Superfund Sites in Reuse in Colorado

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Bonita Peak Mining District

The Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund site is in San Juan County, Colorado. It includes 48 mining-related source areas in a 140-square-mile area. There are over 400 abandoned or inactive mines at the site. Heavy metals from past mining activity negatively affected the land and water-based ecosystems of the three primary drainages at the site: Mineral Creek, Cement Creek and the Upper Animas River. The drainages reach a confluence at the Animas River, near the town of Silverton. The Animas River flows south from Silverton toward Durango and is used for drinking water, recreation and agriculture. Mining of silver and other base-metals took place from the 1870s to 1991. EPA and the state of Colorado began investigating the area in the 1990s. Sunnyside Gold Corporation was the last mining operator at the site. From 1991 to 2015, EPA, Sunnyside Gold Corporation, the state of Colorado and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management led or oversaw reclamation and cleanup activities in the Upper Animas watershed. EPA runs an interim water treatment plant in Gladstone, Colorado, to treat water from the Gold King Mine. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2016. Investigations are ongoing and EPA is reviewing possible cleanup approaches. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service manage parts of the site. Tourism, retail and recreation are key industries in the area. All-terrain vehicle use on high alpine roads is a popular recreation activity. There is an advanced-terrain ski area and many mountain biking and hiking trails within the Site area. In December 2021, the site was among those selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at NPL sites.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Broderick Wood Products

Union Pacific Railroad constructed a rail line embankment in 2004
Broderick Wood Products

The 64-acre Broderick Wood Products Superfund site is north of Denver, Colorado, in unincorporated Adams County. Broderick Wood Products (BWP) ran a wood-treating facility on site from 1947 to 1982. BWP treated power poles, fence posts, railroad ties and other wood products on the property. Operators put hazardous wastes from the process in two unlined holding areas. Sampling found contamination in groundwater, soil and sludge. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Broderick Investment Company (BIC), the potentially responsible party, did most of the cleanup from 1989 to 1994. The long-term remedy involves more cleanup of chemicals in soils, sediments, groundwater, buildings and their contents. In 2003 and 2004, Union Pacific Railroad worked with EPA, the state and BIC on a rail line embankment crossing the site. The project was part of a larger effort to improve rail service and reduce rail congestion in the Denver area. As part of the project, parties made improvements to site cleanup systems. In 2005, BIC put in an access road at the site’s northern boundary. This road was a primary access point and helped facilitate redevelopment. In January 2007, BIC sold most of the site property to Scott Contracting. Brannan Sand & Gravel acquired the property in 2013. It now runs an asphalt plant on site. BIC sold another part of the property in 2019. This area is now in use for parking and materials storage.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 5 people and generated an estimated $6,845,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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California Gulch

A playground is part of the new sports facilities atop a former zinc smelter site
California Gulch

