were carried
in surface water runoff from
the mill, contaminating the
the state of Colorado, as well
as with EPA oversight.
The contaminants of con-
cern at the site are molybde-
num, uranium, and uranium
daughter products.
stream sediments in Lincoln
Park's Sand Creek.
The Lincoln Park site is
divided into two major
cleanup areas, called Oper-
able Units. OU1 is the Cotter
milling facility itself located
about three miles from
downtown Canon City. OU2
is the neighborhood of Lin-
coln Park.
In 1988, the state of Colo-
rado settled a lawsuit for
natural-resource damages
with Cotter Corporation. As
part of the settlement, the
state and Cotter agreed on
how the site would be
cleaned up further at Cotter's
expense. EPA and the state
also signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU)
25
-------
Lincoln Park Study Area
giving the state the lead role in over-
seeing the cleanup of the site.
Cotter Mill, EPA and CDPHE
conducted a Water Use Survey in
Lincoln Park in 2008 to determine
Cleanup Approach
Cleanup takes place under the
joint authorities of the Radiation
Control license, the court ordered
settlement of a Natural Resource
Damage Suit, and the Superfund
National Priority List program.
Cleanup plans for both onsite
(OU1) and offsite (OU2) areas are
documented in the Remedial Action
Plan (RAP). The RAP requires Cot-
ter to perform cleanup actions in
OU1 and OU2, monitor groundwater
and air, and conduct additional stud-
ies.
The RAP is incorporated into the
Federal Consent Decree for Civil
Action No. 83-C-2389. The RAP
was also incorporated into Cotter's
Radioactive Materials License in
1987.
Remedial action and monitoring
under the RAP began in 1988 and
continues today. Cleanup takes
Contacts
(j £>
{Ml
Patricia Smith
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6504
E-Mail: smith.patricia@epa.gov
the extent of groundwater use among
residents.
In March 2009, Cotter Mill an-
nounced plans to refurbish the mill,
with plans to reopen and process ore
place concurrent with ongoing li-
cense activities.
Offsite exposures are managed by
the following measures:
• A Water Use Survey to identify
existing users of contaminated
groundwater;
• Continuing review of new wells
of record at the State Engineer's
office;
• Notification to new water rights
holders through the State Engi-
neer's office and an annual
newsletter issued by regulators;
• Provision of alternate water sup-
ply as appropriate (ongoing re-
sponsibility).
Nine thousand cubic yards of con-
taminated tailings, soil and sediment
were excavated from 1.25 miles of
San Creek from 1993 to 1999.
in 2014. Old mill workings will be
put on a decommissioning schedule,
a step which was not required while
the mill was in a stand-down mode.
In January 2002, EPA issued a
Record of Decision requiring no fur-
ther action for surface soils within
Lincoln Park. The decision was
made because previous surface-soil
cleanup activities eliminated or re-
duced risks to acceptable levels.
In 2002, CDPHE determined that
wastes from the Li Tungsten Super-
fund site in Maywood, NJ could not
be processed at the site. The deci-
sion was upheld in court in late 2007.
Cotter determined it would not ap-
peal the decision.
The Five-Year Review of the site
in 2007 indicated these measures are
currently protective. An updated
Water Use Survey was performed in
the fall of 2008 with a second round
of sampling in January 2009.
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment
HMWMD-ADM-B2
4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Edgar Ethington
Lincoln Park Project Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3438
E-Mail: edgar,ethington@state.co.us
Jeannine Natterman
State Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 692-3303
E-Mail: jeannine.natterman@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
John Dalton
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6633
E-Mail: dalton.john@epa.gov
26
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
safe.51
Lowry Landfill
Unincorporated Arapahoe County, Colorado
Congressional District No. 6
About the Site
Recent Accomplishments:
In July 2008, Lowry's "green " gas-to-energy
plant was dedicated. The system uses extracted
landfill gas to power four engines that generate
enough electricity to supply nearly 3,000 homes
yearly.
In April 2008, EPA, in conjunction with the Colo-
rado Department of Public Health & Environ-
ment and the Tri-County Health Department, re-
leased a Fact Sheet providing information about a
plume of 1,4-dioxane, a probable human carcino-
gen, located in the shallow groundwater north of
the site. Due to the limited potential exposure to
humans and the low concentration, EPA deter-
mined no significant health risk associated with
1,4-dioxane with groundwater or surface water
exists.
In February 2007, EPA released its second Five-
Year Review which indicates that the remedies for
all six Operable Units are protective of human
health and the environment.
The Lowry Landfill
Superfund Site occupies
approximately 500 acres of
land 15 miles southeast of
the City of Denver, in
Aurora, Colorado. The City
and County of Denver oper-
ated a municipal, hazardous,
and industrial waste landfill
at the site from 1966 until
Site Background
1980, and Waste Manage-
ment of Colorado continued
municipal solid waste dis-
posal at the site until 1990.
Contamination of soil, shal-
low groundwater, and sub-
surface soil vapors resulted
in the addition of the site to
the Superfund National Pri-
orities List in 1984.
During the 1970s, citizen
complaints regarding fires,
disposal practices and odors
motivated EPA and other
agencies to initiate investiga-
tions at Lowry. Over the
past decades, EPA and other
responsible parties con-
ducted investigations, re-
searched solutions, imple-
mented remediation activi-
ties and monitoring pro-
grams, spending over $150
million. In response to com-
munity concerns over poten-
tial radionuclides at the site
in 2001, a USGS investiga-
tion showed that concentra-
tions of radionuclides were
indicative of natural back-
ground levels in Colorado.
The site is currently in the
Operations and Maintenance
phase of the Superfund proc-
ess.
Cleanup Approach
••••••••••••
Percent of
Construction Complete
100%
100
75
50
25
The overall strategy at the
Lowry Landfill site is to
contain migration of con-
taminants in ground and sur-
face water and prevent po-
tential exposure to landfill
gas and waste-pit liquids.
The remedy consists of a
number of components that
operate together to ensure
that containment is effective.
The components are a Land-
fill Cover, Underground Bar-
rier Walls, the North Toe
Extraction System, Ground-
water Monitoring Wells and
Compliance Programs, and
Landfill Gas Collection and
Treatment System.
The Landfill Cover is a
four-foot thick "cap" of com-
pacted clay and soil designed
to reduce infiltration of rain
and surface water into the
landfill mass, prevent ero-
sion, further prevent the
release of landfill gas and
better contain the landfill
waste.
The East/West/South
Ground Water Slurry Wall,
completed in 1998, is de-
signed to stop contami-
nated groundwater from
flowing off site. At the
northern site boundary,
27
-------
Lowry Landfill
Cleanup Approach Continued
contaminated groundwater is cap-
tured by another system called the
North Boundary Barrier Wall.
The North Toe Groundwater Ex-
traction System was completed in
spring 1998, and began operation in
2000. The system removes contami-
nated groundwater that is flowing
underneath the landfill site. The
groundwater is pumped to an on-site
water treatment plant and discharged
to the municipal sewage system after
treatment in accordance with the
Site's wastewater discharge permit.
Ongoing monitoring programs at
the Lowry site insure compliance
with the performance standards in
the Groundwater Monitoring Plan
and the updated Compliance Monitor-
ing Plan - Landfill Gas Remedy.
Additionally, an early warning
monitoring system is in place to indi-
cate migration and identify contami-
nants which could impact water treat-
ment plant operations and potentially
violate the wastewater discharge per-
mit.
Points of Interest
Before converting to the gas-to-
energy program, extracted landfill
gas at the Lowry Landfill site was
burned off in an enclosed flare. The
gas-to-energy facility constructed at
the site produces energy that is made
available to a local utility company.
It also removes 5,000 tons of meth-
ane from the atmosphere, equivalent
to removing 22,000 cars from the
road annually.
The beneficial use of landfill gas
to produce energy at the Lowry
Landfill is consistent with the mis-
sion of EPA's Landfill Methane
Outreach Program. The program is
intended to reduce methane emis-
sions by promoting the development
of cost-effective and environmen-
tally beneficial landfill gas-to-
energy projects.
Landfill gas from municipal solid
waste landfills consists of approxi-
mately 50% methane, 45% carbon
dioxide and a balance of other
gases, primarily nitrogen. At Lowry,
landfill gas may also contain vola-
tile organic compounds, semi-
volatile organic compounds, and other
chemicals from the industrial waste
that was disposed there from the mid-
1960s until 1980.
The project at the Lowry Landfill
site provides a number of benefits, —
destroying hazardous substances in
extracted landfill gas, offsetting the
use of non-renewable energy resources
for the generation of electricity, and
reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and
particulate matter from the use of non-
renewable resources.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Linda Kiefer
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6689
E-Mail: Kiefer.linda@epa.gov
John Dalton
Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6633
E-Mail: dalton.john@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health &
^ Environment (CDPHE)
¦ 4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Lee Pivonka
State Project Officer
Phone: (303) 692-3453
E-Mail: lee.pivonka@state.co.us
Marilyn Null
State Community Relations
Phone: (303) 692-3304
E-Mail: marilyn.null@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
28
COLORADO—Superfund Remedial
-------
Recent
Accomplishments:
A Five-Year Review
was completed in
September 2006. The
review found that the
remedy, as designed,
constructed and oper-
ated, is protective of
human health and the
environment.
Percent of
Construction Complete
at OU1
100
75
50
25
100%
I
Superfund Remedial
Marshall Landfill
Superior, Colorado
Congressional District No. 2
About the Site
The 160-acre Marshall Landfill site is
located at the foothills of the Rocky Moun-
tains, about three miles southeast of Boul-
der. The Marshall Reservoir is immediately
west of the site.
In 1981, water that collected contami-
nants as it leached down through the landfill
was discovered seeping into the open Com-
munity Ditch. The ditch carries drinking
water from the reservoir to the city of Lou-
isville and irrigation water to downstream
ranchers.
The inactive landfill had high levels of
contaminants in both surface water and
groundwater. Identified contaminants were
benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), tetra-
chloroethylene, barium, iron, manganese
and zinc. Benzene and TCE are known to
cause cancer; the others are toxic to fish and
other aquatic life. Because significant lev-
els of contamination from the landfill were
found in surface and groundwater on and
next to the landfill, EPA added the site to its
Superfund National Priorities List in 1983.
Current operation and maintenance ac-
tivities include operating a groundwater
treatment system, maintaining the landfill
cover and groundwater monitoring.
EPA issued an Explanation of Signifi-
cant Differences (ESD) in September 2003
that documents amendments made to the
1986 Record of Decision for Marshall
Landfill. The ESD describes new or
changed standards for groundwater and sur-
face water at the site. At the time of the
Record of Decision, groundwater standards
did not exist for several volatile organic
compounds. In addition, many of the State
of Colorado's surface water quality stan-
dards have been updated.
The ESD determined that the stan-
dards be brought up to date in order
to be protective of human health and
the environment and to assure that
the original remedy is protective.
The ESD identified that institu-
tional controls (ICs) were necessary
to ensure long-term protection of the
engineered remedy and to prevent
future release of contamination. The
ICs have been implemented and con-
sist of two components, informa-
tional and enforcement.
Informational — an electronic map
in the Boulder County Planning De-
partment outlines the landfill bound-
ary and identifies the property as a
Superfund Site. All applications re-
lated to development or changes in
land use are submitted to the county.
Enforcement — A rural Preservation
Planning Area land use designation
prohibits the development of the
Superfund Site. The land use restric-
tion is enforceable by Boulder county
and all surrounding municipalities
through the Intergovernmental
Agreement US 36 Interstate Corridor
Comprehensive Development Plan
effective June 20, 2000. Specifically,
the agreement states that the munici-
palities "shall not grant a permit for
development" for all areas within the
Rural Preservation Planning Area
including the Superfund Site.
29
-------
Marshall Landfill
Cleanup Approach
These cleanup activities were com-
pleted in 1993 by the potentially re-
sponsible parties:
• Constructed a groundwater collec-
tion and treatment system.
• Regraded and revegetated the
landfill soil cover.
• Drained and treated leachate from
lagoons.
• Installed a pipeline to convey wa-
ter from the Community Ditch through
the landfill to prevent further contami-
nation of the groundwater.
