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Brownfields Cleanup
Revolving Loan Fund
Pilot
State of Colorado Coalition (El Paso
County, CO)
BACKGROUND
El Paso County will join the Colorado Brownfields
Revolving LoanFund Coalition (CBRLF). The Coalitionis
comprised of the cities of Commerce City, Denver,
Englewood, Lakewood, Loveland, and Westminster, and
two State agencies: the Colorado Housing and Finance
Authority and the Colorado Department of Public Health
and Environment. (CDPHE). The County (population
517,000) is located 50 miles south of Denver and includes
the Cities of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. In the
late 1800s, gold mining caused a development boom in the
southern Rocky Mountains. Ore was processed by four
mills in the foothills of Pikes Peak. This area is known as
the Mill Sites Brownfields Corridor within the City of
Colorado Springs. Waste tailings disposed of in ponds,
landfills, and tailings piles adjacenttothe abandoned mills
have caused widespread heavy metal contamination of
soils in the area. The area contains low-income housing,
parks, and open space.
El Paso County is committed to brownfields cleanup and
redevelopment. This commitment is demonstrated by the
county' s record of conducting assessments and the cleanup
of brownfields. El Paso County promotes the state Voluntary
Cleanup Program as the appropriate mechanism under
which to clean up contaminated sites.
BCRLF OBJECTIVES
The county's goals for the BCRLF Pilot are to achieve
cleanup standards that allow contaminated properties to
achieve their full social and economic potential.
The County will seek use of BCRLF funds for three
priority brownfields sites. Tailings near the Shadow Park
Mobile Home Park need to be cleaned up to improve living
conditions for residents. Tailings piles on the former
Golden Cycle Mill site need to be cleaned up to enable
development of commercial and retail facilities.
Contaminated soils need to be cleaned up to allow renovation
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Date of Announcement:
May 2002
Amount: $800,000
BCRLF Target Area:
Mill Sites Brownfields Corridor
El Paso County, CO
Contacts:
El Paso County Environmental
Services Department
(719)520-7820
Region 8 Brownfields
Coordinator
(303)312-6982
Visit the E PA Region 8 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/region08/land waste
/bfhome/bfhome.html
Forfurtherinformation,includingspecific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
www.epa.gov/brownfields
of El Paso County's Penrose Equestrian Center, which is
located on a former mill site.
FUND STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
El Paso County will join the existing Colorado Brownfields
Revolving Loan Fund Coalition. The Coalition was created
to provide a centralized, cost-effective administrative
organization to make low-cost funding available for
environmental cleanups. The CDPHE is the cooperative
agreement recipient and will serve as the lead agency and
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site manager. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
will serve as the fund manager. El Paso County's
Environmental Services Department will work
cooperatively with the CDPHE to facilitate remediation
projects funded through the BCRLF Pilot.
LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES
In addition to private sector lenders, several active financing
programs can be leveraged. The Pikes Peak Regional
Development Corporation provides loans for the
development of new employment opportunities. The
Colorado Housing and Finance Authority finances housing,
business, and economic growth opportunities. A tax
increment financing district was recently created in
Colorado Springs. In addition, El Paso County will provide
an estimated $60,000 of in-kind services.
Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, and all
CERCLA restrictions on use of funding also apply to BCRLF funds.
Solid Waste EPA 500-F-02-017
and Emergency May 2002
Response (5101) www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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