The 18-square-mile California Gulch Superfund site is in Lake County, Colorado. It includes the city of Leadville and surrounding area. Starting in 1857, prospectors and companies mined the area extensively for heavy metals. Mining operations left mining byproducts on site. These materials contain heavy metals that contaminated native soils and waterways, such as the Arkansas River. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup actions across over 80% of the site, including the city of Leadville, are complete. EPA took those areas off the NPL. Over the years, EPA worked with the state, the community and the site’s potentially responsible parties to coordinate the continued residential, federal, commercial and industrial use of the site as well as redevelopment and ecological restoration work. In 1998, EPA and the state signed agreements to provide public access to open space near the Arkansas River. State and local governments bought more than 2,300 acres of ranch land that serve as wildlife habitat and recreation resources. The community has incorporated reuse of mining byproducts into the design of the Mineral Belt Trail, which opened in 2000. This nationally recognized recreation trail is built around the city along a railroad grade, which weaves through the historic mining district, highlighting the community’s history and heritage. Pilot funding from EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Program (SRP) in 2001 and 2002 provided support for the city to develop reuse plans for the site and coordinate with EPA on their implementation. Another recreational reuse at the site includes the Arkansas River Trail, a 5-mile loop along the Upper Arkansas River. Leadville’s extensive recreation opportunities and 10,000-foot elevation attract endurance athletes for various events. A community-driven initiative called the Huck Finn Park Project upgraded Leadville Park into a skateboard park along with new ice-skating facilities. These facilities include a warming hut, restrooms, concessions and park equipment storage. The $1.5-million Lake County Community Park and Sports Complex opened on site in 2009. It includes a synthetic turf athletic field built on a former zinc smelter. One of EPA’s national partners, the United States Soccer Foundation, awarded a $10,000 grant to develop initial plans for the field. Community support also led to the creation of a 21,000-square-foot concrete skate park that opened in 2013. After decades of cleanup that benefited the ecology of the watershed, Colorado Parks and Wildlife honored the site with a Gold Medal Waters designation in 2014. The designation notes the accomplishment of the Upper Arkansas River’s improved water quality and revitalized habitat for trout and other wildlife. Also in 2014, EPA Region 8 celebrated the site with its Excellence in Site Reuse award, recognizing several parties for their leadership and sustained involvement with key reuse projects. A mixed-use development at the Old Rail Yard, and a County Judicial Center are underway. Plans for the Old Rail Yard development include light retail, and single and multi-family homes.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 179 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,080 people and generated an estimated $105,460,226 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Captain Jack Mill

The Captain Jack Mill Superfund site is about 1.5 miles south of Ward, in Boulder County, Colorado. The site is in the headwaters of upper Left Hand Creek, in a narrow valley called California Gulch. Mining for gold and silver in the region began in 1860 and ended in 1992. These mining operations contaminated soil and surface water. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2003. Cleanup activities included consolidating and capping surface waste and containing and treating contaminated water in the mine tunnel system. The site is in continued residential, recreational and ecological use. The site is also in Arapaho National Forest and Roosevelt National Forest. In December 2021, the site was among those selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at NPL sites.
Last updated December 2023

As of October 2022, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Central City, Clear Creek

The 400-square-mile Central City, Clear Creek Superfund site includes the former mining towns of Central City, Georgetown, Empire, Idaho Springs, Silver Plume, Empire and Black Hawk, Colorado. For almost a century, vast deposits of gold and silver ores in the area supported a profitable mining industry. In the early 1900s, business in Central City and Black Hawk declined dramatically. This left the towns with a weakened economy and deteriorating infrastructure. The mining industry also left behind waste rock and mine tailings that contaminated the Clear Creek watershed. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. In partnership with the state, EPA did cleanup in stages. After Colorado amended its laws to allow gaming in the former mining towns, parties worked with casino developers to clean up areas of the two towns to support casinos, hotels and restaurants. As parties developed the former mining property, they led cleanup actions. In 2009, EPA made more cleanup funding available. These resources supported the capping of more mine waste piles, putting sediment and drainage controls in place, and treating water to restore Clear Creek. Cleanup goals include protection of the Clear Creek watershed. The watershed provides water for agriculture and local drinking water supplies, as well as a wide range of recreation opportunities, including rafting, kayaking and fishing. Today, limited mining takes place on some areas of the site. The Central City Business Improvement District built Central City Parkway to facilitate access to businesses and homes. The historic Argo gold mill on site hosts tours and serves as a tourism attraction. The mill’s owners are exploring redevelopment opportunities for it. In 2022, EPA added a new area of focus for the site, evaluating potential exposures to heavy metals, primarily lead and arsenic, from mine waste piles in residential areas. Cleanup is ongoing.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 4 people and generated an estimated $141,230 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Chemical Sales Co.