Cleanup construction was com-
pleted in August 1993.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Fran Costanzi
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6571
E-Mail: Costanzi.frances@epa.gov
Jennifer Chergo
Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6601
E-Mail: Chergo.jennifer@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
30
Colorado - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial/Removal
.sft,
Nelson Tunnel/Commodore
Waste Rock
Creede, Colorado
Congressional District 3
Recent
Accomplishments:
• Work on the Remedial
Investigation began in
the fall of2008.
• During the construction
season of2008:
0 a temporary stream
diversion around the
construction area in
West Willow Creek
was completed;
0 debris, old pipes, and
a flume were removed
from the channel; and
0 in preparation for
construction of the
new conveyance sys-
tem, some grading of
the lower portion of
the waste rock pile
was completed.
• Final Listing on the
National Priorities List
was September 3, 2008.
About the Site
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
5%
The Nelson Tun-
nel/Commodore Waste Rock
Superfund Site is located
about one mile north of the
town of Creede in the Wil-
low Creek watershed in Min-
eral County. Willow Creek
is nestled against the eastern
edge of the San Juan Moun-
tains.
Historically, the mining
of silver, lead, and zinc pro-
vided economic viability to
the area in and around the
Creede mining district. The
activity resulted in contami-
Site Background
nated water discharging into
the Willow Creek drainage
and mine waste piles accu-
mulating in the watershed.
Willow Creek is a tributary
to the Rio Grande River, a
gold medal trout fishery.
Characterization of the
watershed identified the Nel-
son Tunnel adit as the largest
contributor of cadmium,
lead, and zinc in Willow
Creek. Immediately upslope
and surrounding the Nelson
Tunnel is the Commodore
Waste Rock pile, which in-
cludes waste rock from
hard rock mining that ac-
cumulated over the years.
The waste rock contains
elevated levels of arsenic,
cadmium, lead, and zinc.
In 2005, a less-than-20-
year flood event caused
catastrophic failure of the
waste rock pile. This pile
is now highly unstable and
partially lies in West Wil-
low Creek and the main
stem of Willow Creek.
In 1889, a very rich vein
of silver was located along
the banks of East Willow
Creek. The news of this
discovery brought prospec-
tors to the area. Soon two
claims were staked on West
Willow Creek. These mines
were located along the Ame-
thyst vein and would become
the richest and most profit-
able in the Creede mining
district.
Creede was one of the
last silver boom towns in
Colorado. Mining would
continue off and on for
about 100 years. Some
10,000 people resided in
Creede at its peak.
Plummeting silver prices
in 1893 ended the initial
boom. In 1894, mining re-
sumed and the Creede dis-
trict experienced a slight
recovery. From 1896-1910,
ore production in the Creede
district was steady. Mining
continued intermittently
until the late 1950's and
early 1960's when a final
mini-boom occurred. The
last mine in the Creede
district closed in 1985.
By the 1970's, people
began taking an interest in
outdoor recreation and
exploring the area's his-
tory. Tourism became the
new economic factor for
Creede and the upper Rio
Grande River area.
31
-------
Nelson Tunnel/Commodore Waste Rock
Cleanup Approach
To address immediate threats
from the Commodore Waste Rock
pile, removal work began on de-
signs for stabilizing the pile and
re-designing drainage of West
Willow Creek around the pile.
Plans included doing some re-
grading of the pile to slow the
speed of the water; opening up the
conveyance system preventing
logs, rocks and other debris from
plugging up the system; and lin-
ing the conveyance system to
prevent water from leaching
through the pile.
During the 2008 construction
season, most of the debris, old
pipes and flume were removed
from the Commodore Waste Rock
area, and a temporary stream diver-
sion around the construction area
was installed. Some re-grading of
the pile began in the fall 2008 and
will continue in 2009 as the con-
veyance system is installed.
Water sampling in the Nelson
Tunnel was conducted in Novem-
ber 2008. Since water quality is-
sues need to be dealt with, the mine
hydrology must be examined.
Samples will be used to map, fin-
gerprint and date the water to de-
termine where it is coming from
and at what point it becomes con-
taminated.
Sampling will continue in 2009
as part of the Remedial Investi-
gation. Once the data has been
gathered as part of the Feasibil-
ity Study, alternatives for
cleanup or treatment of the water
will be evaluated. Several dif-
ferent methods will be reviewed
to find an effective way to either
cleanup and/or treat the water.
Finding a way to reduce the
amount of water needing treat-
ment will be examined.
Points of Interest
About ten years ago, based on a
strong desire to find alternative
cleanup mechanisms for Creede
and the watershed, the residents
of the town of Creede and the
surrounding portion of Mineral
County developed a community-
based effort to identify and ad-
dress the most pressing environ-
mental concerns in the Willow
Creek watershed. The Willow
Creek Reclamation Committee
(WCRC) convened in 1999 and
Contacts
has partnered with numerous state
and Federal agencies including the
USEPA, the United States Forest
Service, the Colorado Department
of Natural Resources, the Division
of Reclamation and Mine Safety,
the Colorado Department of Pub-
lic Health and Environment, and
the Natural Resource Conservation
Service.
These partnerships allowed the
WCRC to accomplish many pro-
jects in the watershed. The pro-
jects include facilitation of as-
sessments, cleanup, and recla-
mation of much of the mining
district.
The WCRC cannot move for-
ward with other watershed res-
toration projects below the Nel-
son Tunnel/Commodore Waste
Rock pile and below town until
the Commodore Waste Rock
pile is restored and water drain-
ing from the Nelson Tunnel has
been cleaned up.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Michael Holmes (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6607
E-Mail: holmes.michael@epa.gov
Hays Griswold (EPR-SA)
On-Scene Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6809
E-Mail: griswold.hays@epa.gov
Peggy Linn (OC)
Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6622
E-Mail: linn.peggy@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
32
COLORADO - Superfund Removal
-------
Superfund Remedial
Rocky Flats
Environmental Technology
Site
Golden, Colorado
Congressional District No. 2
Recent Accomplishments:
In March 2007, DOE, EPA and CDPHE entered into the Rocky Flats
Legacy Management Agreement (RFLMA). RFLMA established the regu-
latory framework for implementing the final remedy for Rocky Flats and
ensured that it remains protective of human health and the environment.
The majority of property at the site (the Peripheral Oil), which served as
a security buffer zone during production, was transferred to the U.S. De-
partment of Interior for management by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
vice as the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in July 2007.
The final remedy for Rocky Flats was selected in the September 2006
Corrective Action Decision/Record of Decision (CAD/ROD) after com-
pletion of cleanup and closure by DOE under RFC A. The CAD/ROD was
based on the results of the July 2006 Remedial Investigation /Feasibility
Study (RI/FS), Comprehensive (Human Health and Ecological) Risk As-
sessment (CRA) and Proposed Plan.
The response action in the final CAD/ROD is no action for the Peripheral
OU and institutional controls and physical controls with continued moni-
toring for the Central OU.
About the Site
The Rocky Flats Environmental Technology
Site, previously known as the Rocky Flats
Plant, declared physical construction complete
in October 2005.
The site was cleaned up as an accelerated
action through federal and state oversight, with
the Department of Energy (DOE) as the lead
agency. Most of the activities at the site were
completed under the terms of the Rocky Flats
Cleanup Agreement (RFCA) signed by DOE,
EPA and the Colorado Department of Public
Health & Environment (CDPHE) in July 1996.
In September 2006, a Record of Decision
was signed that deleted the Peripheral Operable
Unit (OU) and the OUT 3 (Offsite Areas) from
the National Priorities List (NPL).
Following deletion, DOE transferred the
Peripheral OU to the Department of the Interior
for management by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service as the Rocky Flats National Wildlife
Refuge.
The site provides habitat for many wildlife
species, including the federally protected
Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse.
Site Background
Beginning in 1952 and continuing for
nearly 40 years, the U.S. government manu-
factured nuclear weapons components from
plutonium, uranium, beryllium and stainless
steel at Rocky Flats in Colorado. Rocky Flats
shut its operations in 1989.
In 1992, with the end of the "Cold War,"
the U.S. did not resume production of nuclear
weapons parts at Rocky Flats.
The Rocky Flats site, which DOE renamed
the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology
Site, is located on 6,500 acres in Jefferson
County, 16 miles northwest of downtown
Denver. Approximately 300,000 people live
within 10 miles of Rocky Flats.
Operators conducted all manufacturing ac-
tivities in a 300-acre area at the center of the
site, known as the Industrial Area. The sur-
rounding property is referred to as the Buffer
Zone.
At one time the site stored more than 14
tons of plutonium making the site the second-
largest repository of the element in the United
States.
Leaking storage drums, unlined disposal
trenches, surface-water impoundments, leaky
pipelines, leaky underground tanks, two on-site
landfills, and contaminated buildings all con-
tributed to the contamination of soils and
groundwater at the site.
Percent of
Construction
Complete
too%
100
75
50
25
33
-------
Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site
Cleanup Approach
Key elements of the 1996 Rocky
Flats Cleanup Agreement and the
site remedy included a framework
of action levels and cleanup stan-
dards for surface water, groundwa-
ter, soils and buildings. Surface
water leaving the site was subject to
enforceable standards for plutonium
and americium. Activities included
environmental restoration, building
decontamination and decommis-
sioning, waste management, buffer
zone management, and surface wa-
ter management.
Volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) contaminated shallow
groundwater in the central section of
the site. The radioactive elements
plutonium, uranium and americium
contaminated soil in the central and
eastern portions of the site; the most
contaminated soils were located on
the eastern edge of the industrial
area.
The potential for radionuclides
(radioactive particles) to become
airborne during strong winds was a
concern, as was the potential for plu-
tonium in soils to be washed into the
two streams that flowed on either
side of the Industrial Area.
All wastes from the cleanup and
closure activities, including previ-
ously generated process wastes and
contaminated excavated soils, were
managed and processed as required
by receiver facilities, packaged to
meet strict transportation require-
ments, and shipped off site.
Points of Interest
EPA, CDPHE and DOE held
stakeholder meetings and invited
stakeholders to many site technical
meetings to present cleanup plans
and receive input on major remedial
activities. DOE funded two stake-
holder groups: the Citizens Advisory
Board, a DOE Site Specific Advisory
Board; and the Rocky Flats Coalition
of Local Governments, a DOE reuse
and local government organization.
DOE now funds the Rocky Flats
Stewardship Council, a local stake-
holder organization that meets quar-
terly and is involved in post-closure
oversight.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800)227-8917
Vera Moritz
EPA Rocky Flats Project Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6981
E-Mail: moritz.vera@epa.gov
John Dalton
Community Involvement Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6633
E-Mail: Daltonjohn@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
& Environment
¦ 4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Carl Spreng
Rocky Flats Program manager
Phone: (303) 692-3358
E-Mail: carl.spring@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
34
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
^tDS^
Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Commerce City, Colorado
Congressional District No. 7
Recent
Accomplishments:
Crews completed removing
contaminated soils and
sludge at the Basin F
wastepile in 2007. Basin F
once contained 243 million
gallons of liquid waste from
site manufacturing opera-
tions. The solid wastes
from Basin F were dried,
consolidated, and trans-
ferred to the Basin F
wastepile in the 1980s. The
wastepile cleanup involved
excavating the contami-
nated soil both in the
wastepile and underneath it
and disposing of it in a
landfill on the RMA prop-
erty.
In 2008, crews completed
the Lime Basins remedia-
tion project. The Lime
Basins were used to neu-
tralize wastes from chemi-
cal agent production.
Crews trenched around the
Lime Basins to install a
slurry wall which isolates
the underground contami-
nated waste from the sur-
rounding groundwater and
prevents future migration of
contaminants.
EPA completed the third
Five-Year Review Report at
RMA in 2008. While the
review identified some out-
standing issues, overall
EPA concluded that the
remedy in place for RMA is
protective for human health
and the environment.
About the Site
The Rocky Mountain
Arsenal (RMA) was initially
approximately 17,000 acres
or 26.6 square miles, which
is approximately the size of
Manhattan Island in New
York. The site is located 10
miles northeast of downtown
Denver, Colorado, adjacent
to Commerce City and
Brighton to the north, Mont-
bello to the south, Denver
International Airport to the
east, and Commerce City to
the west. Residential homes
border the site to the north,
south and west and residen-
tial and business develop-
ment is rapidly growing in
these areas.
The Army established
RMA in 1942 to manufac-
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
80%
ELF • January 28.2004
fatofaaitttsinlGel
¦ K * ' -
I .
