Another strong shock rumbled through the Denver area on November 14, 1966, causing some damage at Commerce City and Eastlake. American bison are reintroduced to the site that same year as part of a nationwide conservation effort. Since then, the US Army started to operate the site. 1942The U.S. Army establishes the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to produce chemical weapons as a war-time deterrent. There are many studies that try to estimate the total costs due to contamination of pesticides in U.S. as well as in other countries; however, indirect costs are difficult to estimate, but likely several times than total direct environmental and social costs. 1995-1996Following extensive community input, the Off-Post and On-Post Records of Decision (ROD) are signed. For testing purposes, the well was injected with approximately 568,000 gallons of city water prior to injecting any waste. In 1984, the Army began a systematic investigation of site contamination in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), commonly referred to as Superfund. SITE HISTORY - Rocky Mountain Arsenal was listed on the NPL in 1987. The Army replied by indicating federal authorities should regulate the arsenal superfund site through the CERCLA, and not state environmental authorities. When the Cold War ended in the 1980s, more surplus military lands were earmarked for refuges. The shock shuffled furniture around in homes, and left electrical wall outlets hanging by their wires at Irondale. [18] While it is difficult to capture the societal cost to clean up the site, the list of actions dealing with groundwater contamination listed by Mears and Heise include: Direct economic totals add up to approximately $111 million and this estimation does not include operation and maintenance costs. Because of the Superfund site status and the dramatic cleanups, many residents in neighborhoods surrounding the RMA voiced concern about ongoing health risks of living within the close vicinity of the site. (3 of 9), REDEVELOPMENT - Commerce City, CO a northern suburb of Denver,and a sports enterprise business have invested more than $120 million in the property, which yields 1.7 million visitors annually. An astonishing array of animals and habitats flourished on six obsolete weapons complexes mostly for nuclear or chemical arms because the sites banned the public and other intrusions for decades, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), In this Oct. 13, 2005, file photo, deer cross a road striped of its asphalt at the former Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons plant near Golden, Colo. (Ed Andrieski, AP File photo), How Denver is spending the $41M from the Broncos sale, Three members of Colorados congressional delegation seek $60 billion to reduce wildfire risk, restore Western land, Troubled K.P. From Arsenal of Democracy to urban wildlife refuge, the RMA has been critical to achieving U.S. defense, space exploration, environmental remediation and conservation goals. The primary contaminants include organochloride pesticides, organophosphate pesticides, carbamate insecticides, organic solvents and feedstock chemicals used as raw products or intermediates in the manufacturing process (e.g., chlorinated benzenes), heavy metals, chemical warfare material and their related breakdown products and biological warfare agent such as TX. Two sites were retained by the Army: the South Plants location due to historical use[clarification needed], and the North Plant location, which is now a landfill containing the remains of various buildings used in the plants. Since there is no further use for the building, the Army will remove it as part of a larger effort to reduce the Armys footprint at RMA. In 1975, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ordered the Army and Shell to stop the non-permitted discharge of contaminants, to control the contaminated groundwater leaving the site, and to implement a monitoring plan. During removal of contaminated soil and construction of the remedy containment structures, air monitoring was conducted at multiple sites in the Arsenals interior and fence line, and several sites in the surrounding communities. The animals were transferred from the National Bison Range in Montana. Finally, the Act provides for the transfer of some Arsenal land for road expansion around the perimeter of the Arsenal and 915 acres (3.70km2) to be sold for development and annexation by Commerce City. Further testing revealed that the containment issue is an ongoing problem, the lawsuit says. Congruent with the outline of the June 1996 USFWS Comprehensive Management Plan, RMA will be available for public use through both community outreach and educational programs (as provided by the Visitor Access Plan and the USFWS). This new publication offers highlights from the past year, along with news about upcoming projects scheduled for 2022. Legislators quickly moved from beneath chandeliers in the Denver Capitol Building, fearing they might fall. The well was cased and sealed to a depth of 11,975 feet, with the remaining 70 feet left as an open hole for the injection of Basin F liquids. The location was ideal, not only because of the proximity to the airport, but because of the geographic features of the site, it was less likely to be attacked. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. An acoustical ceiling and light fixtures fell at one school. In the mid-1980s, wildlife, including endangered species, moved into the space and the land became a protected park. That said, it would be better if they were cleaned up more thoroughly.. The On-Post Record of Decision was signed in June 1996 and describes the cleanup plan for soils, groundwater and structures within the approximately 27-square-mile on-post Operable Unit. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) is a former chemical weapons manufacturing facility located just outside and northwest of the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area (Figure 21). Depleted uranium, a byproduct of nuclear fuel production, is used for armor-piercing shells. One of the lessees, Julius Hyman and Company, manufactures agricultural chemicals at the site. From 1962 -- 1963, the fluids were pumped from Basin F into the well. Additionally, some of this land was used for a prisoner of war camp (for Germancombatants) and later transferred to the city of Denver as Stapleton Airport expanded. A 14-year, $2-billion remediation effort begun in 1996 will turn most of the arsenal into a national wildlife refuge. Soon after, Congress enacted legislation designating the RMA as a future national wildlife refuge. Annual Highlights from Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Rocky Mountain Arsenal has recently published its annual community report. 1947The U.S. Army places the RMA on standby status and leases some facilities to private industry. Mitchell first started writing the Cold Case blog in Fall 2007, in part because Colorado has more than 1,400 unsolved homicides. Following a final land transfer, the Refuge expands to 15,000 acres and becomes one of the largest urban national wildlife refuges in the United States. Longstanding agricultural and health concerns related to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal have resulted in a complex history of political and legal battles. There is no appropriate standard by the EPA, but the state of Colorado has a standard treatment protocol for this chemical. In the early 1980s the site was selected as a Superfund site and the cleanup process began. And the biggest bills have yet to be paid. During 1968, ten slight shocks were felt in Colorado. After a $2.1 billion cleanup, the site was reborn as Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, with 24 square miles (61 square kilometers) of idyllic prairie where visitors can take scenic drives or hikes. The arsenal's animals are intended to refresh bloodlines of the national park's herd, Rocky Mountain Arsenal Refuge Manager David Lucas told CBS4. OVERVIEW - Just 10 miles northeast of Denver, Colorado lies one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the country, an area that only 30 years ago was listed on the Superfund National Priorities List due to being contaminated by over 600 chemicals. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge has been transformed from a 17,000+ acre facility used for weapons and chemical manufacturing into a beautiful nature sanctuary. It cited seven violations. The manufacturing of these weapons continued until 1969. Beginning in October 2012, testing has revealed that pollutants have escaped the Shell trenches and groundwater is likely coming into contact with the waste and migrating out of the trenches, the lawsuit says. Today, the Refuge encompasses more than 15,000 acres of restored shortgrass prairie and provides habitat to more 300 species of wildlife, including American bison, bald eagles, mule and white-tailed deer, burrowing owls and black-footed ferrets. 2003The EPA removes 917 acres of RMA land from the National Priorities List. CERCLA was a tax imposed on chemical and petroleum industries. Rocky Flats historical public exposure studies, Final Consent Decree between the United States and the State of Colorado, Final Consent Decree between Shell Oil Company and the State of Colorado, Colorado Attorney General's Colorado Natural Resources Trustees website, Colorado environmental health site assessment. Photo source: Denver Post Converting a heavily polluted weapons complex into a wildlife refuge is cheaper than making it safe for homes, schools and businesses, said Adam Rome, who teaches environmental history at the State University of New York at Buffalo. (2 of 9), CLEANUP - The remedy selected for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal included the removal of contaminated soil down to 10 over much of the contaminated area, which is contained in two hazardous waste landfills that remain on the site. The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. A civic center, high school, soccer complexand public open space are also located here. Feds light fires at Rocky Mountain Arsenal to restore prairie for multiplying bison and the visitors who flock there Prescribed fire is meant to invigorate about 875 acres of short-grass . The Rocky Mountain Arsenal was placed on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in July 1987. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal manufactured chemical weapons including mustard gas, napalm, white phosphorus, lewisite, chlorine gas, and sarin. The following data were derived from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [1], The environmental movement began in the United States in the 1960-1970s. An official website of the United States government, Archives: Project Descriptions / Fact Sheets, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. The U.S. Army later reactivated Arsenal facilities for Cold-War weapons production and demilitarization. The well remained unused for nearly 20 years. The end result was approximately 165 million gallons of Basin F liquid waste being injected into the well during the period from 1962 through 1966. Last Conditions Report for Rocky Mountain Arsenal: 11.15.21. How? If you have additional questions, please call 303.289.0300. Two early morning shocks occurred November 14. It remained controversial among residents until it was closed in 1992. The land has a unique story - it has survived the test of time and transitioned from farmland, to