The 5-square-mile Chemical Sales Co. (CSC) Superfund site is in Denver, Colorado. From 1962 to 1976, a product warehouse and a commercial and industrial chemical distribution facility were on site. Activities on site led to the contamination of soil and area groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Cleanup activities at the site included removal of leaking and corroded drums from the property, construction of a water treatment plant and connection of over 400 homes to the municipal water supply. Operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. Continued ecological and recreational uses at the site include Sand Creek, the Sand Creek Regional Greenway trail and municipal parks. There are also several neighborhoods and industrial and commercial districts on site.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 63 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 824 people and generated an estimated $272,118,437 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Colorado Smelter

The Colorado Smelter Superfund site is in Pueblo, Colorado. A silver and lead smelter was on site from 1883 to 1908 and contributed to site contamination. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment found elevated lead and arsenic in soils in 2011. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2014. Cleanup activities under a 2017 early interim action Record of Decision (iROD), include indoor dust removal and excavation, disposal and replacement of contaminated soil at residential properties. Soil cleanups are scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2023; and dust cleanups are scheduled for spring- to summer-2024 completion. Sampling and cleanup at commercial properties is ongoing. Residential properties, commercial businesses, schools, parks and other facilities on site are in continued use. The site’s ecological resources include the Arkansas River and Runyon Lake. In 2018, EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Program facilitated a community visioning session that resulted in a revitalization plan for the neighborhood, which the city of Pueblo adopted in fall 2020. Also in 2018, together with NeighborWorks of Southern Colorado, EPA supported a Superfund Job Training Initiative program at the site. Fifteen people graduated from the program, equipped with technical skills and specialized training to work on a broad range of construction projects, including Superfund cleanups. In December 2021, the site was among those selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at National Priorities List (NPL) sites. An additional EPA Superfund Redevelopment Program reuse seed is helping with stakeholder interviews throughout 2023 and visioning session planning for later 2023.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 7 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 35 people and generated an estimated $2,921,006 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Denver Radium Site

A sign outside of the Home Depot store completed in 1996 on the Denver Radium site
Denver Radium Site

The Denver Radium Superfund site consists of over 65 properties along the South Platte River Valley in Colorado. In the early 1900s, Denver ore-processing facilities provided a domestic source of radium for nearby businesses. After the radium industry’s collapse in the 1920s, waste and residual radioactive substances remained. Contaminated waste soils were used as fill or for road-paving materials, as well as in commercial building foundations. Health risk studies identified the need to remove the mostly low-level radioactive waste material. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983 and provided funds to remove contamination source areas. Commercial retail uses are located on most of the properties. Industrial uses, parking areas and roadways are on some of the properties. EPA and the state of Colorado designed a robust cleanup plan that was compatible with redevelopment. Redevelopment has since taken place at several cleaned-up properties. Current site uses include Ruby Hill Park, which hosts a swimming pool and other recreation resources, Encore Evans Station, and an apartment complex with 224 units. Commercial uses on site include clothing, office supply and home improvement stores, and restaurants. After cleanup, EPA took most of the site off the NPL. Limited groundwater monitoring is ongoing.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 83 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,244 people and generated an estimated $270,953,907 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Eagle Mine

The 235-acre Eagle Mine Superfund site is in Eagle County, Colorado, about 1 mile from Minturn and 75 miles west of Denver. Beginning in the 1880s, a 110-acre gold and silver mine was on site. In 1938, Eagle Mine transitioned to support zinc mining, which left high levels of metals in the soil, surface water and groundwater. Zinc mining operations ended in 1977. Copper and silver mining and production continued at Eagle Mine until its closure in 1984. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup included the removal of contaminated soils and sediments and containment of mine seepage and runoff. It also included monitoring of surface water, groundwater, pool water and stream water, and land use controls. The potentially responsible party did most cleanup actions between 1989 and 2001. After cleanup, community members began using the adjacent Eagle River again as a recreation resource. In 2004, a developer purchased 750-acres of site property for construction of a residential golf course community. In 2009, a new developer with smaller-scale plans took over the project. EPA and the State are working with the developer to make sure all necessary investigation and cleanup steps occur to prepare the property for residential development. Groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing. EPA took 50 acres off the NPL in September 2021. This land consists of the soils in the abandoned mining Town of Gilman. An estimated ninety buildings remain within the Town boundaries. Institutional controls limiting access to this land remain in place. EPA proposed removing another 5.3 acres off the NPL in January 2023. This area has been cleaned to unlimited use/unlimited exposure allowing for any exposure scenario.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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French Gulch

