Site Assessment & Clean Up

The Central Platte Campus is a 33 acre site located near I-25 and Alameda on the site of the former General Chemical plant, which was used for over one hundred years for mineral processing and chemical manufacturing. The resulting contamination consists of heavy metals and acid generating waste. The City entered into a contract to purchase the property in June 2007 with IRG Bayaud which initiated a state approved cleanup plan on the City’s behalf. The cleanup plan generally consists of removal of “hot spot” areas – areas most heavily contaminated, capping areas where waste remains in place to reduce infiltration through contaminated soils and subsequently contaminate the groundwater, and groundwater monitoring. The City acquired title to the property in May 2009.

The purpose for the City’s acquisition was to provide better access for its Wastewater Management Building and to consolidate the City’s Wastewater and other Public Works operations into a centralized location from various satellite locations. In addition, the campus will house the City’s new animal shelter which is apart of the Better Denver Bond Program. For more information on the new animal shelter click here http://www.denvergov.com/Projects/1BHealthandHumanServices/NewAnimalShelter/tabid/434658/Default.aspx .

Much of the cleanup work has already been completed, but due to some unknown site conditions additional cleanup, e.g. disposal of 300,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater, will be occurring and the CBRLF grant will address those cleanup activities. It is expected that the additional cleanup activities will be completed within the next six months.

To date the following has been completed:

•         59,000 cubic yards of soil reused on-site

•         26,000 cubic yards of soil disposed off-site

•         Hot spot soil removal

•         Approximately 30-acres capped over contaminated areas

•         Site in groundwater monitoring phase

•         5 of the 6 buildings foundations completed

•         Environmental covenant in place

Like other portions of the site cleanup, the grant cleanup activities will be overseen and approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.