Factory cleanup in dispute

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Colorado
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Factory cleanup in dispute
Douglas County plant closed in 1996; toxins linger in groundwater
By Jim Tankersley
January 21, 2004

For 30 years, the Ensign-Bickford plant in Douglas County pumped out
explosives for oil, mining and construction companies.

The operation closed in 1996, but some toxic leftovers linger in the
shallow groundwater.

State and federal agencies have regulated efforts to remove hazardous
materials from the 300-acre plant for years. Now, a new owner wants
state approval to declare part of the site cleaned up and eventually end
government oversight of the project.

Colorado health officials say that's a good, safe move, but some public
health activists disagree.

They say explosive remnants from the plant could contaminate nearby
water sources that nourish tens of thousands of people in the south
metro area - a charge state officials and the site's owner dispute
vigorously.

Both sides will make their cases during a public hearing today on a
proposal to end cleanup efforts on a small chunk of the plant that was
once used to burn hazardous waste in an outdoor area. The 6:30 p.m.
meeting is in Louviers, a small town close to the plant.

Activists plan to raise concerns about a handful of compounds linked to
explosives that pose health risks at high levels and that show up in
groundwater tests on the site, which Ensign-Bickford sold to Dyno-Nobel
Inc. last year.

One compound raising concerns is RDX, a white powder explosive that can
move into groundwater from soil. It can cause seizures, nausea and
vomiting, and possibly cancer.

Samples taken last spring from wells drilled beneath the Dyno-Nobel site
showed high amounts of RDX. One sample well had RDX levels 40 times
higher than safety guidelines set by the Environmental Protection
Agency.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2592103,00.html

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