The French Gulch site is located along French Creek near Breckenridge, Colorado, about 2 miles upstream of where French Creek meets with the Blue River. Extensive surface and underground mining took place in the French Gulch valley from the 1850s to the 1970s. The site includes mine wastes and the flooded mine pool associated with the former Wellington-Oro Mine. EPA investigations in the 1980s found that the Wellington-Oro Mine was a major source of contamination in French Creek and Blue River. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation identified several areas of contamination releases in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Under an agreement with EPA, B&B Mines consolidated and capped mining wastes and put in drainage ditches to address contamination getting into waterways. B&B Mines completed this work in 1999. The town of Breckenridge and Summit County bought 1,800 acres of land from B&B Mines in 2001. This purchase included the Wellington-Oro Mine. Under a 2005 Consent Decree with EPA, Breckenridge and Summit County built a water treatment plant for the Wellington-Oro Mine. The plant began operating in November 2008. Groundwater treatment is ongoing. The part of the site acquired by Breckenridge and Summit County is now part of the Golden Horseshoe recreational and open space area. EPA, the state of Colorado, Brynn Grey V, LLC and Wellington Neighborhood, LLC signed a Prospective Purchaser Agreement in 1999 for an 85-acre property next to the mine, which was developed into a residential area. The neighborhood provides affordable housing options for people living and working in the community.  
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Lincoln Park

The Lincoln Park Superfund site includes about 5 square miles of suburban and rural land about 2 miles south of Cañon City, Colorado. The site consists of a former uranium/molybdenum processing mill and contamination resulting from the mill operations. From 1958 to 1987, the Cotter Corporation Uranium Mill produced uranium and radioactive substances on site for the Atomic Energy Commission. Until the late 1970s/early 1980s, the Cotter Corporation released waste into unlined ponds. During a flood in 1965, waste materials overflowed into nearby ephemeral Sand Creek, which impacted a downstream residential area known as Lincoln Park. As a result of uranium-processing waste impacting area soil, surface water and groundwater, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The Cotter Corporation, owner and operator of the uranium mill and the responsible party (PRP), agreed to perform cleanup actions. Activities included construction of a clay barrier and a pumpback system to capture and prevent contaminated groundwater from moving downgradient. In the 1990’s, Cotter also removed contaminated sediments from Sand Creek. EPA published a Record of Decision (ROD) for Lincoln Park (Operable Unit 2) Soils and Sediment that indicated no further action was needed. The mill is being decommissioned. Investigation of the nature and extent of contamination, and cleanup, are ongoing. In 2014, Cotter Corporation signed an Administrative Order on Consent, taking on responsibility for the cleanup through the RI/FS. In 2018, that AOC was assigned to Colorado Legacy Land, which became the property owner. Many properties at the site, including the community of Lincoln Park, remain in active use. These land uses include homes, farms, agricultural areas, businesses and churches. In 2014 and 2015, EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Program (SRP) and EPA Region 8 provided support for reuse planning and community meetings regarding the future use of the site, which identified recreational trails, renewable energy development, and light industrial development as potential future land uses.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 45 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 169 people and generated an estimated $10,130,690 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Lowry Landfill

Utility vehicle parked outside the new landfill gas-to-energy plant which opened in September 2008
Lowry Landfill

The 507-acre Lowry Landfill Superfund site is in Unincorporated Arapahoe County east of Aurora, Colorado. In 1964, the former owner of the land deeded the site to the City and County of Denver. The localities ran a municipal landfill on site from the mid-1960s to 1980, accepting both industrial and municipal wastes. Storage practices resulted in potentially harmful gas releases and contaminated groundwater, soils, surface water and sediment. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The containment remedy includes a groundwater barrier wall, groundwater extraction and treatment, a landfill cover and a landfill gas collection system. The onsite water treatment plant uses green remediation practices, facilitating the breakdown of contaminants using naturally occurring bacteria in the landfill. Institutional controls restrict land and groundwater use. Site inspections, operation and maintenance activities, and groundwater and stormwater monitoring are ongoing. The City and County of Denver, Waste Management and local utility Xcel Energy partnered to reuse the site’s landfill gas. In 2008, a landfill gas-to-energy plant began operating on site. The plant uses landfill gas from Lowry Landfill and the adjoining Denver Arapahoe Disposal site, which is an active landfill. The plant uses four combustion engines to convert methane gas from both landfill sites into 3.2 megawatts of electrical power annually. This process reduces greenhouse gases and provides electricity for about 3,000 households. The plant also removes about 5,000 tons of methane from the landfill annually. This is the equivalent of removing 22,000 cars from the road each year
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 36 people and generated an estimated $8,578,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Nelson Tunnel/Commodore Waste Rock