-J' '*¦ H
K ' vV-* • . y • X , .
ture chemical weapons. Af-
ter World War II, the Army
leased parts of RMA to pri-
vate industry. The Army and
private chemical manufactur-
ers disposed of liquid wastes
in basins and trenches, which
leaked and contaminated
groundwater. Since 1982, the
Army and Shell Chemical
Company, with oversight
from the Colorado Depart-
ment of Public Health and
the Environment (CDPHE)
and the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency (EPA), have
been working to ensure the
cleanup of the RMA.
Most contaminated soils
are located in the central six
square miles of RMA. Most
of the health risks posed by
the site are from aldrin,
dieldrin, dibromochloro-
propane (DBCP), and arse-
nic. Aldrin is a pesticide
that breaks down to diel-
drin. Both chemicals are
stored in the body and af-
fect the central nervous
system and liver. DBCP is
also a pesticide, but it is
not stored in the body.
DBCP can affect the tes-
tes, kidneys, liver, respira-
tory system, central nerv-
ous system and blood
cells. Arsenic is a naturally
occurring element. It can
cause cancer in humans.
Impacts to wildlife in the
area have been docu-
mented.
35
-------
Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Cleanup Approach
The Army, EPA, and Shell signed
two documents in the late 1980s. The
first was the Federal Facility Agree-
ment (FFA) that specified the proc-
ess by which decisions will be made
for the cleanup of RMA and estab-
lished certain cleanup goals. The
second was a settlement agreement
that outlined the procedures for allo-
cation and reimbursement of cleanup
costs between the Army and Shell.
The FFA ultimately led to the sign-
ing of two Records of Decisions in
1995 and 1996.
The Records of Decision provide
the framework, purpose, and overall
rationale for the remediation actions
that must be accomplished at the site.
The Army, EPA and CDPHE signed
both documents. The U.S. Fish and
Points of Interest
In October, 1992, Congress en-
acted a bill designating approxi-
mately 16,000 acres of RMA as one
of the nation's largest urban wildlife
refuges. To date, EPA has deleted
from the NPL over 13,000 acres of
land at RMA because all required
cleanup activities have been com-
pleted. Of that, more than 12,000
acres have been transferred from the
Wildlife Service and Shell Chemical
Company concurred with one of
them.
The Army, serving as the lead
agency, and Shell are implementing
the selected remedy that includes 31
projects for soils, structures, and the
treatment of groundwater contami-
nants. EPA, CDPHE, and Tri-
County Health Department are con-
ducting regulatory oversight. The
majority of the cleanup projects re-
quired in the Records of Decision are
complete.
Currently, an integrated cover
system is being installed over areas
at RMA where waste has been con-
solidated and left in place, such as at
the landfills, Lime Basins, and South
Plants Central Processing area.
Department of Defense to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service to become
part of the National Wildlife Refuge
System.
Community interest and concern
in RMA has always been strong.
There are three forums where EPA,
CDPHE, and the Army have regu-
larly interacted with community
representatives over the many years
These covers are specially designed to
ensure that no precipitation migrates
through the contaminated waste con-
solidated below. Construction began in
June 2007 and is expected to be fin-
ished in fall 2010.
In addition, the groundwater rem-
edy at RMA is ongoing. The ground-
water remedy consists primarily of
removal and treatment of contaminated
groundwater through the operation of
existing boundary and on-site treatment
systems. There are additional areas of
extraction and treatment of contami-
nated groundwater at contaminant
source areas.
All remediation activities are ex-
pected to be completed by 2011, de-
pending upon funding from Congress.
of the cleanup process: the Restoration
Advisory Board, the Site Specific Ad-
visory Board, and the Medical Moni-
toring Advisory Group. In addition,
around any significant cleanup activ-
ity, RMA, EPA and CDPHE have
worked with the Army to provide the
necessary community involvement and
outreach, including public meetings,
flyers, tours, etc.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wvnkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202
(800)227-8917
Jennifer Chergo
EPA Office of Communication and Public
Involvement
Phone: (303) 312-6601
E-Mail: chergojennifer@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment (CDPHE)
¦ 4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Warren Smith
Community Involvement Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3373
E-Mail: warren.smith@state.co. us
36
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
Sand Creek
Commerce City, Colorado
Congressional District No. 1
About the Site
Recent
Accomplishments:
A Five-Year Review com-
pleted in September 2005
indicates that the current
remedy protects human
health and the environ-
ment for workers and peo-
ple near the site.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
pesticides, herbicides and arsenic are the
site's contaminants of concern.
The cleanup is complete with ongoing
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) activi-
ties, that include:
• Operating the landfill system,
• Maintaining the fence around the land-
fill,
• Maintaining the vegetative cover over
the landfill, and
• Monitoring groundwater throughout
the site.
Since contamination remains on site,
Five-Year Reviews are conducted to en-
sure that the remedy is protective of hu-
man health and the environment.
Site Background
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
100%
The Sand Creek Industrial site occupies
about 550 acres in Denver and Commerce
City, Colorado. Four sources of contami-
nation, all now inactive, were known to
exist: an oil refinery, a pesticide manufac-
turing facility, acid pits, and a landfill.
EPA conducted sampling at the site and
found the soil and groundwater contami-
nated with VOCs, pesticides, herbicides
and arsenic. Exposure to such contami-
nated groundwater or soil could cause
serious health problems, such as cancer
and damage to the liver, central nervous
and respiratory systems. People also
could be exposed by inhaling contami-
nated dust and vapors. EPA proposed the
site for the Superfund National Priorities
List (NPL) in December 1982 and added
the site in September 1983. It was deleted
from the NPL in December 1996.
37
-------
Sand Creek
Cleanup Approach
These cleanup
been completed:
activities have
Installation of a methane gas col-
lection/treatment system at the
landfill in 1991.
Removal of four buildings, four
rail cars, two concrete tanks and
thirteen steel tanks in 1992.
Treatment of subsurface soils,
using Soil Vapor Extraction in
1994.
Removal of oily liquids floating
on groundwater in two localized
areas, using Dual Vapor Extrac-
tion in 1995.
Treatment of surface soils, using
Low Temperature Thermal Treat-
ment in 1994.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
fs Q "A Agency
J ^Pl^7 |J 1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Armando Saenz (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6559
E-Mail: saenz.armando@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment
¦ 4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Mary Scott
Phone:(303) 692-3413
E-Mail: mary.scott@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
38
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Recent
Accomplishments:
• EPA and the state ex-
pect to delete the site
from the National Pri-
orities List (NPL) in
2009.
• The state of Colorado
on January 2008 con-
curred with EPA's in-
tent to delete Shattuck
and all other Denver
Radium sites from the
NPL
• The last of2,244 rail-
cars of contaminated
soil left the site in July
2006. Site remediation
vim complete as of
November 2006 and the
site is ready for re-use.
• The site is free of con-
tamination and under
no restrictions other
than groundwater use.
Percent of
Construction Complete
100%
100
Superfund Remedial
Shattuck Chemical Company
Denver, Colorado
Congressional District No. 1
About the Site
Remediation of the Shat-
tuck Chemical Superfund
Site was completed in No-
vember 2006. Shattuck
Chemical was designated
Operable Unit 8 (OU8) of
the larger Denver Radium
Superfund Site, consisting of
65 properties abandoned
after the city's radium indus-
try collapsed in the 1920's.
Activities began at the
site in 1992 following the
Superfund Record of Deci-
sion (ROD), Denver Radium
Site, OU8. In 1997, work
was completed on the solidi-
fication of site soil and rub-
ble with a mixture of con-
crete and fly ash, covered
with a cap composed of
clay material, a geosyn-
thetic liner, sand and
gravel, and riprap to create
a "monolith" at the site.
Subsequent to the ac-
tion, an amendment to the
ROD for the site in June
2000 called for the removal
and off-site disposal of the
existing monolith. Con-
taminated soils beneath the
monolith and along the
perimeter of the site were
also required to be re-
moved.
The United States Army
Corps of Engineers
(USACE) was selected by
EPA to manage the reme-
diation effort.
A total of 2,244 railcars
containing approximately
243,101 tons of soil and
monolith materials were
delivered to the approved
offsite disposal facility in
Grandview, Idaho.
Site Background
The site is located ap-
proximately six miles south-
west of downtown Denver.
The S.W. Shattuck Chemi-
cal Co. processed a variety
of radioactive materials at
the site from 1917 to 1984.
Radionuclides of concern
were radium-226 (Ra-226),
thorium-230 (Th-230) and
natural uranium (U-nat).
Processed ore wastes (soil
and rubble) remained at the
site at the time of its closure.
Initial remediation at the
site involved stabilizing and
treating contaminated soils
on-site. However, further
review of the remedy, and
concerns raised by the com-
munity, caused EPA to
reconsider the original de-
cision.
EPA concluded that the
long-term protectiveness of
the remedy could not be
guaranteed and therefore
decided to remove the sta-
bilized waste to a licensed
disposal or recycling facil-
ity.
Work to remediate the
five-acre site began in
March 2003. It consisted of
removal of the riprap and
the monolith in sections
below a building used to
enclose the site. The build-
ing started at the southern
section of the site and
moved forward as sections
of the monolith were mined,
placed in a railroad gondola
cars and shipped to the li-
censed disposal facility in
Idaho.
When the excavation of
the monolith and affected
underlying soil was com-
pleted in each building
setup, survey units were
established on the newly-
excavated surface. The units
were used to establish a
sampling and analysis pro-
gram to confirm that all ra-
diologically affected materi-
als had been removed from
the site.
39
-------
Shattuck Chemical Company
Cleanup Approach
Demolition of the monolith oc-
curred inside a moveable "mining"
structure made of sheet metal and
tensioned fabric to allow the struc-
ture to conform to the narrowing
width of the monolith. The mining
structure used air filters to control
dust and other emissions.
A metal conveyor structure
moved the mined monolith materials
to a metal load-out structure where
rail cars were filled. The load-out
structure also had air filters to con-
trol dust and other emissions. The
rail cars used the Shattuck site rail
spur to connect the site with the main
line.
Points of Interest
The site and community health
and safety plans required eight on-
site and one off-site background high
volume air samplers running 24
hours a day, seven days a week. A
background PM-10 dust monitor
recorded particulate levels 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, and a work-
ing area PM-10 dust monitor oper-
ated during intrusive activities on-
site.
Alarms on the monitors alerted
site personnel of high particulate
levels for corrective action. Security
was maintained 24 hours-a-day,
seven days-a-week by an on-site
security officer.
Contaminated soils and monolith
materials were transported by gon-
dola rail car. The waste was placed
in a polyvinyl chloride, "burrito-like"
load wrapper in the rail car to pre-
vent contamination releases during
transport.
In addition to Final Status Survey
sampling, independent verification
sampling was conducted by the
Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment.
Shattuck waste is permanently
disposed at the U.S. Ecology facility
in Grandview, Idaho. The facility
operates under a state of Idaho per-
mit.
In December 2001, Shattuck
Chemical Co. agreed to pay more
than $7.2 million to offset the cost of
cleaning up the Shattuck Superfund
Site in Denver.
The settlement provided funds to
reduce EPA and state costs. It cov-
ered the removal of radionuclide
contaminated materials and ground-
water monitoring.
Under the agreement, Shattuck
paid EPA S5.450.000 in cash. The
settlement also required Shattuck to
pay $2.5 million to the state of Colo-
rado for environmental damage the
site may have caused and for reim-
bursement of state response costs.
The funds are in addition to the
$26 million that Shattuck spent to
implement the 1992 remedy.
At the conclusion of the project,
approximately $65 million had been
spent on the cleanup.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Kathie Atencio
Unit Chief
Phone: (303) 312-6803
E-Mail: Atencio.kathie@epa.gov
John Dalton
Community Involvement Coodinator
Phone: (303) 312-6633
E-Mail: Daltonjohn@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public
Health & Enviornment
I 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Fonda Apostolopoulos
State Project Officer
Phone: (303) 692-3411
E-Mail: faaposto@cdphe.state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
40
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
Smeltertown
Salida, Colorado
Congressional District No. 3
About the Site
Recent
Accomplishments:
A Five-Year Review of
the site will be con-
ducted in 2009.
The contaminants of concern
are arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead,
manganese, zinc, pentachlorophe-
nol and creosote. Groundwater,
soil, surface water and solid waste
were contaminated during smelt-
ing, wood treating, and zinc sulfate
manufacturing.
