Jessica Dugan, an EPA remedial project manager for the Bonita Peak Superfund site, and Superfund redevelopment contractors presented preliminary concepts for future use of operable unit 2 (Mayflower Mill tailings) and sought local input to inform cleanup decisions.

Dugan said the project team is in the remedial investigation and early feasibility stage and that planning for future use now will help EPA shape cleanup decisions. “We’re currently in the remedial investigation phase,” she said, and added the Superfund Redevelopment Program provides planning and technical assistance at no cost to the Bonita Peak team.

Alisa (S K I O /SCIO), the contractor lead on reuse planning, and colleagues outlined types of land uses and a phased approach: short-term interim uses (trails, staging and temporary parking, limited seasonal RV/workforce staging), mid-term interim uses compatible with a surface remedy, and potential longer-term uses such as solar arrays if tailings impoundments 1 and 2 are not needed later as repository capacity. Planners emphasized that TP4 (tailings pond 4) is the active repository and not available for reuse while it accepts sludge from Gladstone.

Technical constraints and “key considerations” were repeatedly flagged: EPA staff said they have conducted geotechnical and design work on the TP4 repository but that similar detailed geotechnical stability studies have not yet been completed for TP1–TP3. Contractors warned subsurface foundations and underground utilities on the tailings are likely to be infeasible without substantial additional engineering. “Based on current available information, EPA’s cleanup approach is not considering a residential exposure scenario,” a SCIO representative said.

Possible reuse ideas compiled from stakeholder workshops include expanded trail connections (including winter access), revegetation and elk winter-habitat enhancement on side slopes, a trailhead and parking at County Road 2, temporary workforce RV parking (with caveats on septic/utility constraints), a county building or maintenance facility with limited utilities, ropes courses/rope courses/vertical greenhouses, and remilling of tailings (which was reported as a private-party proposal). The contractor provided a preliminary solar-capacity estimate: TPs 1 and 2 combined could support roughly 4.8–8.4 megawatts under conservative to aggressive layouts (estimates presented by the redevelopment team); the presentation noted Colorado guidance of about 193 homes per megawatt as a rule-of-thumb.

Wildlife and revegetation were recurring local priorities. Multiple commissioners and residents urged planting on side slopes to restore elk winter range and stabilize slopes. EPA and contractors said revegetation of side slopes could proceed sooner than full cap construction but cautioned that any revegetation work should not be duplicated if EPA later implements an engineered surface remedy that would require rework.

EPA staff announced a planned public open house for Dec. 10 (time and venue to be finalized) and said EPA and contractors will bring simpler, poster-style materials for the general public while retaining more technical materials for staff and stakeholders.

Ending

The EPA and contractor team asked the county to review materials and suggested staff and commissioners coordinate on the public meeting format. EPA said they will follow up with geotechnical information for TP1–TP3 and provide updates on fencing and repository monitoring.