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DIVISION INFORMATION Regulated Facilities and Sites Environmental Covenants and Use Restrictions |
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
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| Lincoln Park Citizens' Update June 2009 | |
| Response to CCAT April 2009 Resignation | |
| Lincoln Park / Cotter Community Advisory Group | |
Information related to the Cotter Mill
Lead in Soils Data Analysis - EPA has released their analysis of soil lead data in the Lincoln Park area. The results of this analysis indicate that lead in soils is not a widespread problem in the area, although there are a few properties with high soil lead or lead in house dust.
For questions or comments on the Lincoln Park Superfund Site, contact:
Edgar Ethington
State Project Manager
(303) 692-3438
or (888) 569-1831 ext 3438 toll-free
Jeannine Natterman
State Community Involvement Coordinator
(303) 692-3303
(888) 569-1831 ext 3303 toll-free
Pat Smith, EPA Remediation Project Manager
(303) 312-6504
The Lincoln Park site consists of a uranium processing mill located adjacent to the unincorporated community of Lincoln Park approximately 1-1/2 miles south of Canon City. The entire site is within Fremont County. The unincorporated community of Lincoln Park has approximately 3,000 residents. The mill is in the Sand Creek drainage, which runs through the Lincoln Park community to the Arkansas River.
The Cotter Corporation, a subsidiary of General Atomics, began operating the uranium mill in 1958. Liquid wastes containing radionuclides and heavy metals were discharged from 1958 to 1978 into eleven unlined tailings ponds. The ponds were replaced in 1982 with the construction of two lined impoundments. Prior to 1982, a number of Lincoln Park wells showed elevated levels of contamination. The site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites on September 21, 1984. In 2001, Cotter Corp. applied for a license amendment to reopen the mill.
The contaminants of concern are uranium and resultant decay products (radon daughters), molybdenum, selenium, and other metals.
Groundwater underlying the mill area and the community of Lincoln Park has been shown to contain uranium and molybdenum in excess of background. Soil in the mill area is also contaminated with uranium products. People may be exposed to the contaminants through ingestion of dust and/or ingestion of contaminated groundwater. Most of the homes in Lincoln Park have been connected to the Canon City water supply. Some individuals still use groundwater for irrigation.
In 1988, the State of Colorado and the Cotter Corporation signed a Consent Decree, making Cotter responsible for cleanup at the site. Most residences in Lincoln Park have been hooked up to the Canon City water supply. A groundwater interception system is in place to capture the contaminated groundwater onsite and above the dam on Sand Creek and transfer this water to evaporation impoundments onsite. In addition, a reactive barrier treatment wall was installed below the Sand Creek dam in 2001 to treat any contaminated groundwater flowing under the dam. Other cleanup work has included removal of contaminated sediments in Sand Creek.
In January 2002, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Record of Decision (ROD) that stated all work necessary to remediate contaminated soils in the Lincoln Park area has been accomplished. EPA has delayed making a final determination regarding groundwater cleanup activities until Cotter Corp. completes their evaluation of whether these activities will result in meeting the drinking water standard for groundwater in all areas of the contaminated plume. Current data shows that over the past several years, cleanup activities have reduced the size of the plume by nearly half.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Consultation - Lead in Children
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Consultation - Lead in Dust