Cleanup activities at the
Smeltertown site are complete.
Groundwater monitoring contin-
ues. Since contamination remains
on site, Five-Year Reviews will be
conducted to ensure that the site
remedies continue to be protective
of human health and the environ-
ment.
Site Background
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
100%
A lead/zinc smelter operated on
the Smeltertown site from the turn
of the century until about 1920 and
dumped wastes along the banks of
the Arkansas River, near the town
of Salida, Colorado. Contaminants
included arsenic, cadmium, cop-
per, lead, manganese and zinc.
Beginning in 1924, wood treat-
ment occurred at the site. Creosote
and pentachlorophenol were al-
lowed to drip onto the ground after
the lumber was treated. Creosote
contaminated soils were removed
from the site in 1986 and 1992.
CoZinCo manufactured zinc
sulfate soil amendment/animal
feed by treating metallic galvaniz-
ing wastes called "skimmings"
with 94 percent sulfuric acid. Ar-
eas of contamination include sev-
eral drum piles, sludge disposal
and storage areas, and two waste-
water lagoons. These sources of
contamination were addressed un-
der a Corrective Action Order is-
sued by the state of Colorado.
A majority of the western and
central portion of the site is cur-
rently owned by the Butala Con-
struction Co., a gravel-mining and
processing business. E&R Truck-
ing, Inc., a now-defunct tractor-
trailer freight company, bought the
remainder of the property. The
smokestack, located on E&R
Trucking's property, was listed on
the National Register of Historic
Places in 1976 and is currently an
attraction for tourists.
41
-------
Smeltertown
Cleanup Approach
The site was divided into three
Operable Units (OUs) that are di-
rectly associated with the source
activities and contaminants from
each of the three industrial practices.
The OUs allowed the investigation to
be focused on distinct contaminants
and feasible cleanup technologies
related to particular contaminants.
The central portion of the site was
identified as OU1. It included con-
tamination from a former lead, cop-
per, silver and gold smelter operated
by the Ohio and Colorado Smelting
and Refining Company from 1902 to
1919.
OU1 investigations have been
completed, and a cleanup decision
was documented in an Action
Memorandum dated September 27,
1996. Cleanup work began on June
9, 2003 and was completed on Sep-
tember 18, 2003. Existing concrete
foundations and structural debris
were demolished and buried at the
bottom of a waste pile consolidation
area (created by an EPA removal in
the early 1990s). The waste pile
consolidation area, about six acres,
was regraded to promote drainage.
Contaminated materials outside the
consolidation area were placed in-
side. A two-foot clean soil cover
was placed over the waste pile con-
solidation area and revegetated with
native perennial grass and plant spe-
cies suitable for the project site. A
new well was installed for post-
construction monitoring. A final
Walk Through and Certified Inspec-
tion was completed on November 21,
2003.
The western portion of the site,
identified as OU2, included contami-
nation from a series of railroad tie-
treating companies from 1924 to
1953. The most recent wood-
treating company to operate at the
site is Koppers, Inc., which is now
Beazer East, Inc.
Investigations were conducted by
Beazer East, Inc. on OU2. The in-
vestigation included analyzing sev-
eral viable cleanup alternatives. Un-
der current land-use (industrial),
EPA and the Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment
(CDPHE) concluded that human
health was not at risk. However, an
unacceptable risk would be posed by
OU2 under a future residential sce-
nario or under a future mining sce-
nario. Therefore, the selected rem-
edy requires that land use for OU2 be
restricted to non-residential, prohib-
its mining, and requires groundwater
monitoring
The eastern portion of the site has
been identified as OU3 and con-
tained contamination from the oper-
ating CoZinCo manufacturing facil-
ity. This Operable Unit was cleaned
up under the state Resource Conser-
vation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
program.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
/• 1595 Wynkoop Street
1 ^ . ') Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
V'.,
Kathie Atencio
Unit Chief
Phone: (303) 312-6803
E-Mail: Atencio.kathie@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
Contacts
42
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
Smuggler Mountain Site
Aspen, Colorado
Congressional Distict No. 3
About the Site
The Smuggler Mountain Site is lo-
cated in northeastern Aspen on the
flank of Smuggler Mountain. Silver
and lead mines were active on the site
between 1879 and 1920. Mine waste
included toxic metals, mill tailings and
smelter by-products.
Site soil analyses have shown high
levels of lead and cadmium.
The Environmental Protection
Agency placed the site on its Super-
fund National Priorities List (the
"NPL") in 1986.
Percent of
Construction
Complete
100%
too
75
50
25
The site covers 135 acres, 116 of
which are currently residential. The
site has condominium units, mobile
home parks, a tennis club and single-
family homes.
Site Background
Cleanup construction was com-
pleted in September 1996. The site
was deleted from the NPL on Septem-
ber 23, 1999.
Lead contaminated surface soil posed
a potential health risk to residents.
Contaminated dust could be breathed in
or consumed in garden vegetables.
Potential lead exposure may cause
long-term or permanent nervous-system
damage, resulting in learning disabili-
ties and behavioral problems.
Exposure to low lead levels may
harm the nervous system of young
children. Lead exposure may also
cause long-term damage to the cardio-
vascular system, the reproductive sys-
tem, kidneys and the liver.
Cleanup Approach
These cleanup activities have
been completed:
• Completing reports on lead im-
pacts, bio-availability, and blood
-lead monitoring studies con-
cluding that children living on
the site are not at unacceptable
risk due to exposure to lead in
soil.
• Capping a contaminated berm
with clean soil and vegetation;
covering and replanting com-
mon-use areas of exposed
mine waste, including the
Mollie Gibson Park.
• Re-grading a parking area and
part of the mine to drain back
into the mountain.
• Controlling dust emissions
from the mine from dirt roads
and the parking area by peri-
odic spraying of a dust-
suppressant solution.
• Extending the existing fence to
restrict entry to the lower por-
tion of the mine.
43
-------
Smuggler Mountain Site
Cleanup Approach Continued
In relation to the mine, Opera-
tion and Maintenance activities in-
clude maintenance of runoff and dust
control, and restriction of site access.
For the residential area, institutional
controls restrict the movement of
contaminated soils in and from the
site and help preserve the integrity of
the remedy.
The last Five-Year Review indi-
cated that the remedy is protective of
human health and the environment.
The next Five Year Review is due in
June of 2012.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 WYNKOOP STREET
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Kathie Atencio (EPR-SR)
Remedial Unit Chief
Phone: (303) 312-6803
E-Mail: atencio.kathie@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/
44
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Recent
Accomplishments:
• Groundwater wells
were drilled in the vi-
cinity of the Standard
Mine fault in September
2009 and samples were
collected in October.
• Operation and monitor-
ing of the bioreactor
continued over the win-
ter. No major problems
were encountered. Re-
sults show 96-99% re-
moval efficiency of zinc,
copper, and lead.
• EPA briefed the Gunni-
son County Commis-
sioners and Crested
Butte Town Council in
April 2009 as to the
status of the cleanup.
Both County Commis-
sioners and Council
members expressed
their satisfaction with
the progress EPA has
made.
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
28%
Superfund Remedial
Standard Mine
Crested Butte, Colorado
Congressional District No. 3
About the Site
The Standard Mine site
was added to the National
Priorities List (NPL) in Sep-
tember 2005. A Remedial
Investigation (RI) and Feasi-
bility Study (FS) began after
the conclusion of the public
comment period for the NPL
listing process. A Remedial
Investigation is the first step
taken to characterize the site.
This consists of collecting
information on the physical
aspects of the site such as
types and location of con-
tamination. The information
is analyzed and presented in
a RI Report that is used for
addressing potential cleanup
actions.
The next step is to prepare
a Feasibility Study which is
an evaluation of several al-
ternatives for cleanup of the
site contamination. The FS
uses information collected by
the RI as well as a risk as-
sessment to determine the
cleanup goals for the site.
In the meantime, a non-
time critical removal was
initiated to address more im-
mediate contamination con-
cerns at the site.
Site Background
The Standard Mine is
located on 10 acres in the
Ruby Mining District of the
Gunnison National Forest
approximately 30 miles
north of Gunnison and 10
miles west of the Town of
Crested Butte, Gunnison
County, Colorado. The con-
taminants of concern are
primarily heavy metals with
samples showing elevated
levels of manganese, lead,
zinc, cadmium, and copper.
The Standard Mine releases
70 gallons per minute (gpm)
(high flow) and 5-20 gpm
(low flow) of groundwater
from the abandoned mine
workings to Elk Creek de-
pending on the season.
Elk Creek flows through
the mine site, and during
high flow periods, flows
into the impoundment de-
positing heavy metals into
Coal Creek which runs
through Crested Butte until
it meets the Slate River. The
Crested Butte municipal
drinking water intake is on
Coal Creek. As a result,
there is a potential threat to
downstream water users
from the Standard Mine.
Silver mining activity
began in the southern Ruby
Mining District in 1874 and
continued up to 1974 at sev-
eral mine sites. Standard
mine was one of the three
largest producing silver
mines in the area. The other
two are the Keystone mine
owned by U.S. Energy and
the Forest Queen mine. None
of these mines are currently
active except for mine water
treatment at the Keystone
mine. The Standard Mine
was called the most environ-
mentally degraded mine site
in the entire Ruby Mining
District by a report from the
Colorado Geological Survey.
45
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Standard Mine
Cleanup Approach
Due to concerns over instability of
the tailings impoundment dam lo-
cated on-site, the Emergency Re-
sponse Unit was tasked with initiat-
ing actions to accelerate the removal
of this structure and the threat it pre-
sented. The Removal Program con-
ducted a Non-Time-Critical Re-
sponse (NTCR) action to address
these threats; the Engineering
Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/
CA) developed for the NTCR pro-
vided additional, structured opportu-
nities to coordinate with the Reme-
dial Program, the United States For-
est Service (USFS) and the citizens
of the town of Crested Butte and sur-
rounding areas.
Investigations showed the tailings
impoundment dam was highly unsta-
ble. EPA determined that this struc-
ture should be removed along with
other adjacent waste rock piles all of
which were physically eroding and/or
leaching contaminants into Elk
Creek, which passed through the site,
and subsequently, to the water supply
for the town of Crested Butte. EPA,
in partnership with the USFS, identified
numerous site locations for the final
waste disposal repository and evaluated
those against various criteria to deter-
mine the most suitable location. Once
the most desirable location was deter-
mined, various design options were
evaluated and shared with other federal,
state and local agencies/groups. EPA
removed approximately 50,000 cubic
yards of waste, placed it in a stable,
engineered repository and capped it.
Under the Remedial Program, the
site is currently being characterized and
long-term, site-wide cleanup options
identified as part of the Remedial In-
vestigation and Feasibility Study.
Since the site was listed in 2005, EPA
has been characterizing the surface wa-
ter, sediment, macroinvertebrate popu-
lations' in-stream, fish populations,
sediment pore water, surface soil, and
subsurface soil for the purposes of iden-
tifying risks posed by site contami-
nants. This characterization has also
been important as part of the continued
biomonitoring of the nearby streams to
determine how the previous Removal
Actions have affected the health of
the streams in the watershed. The
Remedial Program is also conducting
investigations of the mine workings
and the local groundwater flow re-
gime to develop options for minimiz-
ing the generation of acid mine drain-
age within the mine. Investigations
into potential water treatment options
are also being conducted. The Reme-
dial Program installed a passive treat-
ment pilot scale bioreactor to evalu-
ate its effectiveness for treating acid
mine drainage coming from the Stan-
dard Mine adit and to determine if
this type of passive water treatment is
effective at the mine's high elevation
and cold winter climate. This biore-
actor has been operational for the last
two years. Data collected from the
pilot study will be incorporated into
the Feasibility Study for the site. The
Final Remedial Investigation and
Feasibility Study will be completed
in 2010.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
Toll-free (800) 227-8917
Christina Progess
Phone: (303) 312-6009
E-Mail: progess.christina@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health
& Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Jim Lewis
State Project Manager
Phone: 888-569-1831 X3390
E-Mail: lewis.jim@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
46
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
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Recent
Accomplishments:
• The design for a new
single-stage Water Treat-
ment Plant will be com-
pleted in 2009. American
Recovery and Reinvest-
ment Act (ARRA) funds
will enable a 2009/2010
construction start.
