| Rocky Mountain Arsenal |
Rocky Mountain Arsenal remains highly contaminated while the U.S. Army, Shell Oil Company, the Environmental Protection Agency and everyone else imaginable continue to research and debate as to how it can be cleaned and to what degree. While the Army and Shell are investigating and proposing ways to clean the Arsenal, 13 Interim Response Actions (IRAs) are being planned or initiated to contain the spread of contaminants.
Currently, most activity is in the construction of a new interception and treatment barrier after the August '89 discovery of another plume of contaminated groundwater flowing from Basin A toward the South Platte River. Basin A was an unlined, solar-evaporative pond in which liquid wastes were poured throughout the '40s and '50s and is considered the most contaminated land in the 27 square mile Arsenal. The flow contains DIMP (a nerve gas by-product), dieldrin and DBCP (Shell pesticides), PCE (an industrial solvent) and chloroform. Contaminated water will be pumped from the ground above the barrier, filtered and returned to the aquifer below the barrier.
On May 30, the Denver Post reported that for the first time federal agents had publicly revealed that through this alluvial plume, toxic wastes had already reached the South Platte. The Arsenal's Public Affairs', Bill Thomas (303-288-7668) claims this to be erroneous and denies that any toxins have actually made their way to the river, one and a half miles to the northwest. The EPA , through Elaine Heise (303-294-1140), said that if any has reached the river, it's been undetected.
Thomas also said that there was no contaminated water "oozing around", as the Post reported, the $6 million barriers built to head off other plumes ten years ago, but that instead they are now catching additional plumes. EPA agreed saying the new barriers are being built closer to the major sources, and are being strategically placed in order to intercept plumes repeatedly.
(Curiously, in my personal visit to the construction site, we were outfitted in heavy boots, full coveralls and hardhats for our protection on a 102 degree day. The construction workers were similarly outfitted. Everyone had to hose down their boots thoroughly after leaving the site to dislodge any contaminated soil that we may have picked up, yet no protection was provided for inhaled dust. Dust was present and blowing lighly from the bulldozers and piles of earth adjacent to the site.)
Colorado state environmental officials have expressed their concerns to OSHA about Army plans to clean the Arsenal's former nerve gas plant. State officials have not received sufficient evidence that the workers' safety is assured. The Tennessee Valley Authority is currently checking contamination levels at the facility, which OSHA says is safe enough for the workers. No nerve gas has been manufactured since 1957.
Estimated costs for the overall Arsenal cleanup run everywhere from $1-4 Billion depending on who you ask. No one's sure how long it will take since so far no one knows how to clean up. The Army is proposing to incinerate 8 million gallons of toxic waste from pesticides beginning in the Spring of '92 at a cost of $20 million.
According to the EPA, the cost of the cleanup to date is $95.2 million. The interim maintanance until 1994 is expected to cost an additional $86.6 million.
According to the Army and EPA, no superfund money has been spent on cleaning the Arsenal. Funds are instead coming from the Army's own Installation Restoration Fund and Shell.
Until future use is determined no one is sure how clean the Arsenal must become, but Thomas claims that "we will clean it up to whatever standards are set."
Major portions of the Arsenal are now serving as a wildlife refuge and there are numerous advocates for setting the entire property aside as a "Serengeti of the West" in Pat Schroeder's words. Public viewing areas are already open during winter months to observe up to 32 bald eagles roosting in the 3,600 acre Bald Eagle Management Area. The Arsenal is also home to hundreds of deer, hawks and prairie dogs and about 30 pairs of burrowing owls.
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