In response, the Army constructed an asphalt-lined impoundment for the disposal of wastes in 1956. The U.S government acquired the Arsenal land in 1942 to manufacture chemical warfare agents, including mustard gas and incendiary munitions, for use in World War II. As production declined at wars end, the U.S. Army leased some of the facilities to private companies, one of which Shell Oil Co. purchased, for the production of agricultural chemicals. Depleted uranium, a byproduct of nuclear fuel production, is used for armor-piercing shells. A volume of approximately 52,500 acre-feet (65 million cubic metres) of the alluvial aquifer is not usable for human consumption. However, the Army estimates that the waste was a more dilute version of the Basin F liquid which is now being incinerated. This led the State of Colorado to take legal action over who has legal authority over RMA remediation efforts, payment of natural resource damages (NRDs), and reimbursement of costs expended for cleanup activities (response costs). Critics say Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado illustrates the shortcomings of a cleanup designed to be good enough for a refuge but not for human habitation. 2015Black-footed ferrets are reintroduced at the Refuge as part of a nationwide recovery program for the endangered species. Cancer incidence in the communities near the arsenal was also monitored and found to be varied across location, gender, race and time, and have been determined to not be related to past Arsenal exposure or cleanup activities. Three criteria were es 2004After the EPA certifies that cleanup actions are complete, the U.S. Department of Defense transfers 5,000 acres of RMA land to the U.S. Department of the Interior to officially establish the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. These restrictions must remain in place unless future sampling and scientific investigation determine they can be safely removed. In 1986, it was discovered that the absence of human activity had made the area an involuntary park when a winter communal roost of bald eagles, then an endangered species, was discovered on site. It stipulates that the majority of the site will become a National Wildlife Refuge under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service when the environmental restoration is completed. 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. From 1964 -- 1966, waste was removed from an isolated section of Basin F and was combined with waste from a pre-treatment plant, located near Basin F, and then pumped into the well. Contaminated ground water was first discovered to have migrated off of the Arsenal in the mid-1950s when crop damage and affected livestock was noted on farms north of the Arsenal. Official websites use .gov Since then, the US Army started to operate the site. 1950North Korea invades South Korea, and the U.S. Army reactivates the RMA to produce chemical weapons and incendiary munitions for the Korean War and Vietnam Conflict. Another strong shock rumbled through the Denver area on November 14, 1966, causing some damage at Commerce City and Eastlake. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment found no increased risk of birth defects in infants. 1987The EPA places the RMA on the National Priorities (or Superfund) List. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2004, in part, to protect our national symbol, the bald eagle. Roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) from downtown Denver, the arsenal was once an environmental nightmare where chemical weapons and commercial pesticides were made. Soldiers test-fired millions of artillery rounds at the proving ground, some made of depleted uranium. There are multiple paved, boardwalk, or gravel trail options with a variety of lengths and difficulty levels available. 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. Who makes the best hot chicken sandwich in Denver? Some parts of the refuge have been deemed safe but visitors must watch a safety video and sign a waiver promising not to sue if theyre injured by an exploding shell. The Colorado School of Mines rated this shock magnitude 5.0. In September of that year, the Army began removing fluid from the Arsenal well at a very slow rate, in hope that earthquake activity would lessen. An official website of the United States government, Archives: Project Descriptions / Fact Sheets, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. 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). A civic center, high school, soccer complexand public open space are also located here. 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. In its own account of the cleanup at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, the Army web site offers this explanation: The Rocky Mountain Arsenal deep injection well was constructed in 1961, and was drilled to a depth of 12,045 feet. One of the lessees, Julius Hyman and Company, manufactures agricultural chemicals at the site. 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. 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. The perfect trail for those who like to enjoy nature from the comfort of their air-conditioned vehicle with a latte in hand. 