• The Colorado Depart-
ment of Public Health
and Environment
(CDPHE) received finan-
cial assistance to become
the technical lead agency
for all site operations in
January 2005.
• The state of Colorado
and Federal Trustees,
along with the commu-
nity-based Alamosa River
Foundation, developed
the Alamosa River Wa-
tershed Restoration Mas-
ter Plan in July 2005.
The plan assessed the
environmental impacts
and potential restoration
of the entire watershed.
Natural Resource Dam-
age settlement funds are
paying for a portion of
approved projects. Three
community projects have
been selected for restora-
tion of designated seg-
ments of the Alamosa
River.
Superfund Remedial
SlIMMITVILLE MINE
Del Norte, Rio Grande County Colorado
Congressional District No. 3
About the Site
The Summitville Mine
Superfund Site covers about
1,231 acres of Rio Grande
County and is located ap-
proximately 20 miles south-
west of Del Norte in the San
Juan Mountains of southern
Colorado. The latest mining
operator, Summitville Con-
solidated Mining Corp. Inc.
(SCMCI), mined the site
from 1986 until abandoning
the site in December 1992.
Surface water, groundwa-
ter and soil were impacted by
both acid rock and acid mine
drainage originating from the
mineralized terrain and mine
site. The acid drainage is
characterized by low pH and
high metals concentrations,
affecting the downstream
Alamosa River system,
which cannot support a di-
verse and reproducing
aquatic life community. In
addition to low pH, contami-
nants of concern include
aluminum, cadmium, copper,
iron, manganese, nickel and
zinc.
Heap leach operations
used sodium cyanide to ex-
tract precious metals from
crushed ore. Following im-
plementation of the Heap
Leach Pad remedy, minor
amounts of residual cyanide
and cyanide degradation
products remain within the
Heap Leach Pad waste mate-
rials. However, cyanide has
not been detected in any me-
dia off-site.
To date, about $210 mil-
lion has been spent on the
Summitville project.
Cleanup Approach
After SCMCI declared
bankruptcy, EPA emergency
response actions and interim
remedial actions included
plugging the Reynolds and
Chandler Adit tunnels to
reduce a major source of acid
mine drainage.
Actions addressed
through Interim Records of
Decision included:
1) Water Treatment Plant
consolidation and opera-
tion at a rate of 1000
gallons per minute
(gpm) to remove heavy
metals;
2) Heap Leach Pad Detoxi-
fication/Closure;
3) Mine waste excavation
from the Cropsy Waste
Pile, Beaver Mud Dump
and Cleveland Cliffs
Impoundment and place-
ment of waste material
in site mine pits; and
4) Site-Wide reclamation
of approximately 585
acres to reshape and
restore vegetation to
disturbed lands, as well
construction of a surface
water/storm water man-
agement system.
Ongoing remedial activi-
ties include: Seasonal opera-
tion of the existing interim
Water Treatment Plant, con-
struction of additional water
management structures, and
monitoring surface water and
seepage to evaluate the effec-
tiveness of the water-control
strategy.
47
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SlIMMITVILLE MINE
Points of Interest
Water Treatment Plant
The Summitville site has received
$10 to $25 million in new funding
through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009. These
Recovery Act funds will be used to
construct the 1600 gallons per min-
ute (gpm) water treatment plant at
the site. The plant will remove con-
taminants from acidic metals-
contaminated mine drainage before
the water leaves the site and enters
the headwaters of the Alamosa
River, which flows into the Rio
Grande. When the plant is opera-
tional, all cleanup work at the Sum-
mitville Mine site will be complete.
The interim 1000 gpm Water
Treatment Plant (WTP), in addition
to being old and inefficient, does not
have adequate capacity to treat the
volume of contaminated water gener-
ated at the site.
In accordance with the 2001 Site-
Wide Record of Decision, a new
water treatment plant was recom-
mended to replace the interim and
inadequate WTP. A two-stage de-
sign was complete in September
2004; however, construction funding
was not available in part because of
the aluminum standard at the time.
In 2007, changes to the Alamosa
River aluminum standards allowed
changes in the new WTP's effluent
goals. As a result, in 2009 the WTP
will be redesigned as a single-stage
1600 gpm plant.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800)227-8917
Mario Robles (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6160
E-Mail: robles.mario@epa.gov
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment
¦ 4300 Cherry Creek Drive south
W Denver, CO 80246-1530
Austin Buckingham
Project Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3435
E-Mail: austin.buckingham@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
48
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
[S&,
Uravan Uranium Project
Uravan, Colorado
Congressional District No. 3
Recent
Accomplishments:
All cleanup work at the site
is complete. Over
13,500,000 cubic yards of
mill tailings, evaporation
pond precipitates, water
treatment sludge, and con-
taminated soil and debris
were collected and disposed
in four on-site disposal cells
that will be transferred to the
Department of Energy for
long-term management. The
remainder of the site and
surrounding area will be
used in the future for recrea-
tion and wildlife habitat.
The local community will use
140 acres of the area as a
campground and visitor cen-
ter that will include a mu-
seum dedicated to the history
of uranium mining and mill-
ing in western Colorado.
About the Site
Percent of
Construction Complete
100%
100
75
50
25
On September 29, 2008, a chapter in
the history of the uranium industry in
western Colorado closed when EPA an-
nounced the completion of site cleanup
and restoration of the Uravan Uranium
Mill Site. Wastes from processing radium,
vanadium and uranium ores left contami-
nated liquids, dried waste pond precipi-
tates, mill tailings, soil and structures at
Site Background
The Uravan Uranium Mill, located in
west-central Montrose County, processed
radium, vanadium and uranium ores from
1914-1984. An early mill on the site pro-
vided radium for Madame Curie's study
of that substance. During the 1940s and
50s the mill processed uranium for the
Manhattan Project. Operations at the 680-
acre site left a large volume of wastes that
contaminated air, soil, groundwater and
the San Miguel River. EPA added the site
to its National Priorities List in 1986.
Umetco performed cleanup work under
the site. Contaminants of concern included
radium, uranium, lead, arsenic, cadmium and
vanadium. Today there no longer are threats
to people who might live near or recreate on
the site or to the San Miguel River that bor-
ders the property. Radon levels meet both
federal and state regulations. The cleanup
cost was over $120 million and is designed to
last at least 1,000 years.
the oversight of the Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environment and EPA.
Two portions of the site have been deleted
from the National Priorities List. The first
partial deletion in December 2004 removed
9.84 acres including two historic structures.
The second partial deletion in July 2007 re-
moved approximately seven acres, including a
one-mile section along Highway 141 between
mile posts 75 and 76.
49
-------
Uravan Uranium Project
Cleanup Approach
The cleanup included:
• Consolidating, capping and revegating millions
of cubic yards of radioactive tailings and soil;
• Excavating radioactive raffinate crystals;
• Eliminating process ponds;
• Pumping and treating contaminated groundwater;
• Removing tailings along the river;
• Dismantling more than 50 contaminated mill site
structures and the town of Uravan;
• Placing all contaminated tailings, soil, pond precipi-
tates, water treatment plant sludge and debris in four on-
site disposal cells.
Because waste is left in place at the site, the remedy
will be reviewed every five years. The next Five-Year
Review will be in 2010.
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202
(800)227-8917
Frances Costanzi (EPR-SR)
Remedial Project Manager
Phone:(303) 312-6571
E-Mail: costanzi.frances@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
50
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
-------
Superfund Remedial
Recent
Accomplishments:
• EPA completed the in-
vestigation and cleanup
of lead and arsenic from
residential yards at VB/I-
70 OUI in August 2006.
This was a vast residen-
tial soils cleanup project
encompassing more than
four square miles and
approximately 4,500
properties.
• The Community Health
Program, designed to
raise awareness in the
community about lead
and arsenic hazards,
concluded in 2008. EPA
provided a grant to the
city of Denver to lead
this effort. The city is
now looking to the pro-
gram as a model for
future efforts elsewhere
in Denver.
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
100%
10%
30%
Vasquez Blvd. & 1-70
Denver, Colorado
Congressional District No. 1
About the Site
The Vasquez Boule-
vard/Interstate 70 (VB/I-70)
Superfund Site is comprised
of three operable units. Op-
erable Unit 1 (OUI) includes
residential properties within
all or part of the following
northeast Denver neighbor-
hoods: Cole, Swansea, Clay-
ton, Elyria, Globeville and
small sections of Curtis Park
and Upper Larimer neighbor-
hoods. The site is considered
by EPA to be an Environ-
mental Justice site, meaning
it suffers a disproportionate
share of environmental risk
due to its industrialized set-
ting.
In 1998, EPA and the
Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environ-
ment (CDPHE) began sam-
pling soil from residential
yards to determine if heavy
Background
metals from past smelting
operations posed a health
threat to the community.
Sampling results showed
elevated lead and arsenic
concentrations in some
yards.
EPA conducted a wide-
spread cleanup of lead and
arsenic in residential soils at
VB/I-70 OUI, comple-
mented by a unique Commu-
nity Health Program. The
latter hired and trained local
community members to pro-
vide information to their
neighbors about how to
avoid becoming exposed to
lead and arsenic.
EPA completed the resi-
dential soils cleanup at OUI
in August 2006. EPA sam-
pled approximately 4,500
properties and cleaned up
close to 750 yards. The
Historically, three smelt-
ers, the Omaha-Grant, Argo
and Globe, operated in the
vicinity of the VB/I-70 site,
where Interstate 70 and Inter-
state 25 cross near the South
Platte River. Beginning in the
1870s, these smelters proc-
essed the gold, silver, cop-
per, lead and zinc that was
being mined out of the
nearby mountains. These
smelter activities are thought
to be a source of the heavy
metal contamination in area
soils and groundwater.
Community Health Program
and limited yard sampling
continued through 2008.
Operable Unit 2 (OU2),
located at Interstate 70 and
Brighton Blvd., was previ-
ously the Omaha & Grant
Smelter site. EPA is con-
cerned that wastes from the
historic smelter operation
may still exist in soils and
may be impacting the
groundwater. EPA and the
city of Denver are currently
investigating the site.
Operable Unit 3 (OU3)
was previously the Argo
smelter site, located at Inter-
state 70 and Fox Street. EPA
has concluded its investiga-
tion of heavy metal contami-
nation in soils and ground-
water at OU3 and is cur-
rently evaluating cleanup
alternatives.
Lawn care products used
through the mid 1970s, lead-
based paint, leaded gaso-
line, and other industrial
sources are also thought to
contribute to the contamina-
tion.
OUI OU2 OU3
51
-------
Vasquez Blvd. & 1-70
Cleanup Approach
For the OU1 residential soils
investigation, EPA took 30 samples
at each individual yard and com-
bined them into three samples,
where the average lead level and the
highest arsenic level of the three com-
posite samples represented the sampling
results for each yard. The sampling and
cleanup approach was uniform and vol-
untary. During the investigation, EPA
was able to sample 97 percent of the
4,470 properties affected. EPA re-
moved and replaced soil and re-
landscaped a total of 742 yards.
Points of Interest
• In addition to the residential soils cleanup at OU1,
EPA funded a Community Health Program. Adminis-
tered by the city of Denver, the program helped raise
awareness in the community about how to protect
children from lead and arsenic hazards. The program
was a unique and collaborative effort, designed by
local, federal and state government representatives
and committed community leaders. The program
trained local residents to go door-to-door and talk to
their neighbors about the hazards of lead and arsenic.
These Community Health Workers conducted home
visits and encouraged parents to bring their children to
bio-monitoring clinics where they could be tested for
lead or arsenic exposure.
• EPA also included an innovative lead paint assess-
ment and abatement program at OU1. EPA removed
exterior lead-based paint from portions of houses in
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800)227-8917
Sam Garcia (EPR-SR)
Superfund Project Manager
Phone: (303) 312-6247
E-Mail: Garcia.Sam@epa.gov
Patricia Courtney (80C)
EPA Community Involvement
Phone: (303) 312-6631
E-Mail: courtney.patricia@epa.gov
Jennifer Chergo (80C)
EPA Community Involvement
Phone: (303) 312-6601
E-Mail: chergojennifer@epa.gov
cases where peeling paint threatened to re-
contaminate recently remediated soil. This program
was the first of its kind at any Superfund Site in the
nation.