The Nelson Tunnel/Commodore Waste Rock Superfund site is a mile north of Creede, Colorado. Mining activities produced silver, gold and other metals from the 1890s to 1976. Acid mine drainage from the tunnel and waste rock pile is contaminating West Willow Creek with heavy metals. West Willow Creek joins East Willow Creek to form Willow Creek, which is a tributary of the Rio Grande River, a state-designated Gold Medal fishery. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2008. In 2008 and 2009, EPA led a removal action to stabilize the Commodore Waste Rock Pile. In 2011, EPA completed the site’s remedial investigation. EPA is conducting the site’s feasibility study to explore cleanup options. In 2019, EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Program (SRP) and Region 8 began supporting reuse planning activities at the site, including a situation assessment to determine whether future use of the area can leverage tourism and support local economic development. SRP is also assessing existing conditions and preservation opportunities related to aboveground mining structures and supporting watershed restoration efforts. Part of the site is in recreational use. The Bachelor Loop Historic Tour, a 17-mile driving tour, allows visitors to learn about the historic mining district above Creede. Historic structure research facilitated the site’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places in July 2021. 
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Rocky Flats Industrial Park (Thoro - Aerrco - GWI)

The Rocky Flats Industrial Park (Thoro – Aerrco – GWI) site is in unincorporated area in Jefferson County, Colorado, along the 17,000 block of West Colorado Highway 72. It includes three parcels that hosted industrial facilities, owned by Thoro Products Company, Great Western Inorganics (GWI) and the American Ecological Recycle Research Corporation (AERRCO). In 1982, EPA inspected the property. EPA found more than 100 drums and tanks in poor condition or leaking. They contained an assortment of hazardous substances. Sampling in 1998 and 1999 found volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the groundwater. In September 2000, the site’s potentially responsible parties led a removal action at the site. The cleanup removed contaminated soil and installed an air sparging/soil vapor extraction system on two of the three site properties in 2005. GWI remains active on site manufacturing chemicals. An outdoor storage business is on the former AERRCO property. The former Thoro Products Company property is a vacant lot.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Sand Creek Industrial

The 300-acre Sand Creek Industrial Superfund site is in Denver and Commerce City, Colorado. An oil refinery, a pesticide manufacturing facility, an herbicide chemical plant and a landfill contributed to contamination of soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included removal of buildings, rail cars and tanks, removal and treatment of contaminated soil, landfill capping, and landfill gas extraction system. After cleanup, EPA took the site off the NPL in 1996. Operation and maintenance activities are ongoing and groundwater and land use restrictions are in place. The site is zoned for light and heavy industrial land uses with commercial and industrial facilities on site. CA Industrial Holdings plans to redevelop the landfill area as a commercial logistics center that will include buildings, parking lots and greenspace. The developer is coordinating with state and federal agencies, the potentially responsible parties, and the City of Commerce City on the redevelopment.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 70 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,700 people and generated an estimated $418,906,184 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Smeltertown Site