war-time manufacturing site, to wildlife sanctuary. While the framework for the comprehensive environmental cleanup was being developed, work crews discovered a pair of roosting bald eagles at the site, which prompted the U.S. Please click here to see any active alerts. Montbello is located to the south of the RMA, and Commerce City to the west. As provided by CERCLA, a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) was conducted to determine the extent of contamination. August 24, 2011 Residents may see flames, too, but are asked to not call 911 for this reason. Many residents reported it was the strongest earthquake they had ever experienced. This program was designed to address potential Arsenal-related health concerns of those living in communities surrounding the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, including the southernmost portion of Brighton, Commerce City, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson and Montbello. This is unprecedented: Avian flu has killed 12,000 birds in Colorado, Smart sensors on I-25 promise really significant traffic improvements, pilot study shows, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, Multiple Colorado schools temporarily placed under secure status due to threats, Denver East High student dies more than two weeks after being shot outside school, Letters: Proposed age limit for gun ownership in Colorado doesn't make sense. They would be worse if they were surrounded by a fence and left off-limits for decades and decades, said David Havlick, a professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs who studies military-to-wildlife conversions. After 42 years of chemical manufacturing, in 1984, the United States Army began to inspect the level of contamination at Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA). Residents were generally shaken, but no damage was sustained. 1999The RMA becomes the first environmental cleanup site in the nation to receive the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) highest workplace safety award. Rocket fuel to support Air Force operations was also manufactured and stored at RMA. The second largest earthquake in the Denver series occurred on November 26, 1967. Rocky Mountain Arsenal continues to leak, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , Rocky Mountain Arsenal continues to leak contaminants into groundwater, Colorado health department lawsuit says, Feds sue water company for rupture damaging Rocky Mountain National Park again. Following the war and through the early 1980s, the facilities continued to be used by the Army. The cleanup was completed in 2010 and five large parcels of land have been deleted from the NPL, creating opportunities for reuse development and expansion of the Refuge. Fish and Wildlife Service, Walter Derr, The Associated Press. Several persons scurried into the streets when buildings started shaking back and forth. "Without the support of multiple federal agencies including the EPA Commerce City would have not been able to leverage a remediated property into a true community asset." [6][7] Air monitoring surveillance continued until the end of July 2009. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. Rocky Mountain Arsenal on FishExplorer has 222 historic conditions reports, 90 historic water temperature updates, 120 historic status updates, 138 historic water level updates, available to subscribers. Eating fish and game from the refuge is forbidden. Already since 1995, the buildings became the seat of the National Eagle Repository, an office of the Fish and Wildlife Service that receives the bodies of all dead Golden and Bald Eagles in the nation and provides feathers and other parts to Native Americans for cultural uses. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. PDF Jun 1, 2022 Laws, rules, and regulations General Fishing Laws EPA and the State concurred with the approach. Through events, communications, advocacy and fundraising, we support the refuges in. [citation needed] [11] Air quality monitoring of the Arsenal began concurrently with the decontamination process in 1997 and surveillance continued until July 2009. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has sued the U.S. Army claiming that dangerous chemicals including pesticides continue to leach into groundwater at Rocky Mountain Arsenal . On May 21, 2011, the official visitor center for the refuge was opened with an exhibit about the site's history, ranging from the homesteading era to its current status. The U.S. Congress responded to the movement in 1980 with the creation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), most commonly referred to as a Superfund. (5 of 9), Mayor Pro Tem Ren Bullock, who also sits on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges, stated "As a decades-long participant in transitioning this site from munitions manufacturing to wildlife sanctuary, I can honestly say the Refuge is an shining example of promises made, promises kept and should serve as the gold standard for how to make former Superfund sites benefit the communities in which they are located." Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? [citation needed]. the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Disposal Well By D. B. Hoover and J. The injected fluids had very little potential for reaching the surface or useable groundwater supply since the injection point had 11,900 feet of rock above it and was sealed at the opening. In April 2007 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, a soccer-specific stadium, was opened on part of the former Rocky Mountain Arsenal land that was transferred to Commerce City. "They have a very distinctive emerald green eye shine. 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