DURANGO  POWER HOUSE
                    Durango, CO
  Section 128 (a) State and Tribal Grant
                       Children's Museum  Project Brings New Energy
                                        to an Historic Power Plant
     ADDRESS:         1333 Camino del Rio, Durango, CO 81 301
     PROPERTY SIZE:     Three acres
     FORMER USE:      Power plant
     CURRENT USE:     Future home of the Durango Discovery Museum and public recreational space
EPA GRANT RECIPIENT:
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CO
DPHE) utilized $45,000 in Section I28(a) State and Tribal
Response Program Grant funds.
PROJECT PARTNERS:
City of Durango,
Durango Discovery
Museum, CO DPHE
                                                                                         COLORADO

                                                                                          *Durango
                                                                                        For additional data and geographic information for this and
                                                                                        other Brownfields Grants, please visit EPAs:
                                                                                        Envirofacts - www. epagov/envi ro/html/bms/bms_query. html
                                                                                        Enviromapper - www. epagov/envi ro/bf
    PROJECT BACKGROUND:
    Located in Colorado's southwestern corner, the City of Durango became home to the world's first steam-powered, alternating current
    (AC) power plant in 1893. A critical part of Durango's early development, the plant was eventually incorporated into Western
    Colorado's power grid as the region's energy use expanded. The plant operated until the mid 1970s, when it ceased operations and was
    boarded up with much of its original equipment still in place. The 8,000-square-foot plant, which covers three acres on the banks of the
    Animas River, sat idle and dilapidated for more than 20 years. The City of Durango took ownership of the property, but reuse options
    were hindered by unknown levels of asbestos and other contaminants, including decades of pigeon waste buildup. While still in limbo,
    the Durango Power House was added to both state and federal Historic Place registries. Finally, in 2002, the Children's Museum of
    Durango contacted the city with an interest in restoring and relocating onto the historic site. An agreement was made in which the
    Museum would handle fundraising for necessary cleanup and redevelopment, while the city would provide administrative and technical
    assistance and transfer site ownership to the Museum upon the project's completion. To aid with assessments, the city requested the
    assistance of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
    KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
    •   Used approximately $45,000 in 128(a) funds to perform assessments on the historic
        facility; findings from these and earlier assessments included asbestos, pigeon waste,
        mercury, and uranium mining waste (which had migrated from an adjacent site).
    •   Used nearly $90,000 in state funding to remove asbestos, and more than 1,000 cubic
       yards of contaminated soil. An additional $8,000 in Section 128(a) funding also
        contributed toward  soil removal.
    •   Completed primary cleanup of the facility in September 2005.
    •   Project donations, which have reached $2 million (of an estimated $ 10 million needed) have
        come from private foundations and local and national businesses. BP America donated
        $50,000 in solar equipment that will one day provide power to the restored facility.
    OUTCOME:
The historic Durango Power House,
  during cleanup and restoration.
    With an estimated completion date of 201 I, this project will create an interactive science museum that highlights the facility's historic
    role in energy innovation. Visitors will experiment with the  19th-century sciences that gave rise to electrical power, learn about locally
    mined energy products, operate a hydrogen-powered race car, and explore energy-efficient building techniques. The restored facility,
    which will retain and display some of its original equipment, will eventually be used for science camps and after-school club meetings; it
    is already being rented out for tours and private events. The restored Power Plant is also in the application process for LEED certifica-
    tion, which will recognize how its reconstruction and operation meet high standards for energy efficiency and environmental steward-
    ship. This project is part of a larger, riverfront restoration initiative that will produce new recreational space for both tourists and local
    residents—including a riverfront park, outdoor shops and exhibits, and walkways connecting the site to downtown Durango.
    FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the EPA Brownfields Web site at http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ or call EPA Region 8 at (303) 3 12-63 12

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