The entrance to the sand and gravel business on site
Smeltertown Site

The 120-acre Smeltertown Superfund site is near Salida in Chaffee County, Colorado. Many industrial businesses were on site over the past century, including lead-zinc smelting and wood-treating businesses. Facility operations contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water. After timber operations ended in 1965, the Butala Construction Company began using the area for sand and gravel mining. EPA began investigating the site in 1986. EPA proposed adding the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992. EPA selected cleanup plans for the site in 1996 and 1998. The companies responsible for the contamination removed and placed contaminated materials in an on-site capped repository, which was then fenced. Monitoring of groundwater and surface water of the adjacent Arkansas River is ongoing. Institutional controls restrict land and groundwater use. Today, the Butala Construction Company continues to run a sand-and-gravel quarry on site. The National Park Service listed the former smelter’s 365-foot smokestack on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 2015, a highway marker highlighting the smokestack’s status and historical importance was installed at the site.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 19 people and generated an estimated $830,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Smuggler Mountain

The 110-acre Smuggler Mountain Superfund site is in Aspen, Colorado. From 1879 to 1920, silver and lead mines operated on site. Mining activities created waste containing heavy metals. Piles of exposed waste eventually spread and mixed with area soils. In the 1980s, soil analyses identified high levels of lead and cadmium. To address area-wide contamination, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup focused on the original mine site, Smuggler Mine, and the northeast edge of Aspen. Pitkin County and New Smuggler Mine Corporation led cleanup actions. Activities included covering and revegetating areas of mine waste. The parties also secured former mine areas to prevent further contamination and tested residents’ blood-lead levels. After cleanup, EPA took the site off the NPL in September 1999. A 116-acre residential area occupies a big part of the site. This area includes condominiums, mobile-home communities, a tennis club and single-family homes. A local company reopened the mine to conduct mineral exploration and to offer tours to Colorado travelers. The mine property also serves as a venue for special events such as weddings, wine tastings and Halloween celebrations. The mine also leases part of its property to a local rafting company. The Smuggler Mountain trailhead is also on site and provides access to a popular hiking trail. A snack shack next to the trail provides hikers with food and water. Other commercial and industrial businesses are also on site.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 19 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 79 people and generated an estimated $6,728,630 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Standard Mine

The 10-acre Standard Mine Superfund site is in the Ruby Mining District of Gunnison National Forest in Gunnison County, Colorado. Silver mining began in the southern Ruby Mining District in 1874 and continued at several mine sites in the area until 1974. Standard Mine was one of the three largest producing silver mines in the Ruby Mining District. Mining activities contaminated soil, surface water and groundwater with heavy metals. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2005 and completed time-critical removal actions in 2006 and 2007. EPA selected the long-term cleanup plan for the site in 2011. The cleanup has two phases. EPA completed the first phase in 2018. EPA conducted source control and set up a monitoring program to assess its effectiveness. The results will determine whether the second phase of cleanup, a passive water treatment system, is needed. The U.S. Forest Service owns part of the site. Therefore, EPA and the state of Colorado coordinate with the U.S. Forest Service on all cleanup activities. Recreational uses on site include hiking and biking in the summer, and skiing and snowmobiling in the winter.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Summitville Mine

The 1,400-acre Summitville Mine Superfund site is a former gold mine in Rio Grande County, Colorado. It sits at an elevation of 11,000 feet near the timberline in the San Juan Range of the Colorado Rockies. The area was a gold mine beginning in the late 1800s. In 1984, Summitville Consolidated Mining Corporation began open-pit mining for gold, copper and silver. Mining processes contaminated the surrounding area, including Wightman Fork Creek and Terrace Reservoir. Mining operations did not stop until the company announced its pending bankruptcy and informed the state of Colorado that financial support for site operations would not continue beyond December 1992. On December 16, 1992, EPA Region 8 started emergency removal actions to address the open-pit mine, contaminated soil and sediment. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994. Today, EPA and the state have reclaimed and revegetated the former mine lands to prevent further contamination of surrounding creeks and streams. The site is in Rio Grande National Forest, and cleanup efforts restored wetlands and native grasses along the Alamosa River. A treatment plant removes high metals concentrations from acid mine drainage originating at the site. The treatment plant contributes to improving water quality and restoring fish and aquatic life in the Alamosa River and Terrace Reservoir. It uses a significant amount of electricity; EPA and the state have been looking to reduce this expense and footprint. While solar power is not practical at high elevations, the site currently uses power from a community solar garden in Antonito, a town 40 miles to the south, at a much lower elevation. EPA and the state are looking to expand the use of renewable energy for the site’s water treatment plant through increased input of solar energy from the valley. In December 2021, the site was among those selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at NPL sites. Snowmobilers and hunters use parts of the site for recreation.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Uravan Uranium Project (Union Carbide Corp.)

