United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA500-F-97-161
September 1997
SERA
Regional Brownfields
Assessment Pilot
North Stapleton, CO
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower States, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and
sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and
an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. Between 1995 and 1996, EPA funded 76 National and Regional Brownfields
Assessment Pilots, at up to $200,000 each, to support creative two-year explorations and demonstrations of brownfields
solutions. EPAis funding morethan 27 Pilots in 1997. The Pilots are intended to provide EPA, States, Tribes, municipalities,
and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified
approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
EPA Region 8 has selected the Cities of Denver and
Commerce City for a Regional Brownfields Pilot.
The Pilot targets approximately 2,500 acres of the
former Stapleton International Airport (SIA), as well
as 640 acres currently part of the Rocky Mountain
Arsenal to be purchased by Commerce City pursuant
to Federal legislation. A groundwater plume.
contaminated by chlorinated solvents, originates from
the Montbello Industrial Park and passes through the
property; the source of the plume is not related to SIA.
Northeast Denver is now experiencing a dramatic
transformation as several contaminated properties in
the general vicinity of SIA are being cleaned up and
converted to productive use. Three significantpublic
sites, including SIA, are all undergoing historical
changes, as they close and are redeveloped. In
addition, the Sand Creek Brownfields Pilot borders
this Pilot's targeted property. Through these efforts,
the area has demonstrated its commitment to
community involvement in planning for
redevelopment.
The Pilot project will affect about 58,000 Denver
area residents—all of Commerce City and several
northeast Denver neighborhoods (North Park Hill,
Northeast Park Hill, Montbello, and East Monclair).
The 1990 unemployment rates in these neighborhoods
PILOT SNAPSHOT
North Stapleton, Colorado
Date of Award:
August 1997
Amount: $200,000
Site Profile: The Pilot
targets approximately
2,500 acres of the former
Stapleton International
Airport as well as 640
acres currently part of the
Rocky Mountain Arsenal
to be purchased by
Commerce City.
Contacts:
Myles Carter
City and County of
Denver
Department of Aviation
(303) 342-2200
(ext. 2628)
Beth Conover
Stapleton Development
Corporation
(303) 295-7900
Pat Smith
U.S. EPA-Region 8
(303)312-6803
smith.patricia@epamail.epa.gov
Visit the EPA Brownfields Website at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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range from 8.52 to 15.6 percent, with 1989 poverty
rates ranging from 13.2 to 28.2 percent. These
neighborhoods have minority populations from 44 to
96 percent, as compared to the 35 percent minority
population average for the City of Denver. For many
years, these residential communities have been
impacted by the presence of large military facilities,
as well as by extensive industrial development along
the Denver-Commerce City boundary.
Redevelopment of SIA, which is directly adjacent to
these disadvantaged communities, will assist in the
improvement of their economic status and
environmental conditions.
In the past few years. Denver has undergone a
significant shift in its job base. A majority of the new
jobs anticipated from redevelopment efforts related
to this Pilot will be created for local residents. The
Pilot offers an opportunity to enhance the strengths of
the neighborhoods that have grown up around it by-
providing employment and job-train ing opportunities.
extensive parks, trails and open spaces, and a diversity
of housing options. Hie integration of jobs and
housing is part of an overall strategy to increase
access to the area and reduce vehicle miles and
regional air quality impacts.
OBJECTIVES
The Pilot's focus is to facilitate the revitalization and
redevelopment of the northern zone of SIA and the
Commerce City parcel. The Pilot aims to reverse
environmental and economic trends and blighting,
increase assessed property value and private
investment, increase the quantity and quality of
employment opportunities, and reclaim potentially
valuable property for mixed-use development.
Specific milestones critical to achieving this
redevelopment include the identification and review
of baseline conditions at the sites to establish the
extent of contamination. The tasks planned through
the Pilot, including site assessment andthe education
of local residents and specific community sectors,
will benefitthe entire area through improved economic
and environmental conditions.
AND
The Pilot will:
* Revi ew and evaluate the quality and extent of existing
sampling and analytical data;
* Conduct a risk assessment to quantify the human
health and ecological risks resulting from a
groundwater plume of chlorinated solvents;
* Prepare a corrective measures study to evaluate and
select appropriate remedial measures if the risk
assessment indicates that the plume presents an
unacceptable level of human health risk;
* Prepare informational outreach materials for
appraisers, lenders, builders, potential buyers, and
the general public to explain the health and ecological
risks associated with this property; and
* Develop a strategy to provide regulatory relief, tax
incentives, and/or creative financing solutions for
buyers, lenders, and developers.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been
negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact
sheet are subject to change.
Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot
September 1997
North Stapleton, Colorado
EPA 500-F-97-161
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