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. Legislators quickly moved from beneath chandeliers in the Denver Capitol Building, fearing they might fall. There is no appropriate standard by the EPA, but the state of Colorado has a standard treatment protocol for this chemical. Its not because the Department of Defense has some ecological ethic, said Havlick, author of a book about conversions, Bombs Away: Militarization, Conservation, and Ecological Restoration.. In 1982, all production at the site stopped, and the Arsenals mission changed to environmental cleanup and restoration. Last week, on December 8, 2015, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal rounded up the bison herd to gather animals that had been selected for donation to the Crane Trust--a bison conservation . The purpose of this Natural Resource Damage Assessment Plan is to document the State Trustees' basis for conducting the damage assessment that provided the basis of the lawsuit and to set forth the proposed approaches for quantifying harm to natural resources and calculating the damages associated with those injuries. During 1968, ten slight shocks were felt in Colorado. A $7 billion cleanup concentrated on 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) where workers assembled plutonium triggers for nuclear warheads, and that area is fenced and closed to the public. Fish and Wildlife Service at 303.289.0930, or visit the Refuge online. Many of the conversions came after the first and second world wars. The settlement amount totaled $27.4 millionand is to be used for natural resources restoration projects in the South Platte River area. An official website of the United States government, Rocky Mountain Arsenal has recently published its annual community report. CDPHE is asking the federal court to compel the Army to install or modify the existing treatment system to effectively prevent pollutants from contaminating groundwater, the lawsuit says. EPA and the State concurred with the approach. [14] The following data were derived from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Medical Monitoring Program Surveillance for Birth Defects Compendium prepared by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and published in February 2010. Current Basin F liquid consists of very salty water that includes some metals, chlorides, wastewater and toxic organics. Then a year and half after the Rocky Mountain Arsenal waste dumping practice stopped, the strongest and most widely felt shock in Denver's history struck that area on August 9, 1967, at 6:25 in the morning. There is an 11-mile motor tour that takes you through the preserve. A similar shock, magnitude 4.1, centered in the Denver area November 15. (credit: Rocky Mountain Arsenal/Twitter) That section borders 56th Avenue at the Gateway and Montbello neighborhoods. SITE HISTORY - Rocky Mountain Arsenal was listed on the NPL in 1987. Organochlorine pesticides, heavy metals, agent degradation products and manufacturing by-products, and chlorinated and aromatic solvents are getting into groundwater in unsafe levels, it says. This new publication offers highlights from the past year, along with news about upcoming projects scheduled for 2022. 1973The Vietnam Conflict ends, and demilitarization becomes the primary focus of the RMA. For questions about Refuge programs and conservation efforts, please contact the U.S. In addition, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal had a POW camp for German soldiers, called Rose Hill. I think theres a case to be made that just leaving it in place really maintains an unacceptable risk of contamination spreading from the site, he said. Join the Westword community and help support 2003The EPA removes 917 acres of RMA land from the National Priorities List. 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. The brochure contains general information, license requirements, fee requirements, and a list of fish species. In an effort to foster economic growth in the area and maintain the facilities for national security, private companies were encouraged to lease facilities beginning in the mid-1940s. All waste that was left in place is now interred beneath large-area engineered covers that prevent any intrusion into the waste that remains below. Additionally, studies performed at Colorado State University found no increased risk of Arsenic, Mercury, or neurotoxicity in communities within 15 miles of the RMA.[16][17]. (7 of 9), BENEFIT - Cleanup of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal has bolstered the economy of the greater Denver metro area and provides its neighbors with jobs, recreation, and a peaceful escape to nature. The Denver series was forgotten, however temporarily, in October 1966, when a southeast Colorado tremor rocked a 15,000 square-mile area of that State and bordering New Mexico. 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 JARDF is located at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, 7270 Kingston Parkway, Building 129, Commerce City, CO 80022-1749. In this study, baseline birth defects were estimated from the time period 19891997, which was the point at which the clean-up began, and inclusion criteria included mother's address at the time of birth being within the geographical study area. [11] Air quality monitoring of the Arsenal began concurrently with the decontamination process in 1997 and surveillance continued until July 2009. Manufacturing and waste disposal practices used during these years resulted in extensive soil, surface water, sediment, groundwater and structures contamination, damage to trees and vegetation, and death to wildlife. Statistically significant findings (p<0.01) of this study included demographic differences in the mothers as follows: median