How a local health department in Colorado got involved in regulatory oversight of a $2.4 billion dollar Superfund Cleanup Program the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) that is now transitioned into Wildlife Refuge and has led to other related projects.

The RMA was established by the Army in 1942 as an industrial complex to manufacture chemical weapons for use during World War II. The 27 square mile site is located 10 miles northeast of downtown Denver. The Army used the site to manufacture mustard gas, napalm and sarin nerve gas. During the1950’s through 1970’s Shell Chemical Company leased the site to manufacture pesticides.

Over the 40-year use of the site as a production facility a variety of waste disposal means were utilized including unlined solid waste disposal trenches, lined and unlined evaporation lagoons, piping leaks, accidental spills and un-permitted landfills that led to contamination of structures, soils and groundwater on a large scale. In 1982, all manufacturing activities ceased and in 1987, the EPA listed the Arsenal as a Superfund cleanup site. Tri-County Health Department (TCHD), which serves Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, along with the EPA and State of Colorado provide regulatory oversight of the cleanup program.

Today, over 30 years later, all of the major cleanup is completed (except for groundwater) with the waste contained in on-site landfills and consolidation areas. As the soil/surface cleanup was nearing completion, the Regulatory Agencies collaborated with the PRP’s to develop long-term monitoring strategies to verify continued protectiveness of the remedy. The Regulatory Agencies continue to monitor the two hazardous waste landfills, over 773-acres of integrated covers, and on-post and off-post groundwater systems. Tri-County has also played an integral role as liaison with the surrounding communities in the development of the Arsenal’s remediation program, cleanup designs and transition into a National Wildlife Refuge.

TCHD has continuing responsibility for remedy and groundwater cleanup verification activities. To this day, the RMA and Regulatory Agencies continue to have an active community involvement and outreach programs.

As a result of TCHD’s involvement at RMA, other opportunities have arisen that has allowed TCHD to be involved in performing oversight on various landfills throughout the TCHD jurisdiction and also serve to protect the community interests on these projects. In addition, TCHD has become involved with the Army and the local water agency on the investigation of an emerging groundwater contaminant 1,4-Dioxane. These are examples of other activities that have availed themselves through TCHD’s involvement/experience with the RMA project.