EPA led an extensive community involvement and
outreach effort for the VB/I-70 OU1 residential soils
cleanup. The final cleanup plan was developed in
collaboration with a group of committed community
and agency stakeholders, who met regularly for the
duration of the project. EPA twice awarded a techni-
cal assistance grant to an area community group called
CEASE, which was formed specifically around the
Superfund cleanup issue. EPA produced and distrib-
uted numerous fact sheets and flyers, participated and
presented at numerous neighborhood meetings, and
hosted many public meetings and availability sessions
throughout the cleanup process.
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Fonda Apostolopoulos
State Project Manager
Phone: (303) 692-3411
E-Mail: fonda.apostolopoulos@state.co.us
Danny Lutz
Public Information Specialist
Phone: (303) 692-3310
E-Mail: dhlutz@cdphe.state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
52
COLORADO - Superfund Remedial
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Superfund Remedial
r--r
KB,
Woodbury Chemical
Commerce City, Colorado
CONGRESSIONA DISTRICT No. 1
About the Site
Percent of
Construction Complete
100
75
50
25
100%
The 15-acre Woodbury Site (the
"site") is in Commerce City, Colo-
rado, on the north Denver County
line. A mobile home park is located
one-third of a mile from the prop-
erty, and about 3,000 people work or
live within a one-mile radius.
Woodbury operated a pesticide
production facility at the site from
the late 1950s until 1971. Five years
after Woodbury closed its doors, the
local health department was alerted
to contaminated storm runoff from
the vacant lot. Soil samples revealed
mainly chlorinated pesticides and some
heavy metals and volatile organic com-
pounds. Samples of six wells in the
vicinity found no evidence of ground-
water contamination.
The property is available for unre-
stricted use. EPA removed the site
from the National Priorities List in
March 1993 and will not require peri-
odic reviews as with sites where con-
taminants are left in place.
Cleanup Approach
Cleanup was completed in 1992 by the potentially
responsible parties and consisted of the following activi-
ties:
1) Excavating and off-site burning of the more heav-
ily contaminated soil;
2) Excavating and transferring less contaminated soils
and rubble to a permitted facility;
3) Destroying and transferring site structures to a per-
mitted facility;
4) Backfilling site with clean soil and reseeding with
native grasses.
Contact
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800)227-8917
Kathie Atencio (EPR-ER)
Remedial Unit Chief
Phone: (303) 312-6803
E-Mail: atencio.kathie@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8
53
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54
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Section 2
-------
Leadville Mine
Drainage Tunnel
Leadville, Colorado
Congressional District No. 5
Superfund Removal
Recent
Accomplishments:
All electronic controls for
the remote operations
system of the pump have
been connected and are
effectively allowing re-
mote control of the pump-
ing and water treatment
operations at the Bureau
of Reclamation's water
treatment plant.
About the Site
The two-mile long Lead-
ville Mine Drainage Tunnel
(LMDT) was built in the
1940s to drain hundreds of
interconnected mines in the
Leadville Mining District.
The Bureau of Reclamation
Site Background
now owns the tunnel. Several
collapses blocked the tunnel
causing water to back up in
the main tunnel. Increasing
water pressure behind the
blockages threatened a seri-
ous release from the tunnel
that could threaten the safety
of residents living near the
mouth of the tunnel and pour
contaminated water and sedi-
ment into the headwaters of
the Arkansas River.
In February 2008, fearing
a catastrophic failure of the
tunnel, the Lake County
Commission declared a State
of Emergency. In response
to community and Congres-
sional concern, EPA de-
ployed a team to prevent a
major release from the tun-
nel. During the four-month
emergency response, EPA
worked with local, state and
national elected officials.
Percent of
Construction Complete
98%
Preparing to
Start
Fund - Lead PRP - Lead
Cleanup Approach
The emergency response entailed
parallel activities to address the threat.
EPA:
• Installed a pump into a nearby mine
shaft to reduce the water level in the
mine workings on an interim basis;
• Drilled a relief well in the LMDT,
Points of Interest
The work look place in the dead of
winter at an elevation of 10,000 feet. In
four months, EPA drilled a new relief
well in the tunnel, installed a pump and
constructed a nearly one-mile long pipe-
installed a pump to remove water
from behind the blockages, and
Constructed a pipeline to carry the
water to the Bureau's water treat-
ment plant at the mouth of the tun-
nel where it could be treated before
being released into the river.
line to transport water pumped from
behind the blockages to the treatment
plant at the mouth of the tunnel. Ap-
proximately $6 million has been spent
to date.
55
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Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel
Contacts
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(800) 227-8917
Hays Griswold
On-Scene Coordinator
Phone: (303) 312-6609
E-Mail: griswold.hays@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/region8
56
COLORADO - Superfund Removal
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Section 3
-------
Brownfields
Argo Mine
Boulder County, Colorado Award Date: 2006
Congressional District No. 2 Award Amount: $200,000
Project
Accomplishments:
• Boulder County pre-
pared an Analysis of
Brownfields Alterna-
tives report and se-
lected a preferred
alternative.
• Cleanup activities
are scheduled to
begin in summer
2009.
Background
In 2006, Boulder County, Colorado, was
selected to receive an EPA Brownfields Grant
to cleanup contamination at the former Argo
Mine, located just west of the town of James-
town. Starting in the mid-1800s and through
the 1990s, mining of precious metals was
common along streams in the area including
James Creek, Left Hand Creek, Little James
Creek, and others. The historical mining and
milling usage in the area has left behind mine-
scarred lands and a legacy of heavy metal and
acid contamination in surface water and
groundwater. The watershed serves as the
primary drinking water supply for the 18,000
residential customers of the Left Hand Water
District. The contamination from the Argo
mine and other historical mining operations
poses a potential risk to this local water sup-
ply, as well as to the natural environment.
Project Highlights
To address the contamination
concerns from the mines,
Boulder County and its part-
ners will use the EPA
Brownfields Grant to con-
duct an environmental
cleanup at the Argo Mine
site. The cleanup will reduce
potential exposure to con-
taminants and prevent further
degradation of Little James
Creek. Once cleanup is com-
plete, Boulder County in-
tends to use the site for open
space, further preventing any
future contaminants from
entering the stream. The
cleanup work will also miti-
gate hazards related to open
mine works. Cleanup is ex-
pected to remove the con-
tamination stigma of the
area, thereby improving real
estate values and the eco-
nomic growth potential of
the area. This innovative
project will serve as a model
for other communities that
are transitioning from a min-
ing-based economy to an
economy increasingly de-
pendent on natural assets:
clean land, clean water, and
healthy ecosystems.
57
-------
Argo Mine
Contacts
William Rothenmeyer
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6045
E-mail: rothenmeyer.william@epa.gov
Bridgette L. McCarthy
Boulder County Parks and Open Space
Phone(303)678-6276
E-mail bmmccarthy@co.boulder,co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
I
58
COLORADO - Brownfields
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Brownfields
IS&,51
Project
Accomplishments:
The city ofAurora used
its Brownfields RLF to
make a loan for cleanup
of an old landfill and
converted it into a park
and recreation area.
Contacts
The City of Aurora
Aurora, Colorado
Congressional District 7
Award Dates:
Award Amount:
2000, 2008
$850,000
Background
The city of Aurora was
awarded a Brownfields Re-
volving Loan Fund (RLF)
grant in 2000, and received
additional supplemental
funds in 2008. During this
time, the city has developed
a successful RLF program,
designed to assist in the revi-
talization of the city's tax
base and increase the avail-
ability of sustainable wage
employment in the project
area. The city has used its
Revolving Loan Fund to
make low interest loans for
cleanup activities at brown-
fields properties, and plans to
continue funding projects
into the future.
Project Highlights
On March 9, 2009 the city of Aurora, CO
used its EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan
Fund grant to capitalize a S415,000 loan to
the Aurora Urban Redevelopment Authority.
The loan will be used to finance the remedia-
tion of soil and groundwater contamination
at a former dry cleaner site at Peoria and
Colfax in Aurora. Once complete, the
cleanup will enable Bush Development to
transform an underutilized mall into the
Fitzsimmons Promenade mixed-used rede-
velopment, providing commercial and resi-
dential space and connecting the
Fitzsimmons Medical Complex to the com-
munity. The project is part of Aurora's over-
all renewal plan to minimize the presence of
derelict and potentially hazardous properties
along East Colfax.
On June 7, 2004, the city of Aurora
loaned $471,495 to Community Builders,
Inc. to assist with cleanup costs associated with
a five-acre section of the Idalia Court property.
This loan was made possible through a
$500,000 EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan
Fund grant awarded to the city of Aurora in
September 2000. The six-acre Idalia Court
property operated as a landfill until the late
1960s. Cleanup included the removal of
45,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and
solid waste. The property was developed into
54 affordable townhouse units enhancing local
economic benefits for the community. In addi-
tion to EPA funding, Community Builders, Inc.
partnered with the Colorado Brownfields Foun-
dation (CBF) to help fund cleanup costs and
development of a half-acre section of the Idalia
Court property. CBF redeveloped the half-acre
section of Idalia Court into Kingsborough
Community Park, which upon completion was
dedicated to the city of Aurora.
Ted Lanzano
Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6596
Email: lanzano.ted@epa.gov
Paul Andrus
City of Aurora
Phone: (303) 739-7938
Email: Padrus@auroragov.org
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
59
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60
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Brownfields
Project
Accomplishments:
• Summer 2009 -
Cleanup complete at
10th and Osage
• 3 acres cleaned and
made ready for reuse
City and County of
Denver, Colorado
City and County of Denver, CO Award Date: 2006 and 2007
Congressional District No. 1 Award Amount: $400,000 (assessment and cleanup
funds)
I0lh & Osage light rail station
Background
Located in central Colorado,
Denver (population of 544,116) is
targeting seven areas impacted by
brownfields in order to move for-
ward with plans to create Transit-
Oriented Development (TOD) Cen-
ters. Some of these areas are in
federally designated Enterprise
Communities. TOD Centers are
part of a city initiative to build 119
new miles of commuter and light
rail systems within the metropolitan
region by 2016. Creation of TOD
centers is expected to lead to further
mixed-use redevelopment in sur-
rounding areas, thereby bringing
new investment to economically
distressed areas and improving link-
ages between the TOD centers, the
surrounding neighborhoods, and the
city's economic core. Brownfields
redevelopment will help develop
affordable housing, prevent human
health problems, create new job
opportunities, and improve trans-
portation.
In 2007 Denver was selected to
receive a Brownfields Cleanup
Grant to remediate a property adja-
cent to the 10th and Osage light rail
station. The site is located in the La
Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood.
More than 80 percent of residents in
three of the four census tracts in this
neighborhood are minorities.
Neighborhood poverty rates range
from 23.5 to 51.8 percent, com-
pared to the citywide rate of 14.3
percent. The 10th and Osage Street
site is adjacent to 270 affordable
housing units owned by the Denver
Housing Authority.
61
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Denver, Colorado
Project Highlights
The 1 Oth and Osage property was viewed as an under-
used eyesore that poses a potential health threat to area
residents. In 2008 the site was excavated to remove con-
taminants including arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hy-
drocarbons from former railroad operations. Cleanup of
the site will allow Denver to move forward with plans to
create a transit-oriented development center in this
low-income neighborhood. Brownfields redevelop-
ment is expected to increase economic activity in the
La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood, bringing new
jobs to the community and increasing the tax base.
10th and Osage cleanup - Summer 2008
01^ of Denver
Phone: (720) 913-1561
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfield5
Contacts
Bill Rothenmeyer
(i 'A Environmental Protection Agency,
1 vw REGI0N 8
\, cy Phone: (303) 312-6045
^£22^ E-mail: rothenmeyer.william@epa.gov
62
COLORADO - Brownfields
-------
Brownfields
The Colorado Coalition
Colorado Department of Public
Health and the Environment
Award Dates: 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008
Award Amount: $8.2 Million
Project
Accomplishments:
• Closed on 9 loans and
2 subgrants.
• Completed 10 cleanups
and one is underway.
• Loaned $6,658,644 and
subgranted $180,519 to
public, private, and
non-profit entities.
• Leveraged 2,779 jobs.
• Leveraged
$628,390,950 through
its loans and sub-
grants.
• Cleaned 179 acres of
contaminated proper-
ties.
A CDPHE Revolving Loan Fund financed the cleanup at an underutilized mall in Lake-
wood, CO, enabling developers to proceed with the Belmar mixed-use redevelopment.