age 24, compared to 27 years of age in Colorado as a whole, higher percent of mothers who were white/Hispanic and black, mean education level of 11.8 years compared to 13.1 years in Colorado as a whole, fewer mothers who were married, and fewer prenatal visits on average. Included in the RMANWR Act, areas within RMA that were still contaminated were still owned by the U.S. Army, however, the vast majority of the land that was deemed clean would be managed by the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Photo source:CBS Denver If agency officials believed the sites were unsafe for the public, he said, they would not work there. But the cost of the conversions is staggering, and some critics say the sites have not been scrubbed well enough of pollutants to make them safe for humans. Due to the early completion of this program, the Army realized a savings of 300,000 dollars. Residential and commercial property is located to the north, south and west. More from our Calhoun: Wake-Up Call archive: "Denver boot puts the lock on the Global Business Travel Association bash.". Over 1,300 earthquakes were recorded at Bergen Park between January 1963 and August 9, 1967. (6 of 9), TOURISM - Nearly 500,000 people annually visit the 15,000-acre Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge where they can see more than 330 species of animals including bison, deer, bald eagles and black-footed ferrets. The facility was built in 1942, in response to the outbreak of World War II in Europe. the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Disposal Well By D. B. Hoover and J. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal was placed on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in July 1987. Additionally, ordnance (including incendiary munitions) was manufactured and tested, and asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used at RMA. Lake Skipper (s): The U.S. Army selected 17,000 acres of farm land just 10 miles northeast of Denver in Commerce City, Colorado, as the site of the new Arsenal. In September 2017, the state of Colorado filed a lawsuit to sue the United States government for the right to control the contaminated areas of the RMA. Following the war and through the early 1980s, the facilities continued to be used by the Army. The Army is still struggling with cleaning up Jefferson Proving Ground in southeastern Indiana, part of which becameBig Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. The documents provide the framework, purpose and overall rationale for remediation of the site. Annual Highlights from Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Rocky Mountain Arsenal has recently published its annual community report. Become a member to support the independent voice of Denver 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. From 1950 to 1952, the Army constructed the North Plants complex to manufacture the nerve agents VX and GB, (also called sarin). The Army was dumping dangerous chemicals into a deep injection well out at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Fish and Wildlife Service management, and they now protect black bears and black-footed ferrets, coral reefs and brushy steppes, rare birds and imperiled salmon. They awakened many residents, but were not widely felt. Much of the site is now protected as the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Known today as an urban national wildlife refuge, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal is one of the most studied environmental cleanup sites in the country. Contaminated areas of soil remain in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, but are contained in basins and containment structures.[11]. 1999The RMA becomes the first environmental cleanup site in the nation to receive the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) highest workplace safety award. 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. The site was operated by the United States Army throughout the later 20th century and was controversial among local residents until its closure in 1992. A separate study of cancer incidence by the Colorado Department of Health did not find convincing evidence of increased cancer risk in people living in residential areas surrounding the arsenal,[15] although the study was made more difficult by the large demographic changes in the area and was also confounded by smoking and obesity rates. Longstanding agricultural and health concerns related to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal have resulted in a complex history of political and legal battles. In 1992, Congress Passed the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Act (RMANWR Act). Parts of a C-shaped buffer zone around the perimeter are open to visitors asHanford Reach National Monument. The defendants must build a system to actively dewater Shells trenches to prevent the mixing of effluent with groundwater, the lawsuit says. The Army and Shell took remedial actions to prevent the contamination that includes the installation of the groundwater barrier system which treated approximately 1 billion gallons of water every year. A small herd of wild bison was introduced to the refuge in March 2007 as part of the USFWS Bison Project. Conditions reports for this lake are available when logged in. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Many residents reported it was the strongest earthquake they had ever experienced. 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