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 small herd of wild bison was introduced to the refuge in March 2007 as part of the USFWS Bison Project. Official websites use .gov From 1950 to 1952, the Army constructed the North Plants complex to manufacture the nerve agents VX and GB, (also called sarin). The animals were transferred from the National Bison Range in Montana. The documents provide the framework, purpose and overall rationale for remediation of the site. The refuge is currently open from sunrise to sunset. Boulder sustained minor damage to walls and acoustical tile ceilings on April 27, 1967, as result of a magnitude 4.4 earthquake. Become a member to support the independent voice of Denver In addition, there were actions completed by Future Farmers of America (FFA) between 1991 and 1993 that cost approximately $151.2 million. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2004, in part, to protect our national symbol, the bald eagle. 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. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is 15,000 acres and features three lakes that are home to over 300 species of wildlife. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. In summary, there is no current evidence of health effects. [8] It was drilled to a depth of 12,045 feet (3671 m). 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. Another group asked the courts to release documents from a 27-year-old criminal investigation into the weapons plant, hoping they will show whether the government tracked down and cleaned up all the contamination. Several reported basement floors separated from walls. 1969Powered by rocket fuel propellant manufactured at the RMA, Apollo 11 lands on the moon. The Energy Department estimates it will cost between $323 billion and $677 billion more to finish the costliest cleanup, at the Hanford Site in Washington state where the government produced plutonium for bombs and missiles. An official website of the United States government. Several were felt, but none caused damage until the window breaker that surprised Dupont and Irondale on the night of December 4. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal was a United States chemical weapons manufacturing center located in the Denver Metropolitan Area in Commerce City, Colorado. 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. Eating fish and game from the refuge is forbidden. But parts of the refuge remain off-limits, including specially designed landfills where the Army disposed of contaminated soil. It cited seven violations. 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 end result was approximately 165 million gallons of Basin F liquid waste being injected into the well during the period from 1962 through 1966. It was estimated by the U.S. The settlement amount totaled $27.4 millionand is to be used for natural resources restoration projects in the South Platte River area. Join the Westword community and help support CERCLA was a tax imposed on chemical and petroleum industries. A monitoring program was developed to monitor the success of exposure prevention efforts during the environmental cleanup at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Current Basin F liquid consists of very salty water that includes some metals, chlorides, wastewater and toxic organics. [20] In the case of Rocky Mountain Arsenal, total indirect cost was not estimated at all. 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. 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. Marshall fire victims protested green building codes as too expensive. [citation needed] Fish and Wildlife Service at 303.289.0930, or visit the Refuge online. Spills occurred in the central processing areas, storage areas, and out of chemical sewers that existed underground. Roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) from downtown Denver, the arsenal was once an environmental nightmare where chemical weapons and commercial pesticides were made. (1 of 9) SITE HISTORY - Rocky Mountain Arsenal was listed on the NPL in 1987. The contaminated soils cleanup phase of the process was completed in 2010. One monitoring project has demonstrated incremental improvements over time, and specifically measured 640 parts per billion (ppb) in 1987 and 55 ppb in 1989, while a different off-post monitoring well measured 138 ppb in 1985, 105 ppb in 1987, 14 ppb in 1988, and 6.7 ppb in 1989. Also, they noted that if all groundwater were to be cleared for human consumption, the cost would be $500 million annually. The new venue hosts the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. When the Cold War ended in the 1980s, more surplus military lands were earmarked for refuges. Photo source: Denver Post The following data were derived from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Reunion is located on the north border of RMA. 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. Contaminated areas of soil remain in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, but are contained in basins and containment structures.[11]. 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. It was an inexpensive way to expand the national refuge system, especially in urban areas with scarce open space, said Mark Madison, the Fish and Wildlife Services historian. Residents may see flames, too, but are asked to not call 911 for this reason. Farmers in the vicinity complained about the damage to crops due to the water pumped from the shallow alluvial aquifer. This soil is contained in hazardous waste landfills. Legislators quickly moved from beneath chandeliers in the Denver Capitol Building, fearing they might fall. The government converted them into refuges under U.S. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal, located ten minutes outside of downtown Denver, Colorado, offers one of the most unique urban wildlife refuges in the country. The timeline below highlights important milestones from each decade. The U.S. 2003The EPA removes 917 acres of RMA land from the National Priorities List. From 1943 to 1956, the US Army and Shell discharged wastes into the unlined basins resulting in the contamination of the South Platte River outside the Arsenal. Subsequently, through the 1970s until 1985, RMA was used as a demilitarization site to destroy munitions and chemically related items. Other demographics of the mother were gathered as well. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? (9 of 9). The contaminated groundwater that still exists in and around RMA continues to be actively monitored. All surface work related to the environmental cleanup ended in 2010, one year ahead of schedule and within budget. In 1982, all production at the site stopped, and the Arsenals mission changed to environmental cleanup and restoration. Structures that contain the contaminated soil at RMA are also actively monitored, along with surface water and biological resources. local news and culture, Patricia Calhoun 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. Researchers have not examined the health risks to wildlife at the cleaned-up refuges as extensively as the potential danger to humans, but few problems have been reported. 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 . These restrictions must remain in place unless future sampling and scientific investigation determine they can be safely removed. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army will retain areas where hazardous wastes are managed, such as the landfill and soil covers. After 42 years of chemical manufacturing, in 1984, the United States Army began to inspect the level of contamination at Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA). Rated magnitude 1.5, it was not strong enough to be felt by area residents. The well was cased and sealed to a depth of 11,975 feet (3650 m), with the remaining 70 feet (21 m) left as an open hole for the injection of Basin F liquids. 1973The Vietnam Conflict ends, and demilitarization becomes the primary focus of the RMA. 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. 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. Many projects have attempted to clean contaminated groundwater at the Arsenal. Keeping our congressional leaders . One of the lessees, Julius Hyman and Company, manufactures agricultural chemicals at the site. Please direct your comments and questions to: Rocky Mountain Arsenal, 7270 Kingston Parkway, Building 129, Commerce City, CO 80222 or by email to: Patty.l.lee6.civ@army.mil Annual Monitoring Reports In cooperation with federal, state and local regulatory agencies, the U.S. Army maintains and monitors the remedy to ensure its ongoing protectiveness. Access a text only version of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Site Spotlight. 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. In 1996, after a lengthy process in which site investigations were conducted and completed, an approach to remedy the chemical contamination at the Arsenal was set forth by the US Army. The Arsenal also played a role in Americas space exploration by manufacturing the rocket fuel used to power the Apollo 11 flights. 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. After a $2.1 billion cleanup, the site was reborn as Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, with 24 square miles of idyllic prairie where visitors can take scenic drives or hikes. For testing purposes, the well was injected with approximately 568,000 US gallons (2150 m) of city water prior to injecting any waste. 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. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. To learn more and view artifacts from each period, visit the Refuge Visitor Center. Is there a risk of cancer related to Rocky Flats contamination? (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. There are multiple paved, boardwalk, or gravel trail options with a variety of lengths and difficulty levels available. In 1987, the RMA was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. 1941Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, and the United States enters World War II. In addition to the containment structures, the agreed-upon remedy directs that the entire area is subject to restrictions on land use in perpetuity, including residential development, agricultural use, any potable use of the groundwater, and any consumption of fish or game from the Arsenal. The building was known as the Environmental Analytical Laboratory, and was used to analyze soil, water, and air samples collected during the environmental clean-up of RMA. Share Them by March 3. 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). Vote in our annual food bracket challenge. Most skeptics agree the refuges are worthwhile but warn that the natural beauty might obscure the environmental damage wreaked nearby. There is an 11-mile motor tour that takes you through the preserve. Three shocks in 1965 -- February 16, September 29, and November 20 -- caused intensity VI damage in Commerce City and environs. A volume of approximately 52,500 acre-feet (65 million cubic metres) of the alluvial aquifer is not usable for human consumption. Residential and commercial property is located to the north, south and west. Weapons manufactured at RMA included both conventional and chemical munitions, including white phosphorus (M34 grenade), napalm, mustard gas, lewisite, and chlorine gas. And the biggest bills have yet to be paid. Although the U.S. Army and Shell used accepted disposal practices of the time, decades of chemical and agricultural production led to contamination of some of the soil, structures and groundwater. A lateral was built off the High Line Canal to supply water to the Arsenal. Groundwater is also pumped and treated at the site. 1943RMA employees work around the clock to manufacture mustard gas, Lewisite, chlorine gas and incendiary weapons. Next, the injection zone at the bottom 70 feet of the well was closed by plugging with cement. Take the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Self-Guided Wildlife Drive This was the highlight of the park for us. [6][7] Roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) from downtown Denver, the arsenal was once an environmental nightmare where chemical weapons and commercial pesticides were made. An acoustical ceiling and light fixtures fell at one school. Annual Highlights from Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Rocky Mountain Arsenal has recently published its annual community report. The refuge was created on the buffer zone surrounding the production area. 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. Several persons scurried into the streets when buildings started shaking back and forth. 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. EPA and the State concurred with the approach. He began working at the newspaper in 1998, after writing for newspapers in Mesa, Ariz., and Twin Falls, Idaho, and The Associated Press in Salt Lake City. A 14-year, $2-billion remediation effort begun in 1996 will turn most of the arsenal into a national wildlife refuge. The magnitude 5.2 event caused widespread minor damage in the suburban areas of northeast Denver. Three criteria were es 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. 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. For testing purposes, the well was injected with approximately 568,000 gallons of city water prior to injecting any waste. The Associated Press, Got a story tip make a one-time donation today for as little $. 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