Background
A major component of EPA's Brownfields
Program is the award of cooperative agree-
ments to states, political subdivisions, and
tribes to capitalize Brownfields Revolving
Loan Funds (RLFs). These entities use RLF
funds to make low interest loans for cleanup
activities at brownfields properties. Seven
Colorado local governments have joined the
state to form a coalition to create the first RLF
collaborative effort in EPA's Brownfields Pro-
gram. The Coalition is comprised of Com-
merce City, Denver, El Paso County, Engle-
wood, Lakewood, Loveland, Westminster, and
the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE), and includes a part-
nership with the Colorado Housing and Fi-
nance Authority (CHFA). CDPHE is the grant
recipient and lead agency responsible for as-
sisting coalition communities in carrying out
site management responsibilities and CHFA
serves as the fund manager responsible for
allocating the $8.2 million in cumulative RLF
funds.
Project Highlights
Colorado Department of
Public Health and the En-
viornment makes $413,000
loan to clean up land for
park use.
On January 19, 2006, the
Colorado Department of
Public Health and the Envi-
ronment loaned $413,000 to
the Westminster Housing
Authority to assist with
cleanup costs at the Heffly
and Guildner Parcels. This
loan was made possible
through an EPA Brown-
fields Revolving Loan Fund
(RLF) grant awarded to
CDPHE in 1999. The
cleanup, which was com-
pleted in February of 2006,
involved the remediation of
dilapidated structures and the
cleanup of petroleum, vola-
tile organic compounds and
asbestos from the 4.9-acre
lot. In addition to EPA fund-
ing, the Westminster Hous-
ing Authority leveraged ad-
ditional redevelopment fund-
ing through federal, local and
private partnerships. The
city transformed the formerly
contaminated parcels of land
into a city park along the
Little Dry Creek.
63
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Colorado Revolving Loan Fund
Project Highlights Continued
Colorado Department of Public
Health and the Environment
makes $415,023 loan to clean up
gates rubber creamery parcel.
On August 30, 2005, CDPHE
loaned $415,023 to Cherokee Den-
ver, LLC to assist with cleanup costs
associated with the Gates Rubber
Creamery parcel. This loan was
made possible through EPA Brown-
fields Cleanup Revolving Loan
Fund (BCRLF) grants awarded to
CDPHE and its coalition of Front
Range local governments. The
cleanup, which was complete in
August 2005, entailed excavation
and removal of contaminated soil
associated with a former truck wash
sump, residual contaminated soil
from formerly removed under-
ground storage tanks, and chlorin-
Contacts
(( Q v
W
ated soil contamination from an up-
gradient source. Demolition of the
existing buildings began in August
2007 and a mixed-use, transit-
oriented development will be phased
in over a period of 10-15 years and
will include commercial, residential,
retail and entertainment uses for the
Denver community.
State of Colorado EPA Revolving
Loan Fund assists local community
in cleanup of former mine-scarred
lands.
On February 6, 2006, CDPHE
made a RLF loan to the Gold Hill
Mesa Township LLC for $1,200,000
for cleanup activities on the Gold
Mesa property. The 50-acre parcel is
part of a larger 210-acre former gold
mill site located in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. The property has remained
unused because of environmental
concerns since operations ended in
1949. The property includes 11 mil-
lion tons of mill tailings, with
cleanup activities focused on proper
capping of environmental contami-
nants in order to facilitate redevel-
opment options. In addition to tra-
ditional financing, Gold Hill Mesa
has received additional tax credits
and tax increment financing, as well
as technical assistance through entry
into the state Voluntary Clean Up
Program. The Gold Hill Mesa prop-
erty is being redeveloped into a
mixed-use, high density develop-
ment. Redevelopment is underway,
with 14 townhouses and 36 single
family homes already completed
and occupied at the site, and con-
struction underway for additional
housing.
Ted Lanzano
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6596
E-mail: lanzano.ted@epa.gov
Dan Scheppers
Colorado Dept of Public Health
and Environment
Phone: (303) 692-3398
E-mail: daniel.scheppers@state.co.us
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
For More Information: www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/rpbrownfields.html
64
COLORADO - Brownfields
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Brownfields
sSz.
n
Project
Accomplishments:
• Cleanup of mine tails
across 46-acres of the
fairgrounds property
was completed in Sep-
tember 2008.
• The fairgrounds will be
built out using a phased
approach with the ini-
tial corrals already
installed and being
used.
Creede, Colorado
Mineral County Fairgrounds
Association
Congressional District No. 3
Award Date: 2004
Award Amount: $200,000
The Willow Creek adjacent to mine tailings and
contaminated soil.
Photo: Daniel Heffernan
Background
Nestled in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, the town of Creede
(with a population of around 400) has a rich mining history. Unfortunately, the legacy of mining
activity has also left behind a host of environmental problems caused by acid runoff and heavy
metals from mining waste. The Mineral County Fairgrounds Association (MCFA) is using a
$200,000 EPA Brownfieds grant to cleanup mine scarred lands along Willow Creek in Creede.
Last fall, construction equipment broke ground and crews began removing mine tailings and con-
taminated soil to make way for the construction of the new Mineral County Fairgrounds, a much
needed community asset.
A mockup of the future Mineral County Fairgrounds.
Photo: Mineral County Fairgrounds Association
65
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Mineral County
Project Highlights
For Creede and the rest of
Mineral County, the cleanup and
redevelopment of the Fairground
site is big news. Zeke Ward of
the Willow Creek Reclamation
Committee elaborates on the
cleanup, "Some of the contamina-
tion can simply be isolated by
putting clean material over the top
of it. But the ultimate goal is to
eliminate any possibility that any
metals can get into the ground
water or have a pathway to affect
humans."
Project leaders have put to-
gether ambitious plans for an in-
door arena, recreation center,
classrooms, and exhibition and of-
fice space. Plans for the exterior
portions of the project are just as
bold: rotational livestock grazing,
experimental crop cultivation, ath-
letic fields, interpretive trails, and a
sculpture art park are all being con-
sidered.
Jenny Inge of the MCFA ex-
plains, "We believe that having an
indoor and outdoor recreation facil-
ity this close to the majority of our
county population could be a big
draw in attracting people to move
here. And while Creede has never
been anxious to overdevelop, we're
aware that development is inevitable
so if were going grow we'd like to
have something to say about how
we grow."
Creede's innovative project
serves as a model for other com-
munities that are transitioning
from a mining-based economy to
an economy increasingly depend-
ent on natural assets: clean land,
clean water, and healthy ecosys-
tems.
Contacts
William Rothenmeyer
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6045
E-Mail: rothenmeyer.william@epa.gov
Carishma Gokhale-Welch
m Willow Creek Reclamation Committee
B Phone:(719) 658-0178
E-mail: willowcreekrc@my.amigo.net
r
Epa Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
For more information: www.willowcreede.org
66
COLORADO - Brownfields
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Brownfields
[s8z.
Project
Accomplishments:
• Decreased characteri-
zation costs and time
by using the Triad
approach.
• Coordinated with the
Potentially Responsi-
ble Party (PRP) and
completed an S8.8
million Removal Ac-
tion.
• Enabled expansion of
the Northside Aztlan
Community Center, to
LEED Gold certifica-
tion standards.
• Improved water qual-
ity and habitat within
and adjacent to the
Poudre River.
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, CO
CONGRESSION DISTRICT NO. 4
Award Dates:
Award Amount:
2000, 2004
$385,000 in EPA Brownfields
Assessment Funding
The new Leed Gold certified Northside
Aztlan Community Center opened its doors
in November 2007.
Background
As part of its Downtown River Corridor
Implementation Program, which focuses on
environmental restoration and economic revi-
talization of a 352-acre area along the Cache
La Poudre River, the city of Fort Collins,
Colorado used a $250,000 EPA Brownfields
Assessment Pilot Grant awarded in 2000 to
identify properties with significant environ-
mental concerns. Of the approximately 120
separate parcels and 65 landowners within the
study site, the city owns nearly a third of the
land area (107 acres). One of the city's key
goals as part of the Corridor Program was to
relocate and expand the Northside Aztlan
Community Center, which had been sited on a
portion of a former municipal landfill and was
continuing to settle, damaging the structure's
foundation and rendering the center unusable.
In 2001, an environmental site assessment
funded through the EPA grant indicated that
the 12-acre former landfill, and an adjacent
site once home to a gas plant and a gasoline
supply station would need to be addressed due
to fuel-related groundwater contamination and
the presence of coal tar. Coal tar is a viscous,
oily, odorous liquid that is a by-product from
the former gas plant's conversion of coal into
fuel for home heating and city lights. The gas
plant operated from 1904 to 1927, and a gaso-
line distribution company used a portion of the
property in later years.
Project Highlights
EPA Region 8's Brownfields Pro-
gram provided Targeted Brownfields
Assessment (TBA) funding to con-
duct further environmental characteri-
zations of the site and engaged EPA's
Brownfields and Land Revitalization
Technology Support Center (BTSC)
to help develop field work plans us-
ing the Agency's Triad approach.
Designed to produce decision quality
data as efficiently and cost-
effectively as possible, the Triad ap-
proach augments traditional methods
of site characterization by using real
time measurement technologies and
dynamic strategies that can be
quickly modified based on site condi-
tions. BTSC coordinated with stake-
holders to continually refine a con-
ceptual site model, select appropriate
investigative technologies, and se-
quence data collection efforts to im-
prove project efficiency. The entire
site characterization took approxi-
mately one year to complete. It is
estimated that use of the Triad ap-
proach resulted in 30 percent cost
savings when compared with tradi-
tional characterization methods,
while increasing the amount and
quality of the resulting data.
Environmental characterizations
indicated that an approximately 700-
foot stretch along the southwest bank
of the river was being adversely im-
pacted by coal tar. Chemicals from
other sources, such as gasoline and
other petroleum-related by-products
from leaking underground storage
tanks, were also detected in water and
soil samples in the area.
The site was referred to EPA's
Emergency Response Program in
October 2003 and the Triad process
67
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Fort Collins, Colorado
Project Highlights Continued
continued to facilitate the design and
application of measures to capture the
coal tar and eliminate its flow to the
river. The remedy was implemented
by the PRP under a CERCLA consent
order less than two years after the
start of the TBA. Throughout the
cleanup process, the Colorado De-
partment of Public Health and Envi-
ronment was involved. The city en-
tered into the state's Voluntary
Cleanup Program, which provides
technical support to facilitate clean-
ups and provide assurances against
regulatory enforcement.
In all, the cleanup cost the PRP
$8.8 million. It involved removing
and disposing of approximately
30,000 cubic yards of contaminated
sediment and bedrock over a 400 to
600-foot area of the Poudre River, to
a depth of about 14 feet. A permanent
vertical barrier wall was then in-
stalled that measures 700 feet in
length along the river bank and ex-
tends to 30 feet below the original
ground surface. The top of this wall
has been covered with soil and is not
visible. Groundwater control wells
and sump pumps were constructed to
keep contaminants from migrating
around the wall. An on-site water
treatment system was also put in
place to remove coal tar and other
dissolved contaminants from the
groundwater along the barrier wall,
before discharging it into the river.
Operation of this system will con-
tinue for many years to stop coal tar
from migrating to the Poudre River.
Over time, the river is being re-
stored to its natural condition as trees
and grasses planted in the spring of
2005 continue to grow. The Fort
Collins community was, and contin-
ues to be, involved in the restoration
planning for the riverbank.
The city's goal of expanding the
Northside Aztlan Center has also
been realized by developing a new
community center on the parking lot
of the original building (which was
demolished). In order to prevent fu-
ture damage to the foundation, the
new building was constructed onto
300 supports placed into the site's
bedrock. An active venting system
was also designed. On November 30,
2007, the new $7.72 million, 48,739
square foot multipurpose recreation
facility (more than three times its
original size) opened its doors to the
public.
Beyond its value as a community
asset, the new Northside Aztlan Com-
munity Center has the distinct honor
of being recognized as the first Lead-
ership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) Gold certified com-
munity center in the United States. It
is estimated that the facility's green
components will save the city of Fort
Collins over $20,000 per year. These
green components include: an energy
-efficient building shell, HVAC and
lighting systems that will contribute
to annual energy savings of more
than 30 percent, efficient plumbing
fixtures that contribute to indoor wa-
ter savings of 44 percent (720,700
gallons per year), native and adapted
plant species and high-efficiency irri-
gation systems that contribute to out-
door water savings of 52 percent, and
heat-reflective roofing to reduce cool-
ing costs.
