Success Stories - Siting Renewable Energy on Contaminated Land Summitville Mine Superfund Site, Rio Grande County, Colorado Hydroelectric plant powers contaminated water treatment at former gold mine Site Description The 1,400-acre Summitville Mine Superfund site is located approximately 18 miles southwest of Del Norte, Colorado. The former mine is in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 11,500 feet, two miles from the Continental Divide. The Wightman Fork of the Alamosa River flows from the site through forest and agricultural land. The Terrace Reservoir, used for irrigation, is on the Alamosa River 18 miles downstream from the site. Property History Gold mining began at Summitville around 1870. The latest mining operator, Summitville Consolidated Mining Corp., Inc. operated a pit heap leach gold mining operation, using cyanide to extract the gold, from July 1986 through October 1991. The company abandoned the site in December 1992 after declaring bankruptcy. QUICK FACTS: Location: EPA Region 8, Rio Grande County, CO Property Size: 1,400 Acres Site Ownership: Federal - U.S. Forest Service Former Use: Heap leach gold and silver mining Contaminants: Heavy metals, acid mine drainage Project Type: Superfund—OSRTI/OSW/Mining Team Type of RE: Hydroelectric Project Cost: $350,000 (for hydroelectric component) Key Partners: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; National Renewable Energy Laboratories, EPA Region 8 Under construction; 2010 completion Current Status: The site is contaminated with heavy metals (i.e., copper, cadmium, manganese, zinc, lead, nickel, aluminum, iron) onsite. Downstream of the site, surface water quality has been heavily degraded with heavy metals, especially copper, and acid mine drainage. The EPA Emergency Response Branch assumed responsibility of the site on December 16, 1992. On May 31, 1994, the site was placed on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Management of surface water contaminated by heavy metals and acid mine drainage from exposed minerals at the site is a cleanup priority. The hydroelectric plant is part of a series of construction projects to improve control of snowmelt and storm water runoff at the site. A new water treatment plant is scheduled to be completed in 2010. Renewable Energy Development Construction began on the Summitville micro hydroelectric plant in summer 2008. An inlet structure and penstock for a 40 kW plant were built in 2008, and construction of a power house and installation of a turbine will occur in summer 2009. A 16-inch diameter penstock will divert water from the Wightman Fork. Once complete, the facility will generate 250,000-290,000 kilowatt-hours per year - enough to power about 25 households, and prevent 250-275 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere every year. EPA Region 8 anticipates that the plant will provide enough power to operate a required onsite water treatment plant (planned for 2010). Power generated by the hydroelectric plant will be fed back into the Xcel Energy grid through a net metering agreement and will be used to offset the cost of power usage required for water treatment. Plans are underway for a more efficient water treatment plant to replace the aging, original plant. Once the new treatment plant is complete, energy from the hydroelectric plant will be sufficient to power all water treatment at the site. PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: Management of contaminated surface water incorporates a hydroelectric plant. Hydroelectric plant construction began July 2008; plant will begin generating power in spring 2010. Power from the plant will be sold back to the electricity provider, reducing the energy cost of contaminated surface water treatment at the site by 40%. Shared costs and partner organizations help ensure long-term stewardship of institutional controls. CENTER FOR PROGRAM ANALYSIS CONTACT: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Daniel Lutz, Community Involvement Coordinator: 1-888/569-1831 x3310, Daniel.Lutz@state.co.us To learn more about siting renewable energy on contaminated land, visit: www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland ------- |