The 700-acre Uravan Uranium Project (Union Carbide Corp.) Superfund site is in Uravan, Colorado. A radium recovery plant opened on site in 1912. From 1936 to 1984, it processed uranium and vanadium. Its activities left wastes behind and contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the site, which included the town of Uravan, to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup involved moving more than 3 million cubic yards of mill wastes and contaminated materials along the San Miguel River to secure repositories on Club Mesa, removing 350 million gallons of liquid waste from groundwater collection, and removing and cleaning up of materials and contaminated soil from a 400-acre area around the facility. Crews dismantled on-site mills, town materials, and domestic waste and other structures as part of the cleanup. Cleanup finished in 2008. EPA took two parts of the site off the NPL in 2005 and 2007. Today, fencing restricts land use. Surrounding land uses consist mostly of fall and winter grazing of beef cattle. Recreation activities – mountain biking, four-wheel driving, camping, and rafting – take place near the site and at the site areas taken off the NPL. Limited mine reclamation and exploration drilling efforts also take place near the site. County roads E-22 and Y-11 remain in use on site. The PRP, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, DOE, EPA, Montrose County and BLM worked together to put institutional controls in place for the site in 2023. In the future, the potentially responsible party (PRP) will transfer the site to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Legacy Management program, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Montrose County.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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Vasquez Boulevard And I-70

A residential property on site, before (left) and after (right) excavation work to remove contaminated soils
Vasquez Boulevard and I-70

The Vasquez Boulevard and I-70 (VB/I70) Superfund site covers 4.5 square miles in Denver, Colorado. The former Omaha & Grant Smelter and the Argo Smelter were on site. Smelting operations began as early as 1878. These operations contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. Cleanup included sampling of over 4,500 residential properties and removal of contaminated soil at about 800 residential properties. Excavated areas were backfilled with clean soil. As part of cleanup efforts, EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Community Health Program helped to provide residents with information about health risks. People continue to live on site. Ten schools and seven parks remain in use. In 2019, EPA took the residential soils part of the site off the NPL. All appropriate response actions, apart from maintenance and monitoring, have finished on that part of the site. Investigations and more activities to address contaminated materials at the former smelter locations are ongoing. The former Omaha & Grant Smelter location now houses a bottling company, the Denver Coliseum, and other commercial and industrial businesses, as well as Globeville Landing Park. The former Argo smelter location is in a highly industrial/commercial area at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Interstate 25. EPA is working closely with the state and the city and county of Denver to expedite cleanup and support future redevelopment efforts. In 2018, the city completed a drainage project aimed at flood mitigation and better stormwater drainage for the Elyria, Swansea, Cole, Clayton and Globeville neighborhoods. The project will also provide more habitat and recreation opportunities in the area. The city also plans to expand the Regional Transportation District commuter and light-rail system through the FasTracks program, a multi-billion-dollar comprehensive transit expansion plan to build 122 miles of new rail lines, 18 miles of bus rapid transit and 21,000 new parking spaces at light rail and bus stations. At least three of the proposed rail lines – the East Rail Line, the North Metro Line and the Northwest Line – could cross the site.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on 33 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 827 people and generated an estimated $58,970,967 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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Woodbury Chemical Co.

The 15-acre Woodbury Chemical Co. site is in Commerce City, Colorado. The Woodbury Chemical Company made pesticides at the site from the late 1950s to 1971. Operations and waste disposal practices contaminated soil at the site. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included removal of contaminated soil and debris for treatment and disposal away from the site. Cleanup finished in 1992. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1993. EPA did not require any land use restrictions. A traffic control and transportation services company is active on site.
Last updated December 2023

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. EPA did not have further economic details related to this business. For additional information click here.

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Last updated on June 20, 2024