Contacts
Karen Reed
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6019
E-mail: reed.karen@epa.gov
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
68
COLORADO - Brownfields
-------
A.
Brownfields
Revitalizing
Jamestown's Elysian Park
Town of Jamestown, CO
Congressional District No. 2
Award Date: 2008
Award Amount: $200,000
Project
Accomplishments:
• The Colorado Depart-
ment of Public Health
and the Environment
and faculty of CU
Boulder are key part-
ners in the remedy
design and execution
of this mine-scarred
land cleanup project.
• The cleanup plan was
developed in 2008.
• Five acres of the park
will be remediated in
2009.
Elysian Park, pre-cleanup
Background
The Town of Jamestown
was selected to receive a
Brownfields Cleanup Grant.
Located about 12 miles
northwest of the city of
Boulder, Jamestown
(population 283) is a small,
primarily residential commu-
nity that was settled in the
1870s as a mining camp.
Gold, silver, and fluorospar
were mined from the area,
but most mines and mills
were abandoned after the
1960s. Today, the town's
unemployment rate is 16
percent, and its residents are
largely sustained by employ-
ment in Boulder. The Elysian
Park site is next to James
Creek, which flows into
Lefthand Creek, the source
of drinking water for about
20,000 residents in areas
northeast of Boulder. Con-
tamination from the target
site poses a threat to the
creek and those who use the
park. A 2002 EPA investiga-
tion at Elysian Park revealed
high lead concentrations in
some surface soil samples.
Recent community interest in
improving park facilities has
led to a renewed interest in
cleaning up contaminated
soils. Following the site's
cleanup, the town plans to
improve the recreational and
entertainment facilities in the
park, including a pavilion for
musical events and a play-
ground. Cleanup of the site is
expected to reduce risks to
human health and the envi-
ronment, including the po-
tential contamination of
James Creek.
Project Highlights
The $200,000 EPA
brownfields cleanup grant
will be supplemented by
funding from the Colorado
Department of Public Health
and Environment and the
Town of Jamestown. While
detailed plans for Elysian
Park are still to be deter-
mined, the expected remedia-
tion plan will involve cap-
ping of the site with layers of
fill material and top soil that
will support native grasses.
The result will eliminate any
human health risk associated
with exposure to contami-
nated surface soils as well as
any potential for these con-
taminated soils to degrade
water quality in James
Creek. Plans for follow-up
monitoring include sampling
of soils at the park site and
the waters adjacent to, up-
stream and downstream of
the site.
69
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Jamestown, Colorado
Contacts
/^lDS'^\ William Rothenmeyer
fi *A Environmental Protection Agency,
I !] Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6045
N^ E-mail: rothenmeyer.william@epa.gov
FKen Lenarcic
Mayor, Town of Jamestown
Phone: (303) 449-1806
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
70
COLORADO - Brownfields
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Kit Carson, Colorado
Kit Carson Rural Development
Congressional District No. 4
Award Date:
Award Amount:
2009
$200,000
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Paxsoti Building—pre-environmental remediation and demolition
Background
Kit Carson Rural Development - a non-profit
501(c)3 - was selected to receive a Brownfields
Cleanup Grant in the spring of 2009. Located in
Colorado's Cheyenne County, Kit Carson
(population 253) has at least four known brown-
field sites along the main highway that runs
through town. The 0.4-acre Paxson Building site
is the largest, most visible brownfield in town.
The only health clinic in town is next door to the
site, and four churches, a bank, and a grocery
store are within 100 feet of the building. The
Paxson property and the other three sites along the
same highway pose potential threats to human
health, impair the quality of the town's commercial
area, and reduce the number of available sites for
redevelopment. Cleanup of the Paxson site is ex-
pected to serve as a catalyst that will enable the
town to redevelop this and other properties in
town.
Project Highlights
Located on the southwest
corner of Highway 40/287 and
Church Street in Kit Carson is
the dilapidated Paxson Building
site. The currently vacant site
was home to a variety of opera-
tions, including an automobile
dealership and repair shop, fuel
station, and cafe. Grant funds
will be used to remove and dis-
pose of inorganic contaminants
and friable asbestos, as well as
to oversee the cleanup process.
Once all contamination has
been mitigated, Kit Carson Ru-
ral Development plans to de-
molish the current structure on
the site to make way for future
commercial development. Po-
tential future commercial uses
include a grocery store, feed
dealership or laundromat.
Key partners in this project
include the non-profit Colorado
Brownfields Foundation, Colo-
rado Department of Public
Health and Environment, and
Colorado Division of Oil and
Public Safety.
Contacts
William Rothenmeyer
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6045
Email: rothenmeyfr.wii i iam@epa.gov
Amy Johnson
Kit Carson Rural Development
Phone: (719) 962-3578
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
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72
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Transit Oriented
Development in Lakewood,
Colorado
Brownfields
Lakewood, Colorado
Congressional District No. 7
Award Date: 1998, 2005
Award Amount: $600,000
West Corridor
West Corridor RTD Light Rail
Expansion Area
Background
Project
Accomplishments:
Conducted various envi-
ronmental assessments
and transaction screens,
paving the way for tran-
sit oriented redevelop-
ments.
In 2005, the city of Lakewood was selected to receive two EPA grants to assess brownfields
properties along key transportation corridors. Lakewood's early development was spurred by
West Colfax Avenue and the Denver, Lakewood and Golden (DL&G) rail line. Interstate con-
struction in the 1960s eliminated the DL&G line as a significant transportation route. The decline
of these transportation links has left a legacy of deteriorating industrial and commercial districts
on the once prominent mile-wide transit corridor. The corridor, which accounts for 45 percent of
the city, encompasses four residential neighborhoods. The city plans to update the aging freight
rail corridor with light rail transit, which would enable redevelopment to occur at the same time
the metro Denver region undertakes a major transportation upgrade. In 1998, the city of Lake-
wood received its first $200,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant to develop a commercially vital
area surrounded by safe and attractive neighborhoods.
Project Highlights
To assist with the trans-
portation developments in
the priority corridor, the city
of Lakewood has conducted
environmental assessments
and transaction screens to
evaluate the condition and
cleanup options of priority
brownfields properties. Con-
ducting an environmental
assessment is a critical first
step in the redevelopment
process to determine what, if
any, contamination exists.
Specifically, the city has
conducted assessments at
13lh Ave. and Wadsworth
Blvd; the Gambro BCT un-
developed property (10098
West 12th Avenue); Harrison
Western (1280 Quail Street);
the Lakewood Housing Au-
thority (1209 Quail Street);
Lakewood Industrial Park;
and, at the Police Property
Storage (1290 Harlan Street).
Brownfields assessment are
key to removing barriers to
support the new light rail
transit corridor. Redevelop-
ment is expected to revitalize
the Lakewood community by
expanding its retail and com-
mercial tax base and creating
new employment centers.
73
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Lakewood, Colorado
Contacts
Barbara Benoy
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6760
E-mail: benoy.barbara@epa.gov
Brian Nielsen
A City of Lakewood
¦ Phone: (303) 987-7192
E-mail: brinie@lakewood.org
EPA Web Site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
74
COLORADO - Brownfields
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Brownfields
15&,
CITY OF PUEBLO
Pueblo, Colorado,
Congressional District 3
Project Dates:
Amount:
February, 2008—Present
$87,450
Background
Project
Accomplishments:
i Based on EPA technical
assistance, the city ac-
quired Lake Minnequa
and is developing a 243
-acre park to serve the
local population.
« Based on Phase I infor-
mation, the city is plan-
ning a drainage project
to mitigate flooding in
residential neighbor-
hood.
EPA's Targeted Brownfields Assess-
ment (TBA) program is designed to help
minimize the uncertainties of contamina-
tion often associated with brownfields-
especially for those entities without EPA
Brownfields Assessment grants. The
TBA program is not a grant program, but
a service provided through an EPA con-
tract in which EPA directs a contractor to
conduct environmental assessment activi-
ties to address the requestor's needs.
Unlike grants, EPA does not provide
funding directly to the entity requesting
the services.
The city of Pueblo, working in coop-
eration with the local CARE
(Community Action for a Renewed Envi-
ronment) group requested that five tar-
geted brownfield assessment projects be
conducted. The CARE group is a com-
munity based effort, funded by EPA's
Environmental Justice Program, to iden-
tify, prioritize, and address environ-
mental health risks.
Project Highlights
Lake Minncuua
The city requested a Phase I Tar-
geted Brownfields Assessment for
Lake Minnequa, a 243 acre property
that includes a 100 acre lake in the
southern portion of the city of
Pueblo. Lake Minnequa was owned
by CF&l Steel as a water storage
facility. EPA completed a Phase I
investigation, a historic investiga-
tion of the property use and a pre-
liminary site inspection in March,
2008. Based upon the findings of
the Phase I investigation, Pueblo
requested a Phase II investigation, a
more in-depth environmental site
assessment, including sampling ac-
tivities to identify the types and con-
centrations of contaminants and the
areas to be cleaned. Phase II was com-
pleted in July, 2008. This report pro-
vided decision makers with informa-
tion on the limited scope of one con-
taminated area and documented that
another area of concern was not con-
taminated. Pueblo acquired the Lake
Minnequa property for use as a park
with athletic fields and natural areas.
It also serves as a stormwater deten-
tion facility.
Peppersauce Bottoms Drainage Pro-
ject
Peppersauce Bottoms is a low in-
come residential area in Pueblo that is
prone to flooding. The neighborhood
was ravaged by floods in the summer
of 2006. The CARE project partnered
with the city of Pueblo to develop a
storm water management plan to miti-
gate the flooding problems. The plan
calls for the city to acquire a number of
vacant parcels owned by the BNSF
Railroad for the construction of facili-
ties to detain and better convey flood-
waters away from the community. EPA
completed a Phase I investigation, a
historic investigation of the property
use and a preliminary site inspection,
on the multiple parcels in October,
2008. Based upon the findings of the
Phase I investigation, Pueblo requested
a Phase II to sample areas of potential
contamination. Phase II was initiated
in March, 2009.
75
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City of Pueblo
Contacts
William Rothenmeyer
Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 8
Phone: (303) 312-6045
E-Mail: rothenmeyer.william@epa.gov
F
Scott Hobson
Assistant City Manager for
Community Investment
Phone:(719) 553-2244
E-Mail: shobson®pueblo.us
EPA Web site: www.epa.gov/region8/brownfields
76
COLORADO - Brownfields
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PA/SI Proposed Listing
on NPL in Federal
Register
Public
Comment on
Proposed
Listing
Response
to
Comments
Final Listing
on NPL in
Federal
Register
Community
Community involvement
Interviews Hiin (C|P)
Information
Repository/
Establish
Admin
Record
Public
Notice of
Admini-
strative
Record
Public
Notice
of TAG
Availability
RI/FS
Begins
FS
Completion
and Proposed
Plan
Notice and
Availability
of Explanation of
Significant Differences
(il necessary)
Post-ROD
Significant
Changes
(if necessary)
Revised
CIP
Public
Notice of
ROD
Availability
ROD
Response
to
Comments
Public
Comment on
Significant
Changes
(il needed)
I
Notice of Availability/
Brief Description of
Proposed ROD
Amendment
{if necessary)
Revised
Proposed Plan
and Discussion of
Significant Changes
(if needed)
Pre-ROD
Significant
Changes
(if necessary)
Notice and
Comment on
Consent Decree
(if necessary)
Public Meeting
Responsiveness Transcript
Summary to Available
Comments on RI^S
and Proposed Plan
Public Comment
on Rl(f S and
Proposed Ptan
Opportunty for
a Public Meeting
on Proposed
Public Comment
Periott Public Meeting,
MeetingTran script,
Responsiveness
Summary
(if necessary)
Notice and
Availability of
Amended ROD
(if necessary)
~
IT
Ml
Remedial
Design./
Remedial
Action
Fact Sheet
on
Final Engineering
Design
Public Bribing
on
Final Engineering
Design
Remedial
Action
Begins
O&M
Proposed NPL
Deletion in
Federal
Register
Public Notice
of Intent to
Delete in
Federal Register
Proposed
Deletion
Information
to Information
Repository
9
Response
to
Comments
Final NPL
Deletion in
Federal Register
Final Deletion Package in
Information Repository
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