Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
Atlas Missile Sites in Colorado
Background
The Atlas E was one of the first operational intercontinental
ballistic missiles developed by the United States. The 82 foot-long
missile was fueled by kerosene (RP-1 fuel) and liquid oxygen, and was designed
to carry a nuclear warhead. A version of the Atlas missile was also used
to launch four Mercury astronauts, including John Glenn, into earth orbit.
Developed in the late 1950s, the first Atlas E missiles became
operational in late 1961. During the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962,
the Atlas Es were readied for launch as a deterrent in the crisis. The
Atlas E had a short operational life, however, and was phased out by 1965.
Figure 1 - Atlas E Missile Complex
Each Atlas E missile site contained two underground structures:
the missile launch and service building, and the launch operations
building. The missile launch and service building consists of a large
underground storage area that stored one Atlas missile horizontally. The
roof would be retracted and the missile would be elevated into a vertical
position for launch. The operations building contained crew quarters,
launch control facilities, and diesel power generators. A tunnel connected
the buildings. Complexes covered between 20 and 30 acres and had water
supply wells or pump houses.
Atlas E Sites in Colorado
There are five former Atlas E missile sites in Colorado.
They are scattered across the northern plains in Weld and Larimer Counties (see
map). F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, provided command
and support facilities for the Atlas sites.
Figure 2 - Five former Atlas E Complexes in Northern Colorado
The sites were decommissioned and the missiles removed in
1965. The complexes were then sold to public and private owners. Two
of the sites are used for commercial purposes (Atlas 11 and 13), one (Atlas 9)
is being converted into a residence, another (Atlas 10) is covered with soil and
is owned by the U.S. Forest Service, and one (Atlas 12) has become the Weld
County Missile Park and is also used for county storage.
Regulatory Setting
The Atlas sites are being investigated and cleaned up for the
Department of Defense (DOD) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha
District. The sites fall under the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS)
program, which follows the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or "Superfund" process,
although the sites are not on the Superfund National Priorities List.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division, provides regulatory oversight
of the FUDS programs in Colorado, with assistance from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region 8, and local governments.
Environmental Issues at Atlas E Sites in Colorado
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Soil contamination from petroleum chemicals and/or from
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been found at all five Atlas sites in
Colorado.
-
Groundwater contamination from trichloroethylene (TCE), a
cleaning solvent, has been found in groundwater at Atlas sites 11, 12 and
13. TCE was used during site construction and by the missile crews to
flush the fuel tanks after missile readiness tests. The crews disposed
of the spent TCE and residual RP-1 fuel in a sump below the launch building
that discharged onto the surface and then into shallow groundwater.
-
Water from domestic wells near some of the sites was tested,
and no TCE contamination found.
-
Water in the launch building sump at Site 12 contains TCE;
indoor air above the launch building sump at Sites 11, 12, and 13 may be a
potential concern.
-
While the Atlas E missile was armed with a plutonium-based
nuclear warhead, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
has no evidence of radioactive contamination at the sites. Warhead
maintenance occurred at the warhead-manufacturing facilities, not at the
sites themselves.
Environmental Investigations at Atlas E Sites in Colorado
Environmental investigations have focused on past Department of
Defense practices
at the missile sites, and include sampling and analysis of soil, groundwater,
domestic well water, and water and air in the complexes.
-
Atlas 9: Investigations completed; soil removal
action conducted in 2006. Site closure was completed in March 2008 and
no further cleanup actions are planned for this site.
-
Atlas 10: Investigations completed; soil
removal action conducted in 2007. Site closure was completed in April
2008 and no further cleanup actions are planned for this site.
-
Atlas 11: Investigations completed, including
determining the full extent of groundwater contamination; soil removal
action conducted in 2006. A Feasibility Study for groundwater cleanup
is completed. Due to Department of Defense funding limitations, a long-term groundwater
monitoring program is being developed until funding is available for
groundwater cleanup plans. The US Army Corps of Engineers will develop
an "Interim response agreement" letter in conjunction with the long-term
monitoring scope of work in Spring 2009.
-
Atlas 12: Investigations mostly completed; a
Feasibility Study for groundwater cleanup was completed in 2003. In
June 2008, the US Army Corps of Engineers awarded a cleanup contract to
conduct additional site characterization work and pilot testing of cleanup
options. The work began Fall 2008. The
contractor will use this information to prepare a Proposed Plan for groundwater cleanup of TCE and
petroleum product on the groundwater. The Proposed Plan should be
available for public comment in Janaury 2011. Installation of offsite
monitoring wells to determine extent of offsite contamination is scheduled
for Spring 2009. Site Characterization
Fact Sheet
-
Atlas 13: Investigations completed including
determining the full extent of groundwater contamination; soil removal
action conducted in 2006. A Feasibility Study for groundwater cleanup
is completed. Due to Department of Defense funding limitations, a long-term groundwater
monitoring program is being developed until funding is available for
groundwater cleanup plans. The US Army Corps of Engineers will develop
an "Interim response agreement" letter in conjunction with the long-term
monitoring scope of work in Spring 2009. Additionally, there is a 2008 proposal to
construct the Glade Park Reservoir adjacent to this site and selection of a
groundwater cleanup method will be delayed to see if the reservoir will
actually be constructed.
Evaluation of Health Concerns for People Living Close to an
Atlas Site
TCE in groundwater is the greatest concern at the Atlas
sites. To date, no contamination has been detected in any domestic or
private wells. Future monitoring and clean up efforts will help alleviate
any remaining concerns.
Because contaminated soil has been removed from the localized
areas on the sites, there is no health risk to nearby residents from soil
contamination. Most sites are private property and should not be
entered. Tours of the Weld County Missile Park site may be arranged with
Weld County.
Future Actions and Public Involvement
Cleanup plans, including long-term groundwater monitoring
plans, will be available to the public as they are developed. Plans will
be placed on this website, and notices placed in local newspapers when the plans
are available. Public meetings will be scheduled, as needed.
Information Repositories
Documents related to the environmental investigations and clean
up plans at the Atlas sites can be found at the following locations:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division Records Center
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
303-692-3331
comments.hmwmd@state.co.us
include "Records Center" in the subject line
Weld County, Sites 9, 10, 11 and 12
Weld County Library District
Farr Branch Library
1939 61st Street
Greeley, CO 80634
Larimer County, Site 13
Fort Collins Public Library
201 North Peterson Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524-2919
For More Information, Please Feel Free to Contact:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Ms. Tracie White
State Remedial Project Manager
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
303-692-3452
comments.hmwmd@state.co.us
include "T. White" in the subject line
Ms. Marilyn Null
State Community Involvement Specialist
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
303-692-3304
comments.hmwmd@state.co.us
include "Null" in the subject line
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mr. David Rathke, Ph.D
EPA Remedial Project Manager
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
303-312-6016
Ms. Peggy Linn
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
303-312-6622
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
Mr. Jeff Skog
USACE Project Manager
106 S. 15th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
402-995-2739
jeffery.a.skog@usace.army.mil
Ms. Jill Solberg
USACE Public Affairs Specialist
106 S. 15th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
402-995-2420
toll-free: 1-888-835-5971
jill.c.solberg@usace.army.mil
Related Links
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