Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
Lincoln Park/Cotter Mill
This site is one of the "Superfund" hazardous waste sites in
Colorado. A site qualifies for the National Priorities List (NPL or Superfund
list)
when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determines
there is a release or threatened release of hazardous substances
that may endanger public health, welfare or the environment. In
Colorado, the lead agency for Superfund remediation may be either
the EPA or the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE).
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:
Dan Scheppers
Remediation Program Manager
(303) 692-3398
or (888) 569-1831 ext 3398 toll-free
Jeannine Natterman
State Community Involvement Coordinator
(303) 692-3303
(888) 569-1831 ext 3303 toll-free
or
Pat Smith, EPA Remediation Project Manager
(303) 312-6504
Location
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.
History
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.
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Chemicals
The contaminants of concern are uranium and resultant decay products
(radon daughters), molybdenum, selenium, and other metals.
Exposure
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.
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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.
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Cotter Corp. Mill
Aerial View of the Canon City Milling Facility
EPA Lincoln Park
Website
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
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Consultation -
Lead in Dust, Soil and Blood
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