A public meeting for Thursday, February 20th has been announced by IRG’s subsidiary Lowry Assumption LLC (LAC).   Spokespersons from both the private remediation company and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment will be on hand to explain the cleanup process for Trichloroethylene and other contaminants located in groundwater under portions of Lowry & north of 11th.

LAC has submitted a formal application to the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission asking that the Commission relax the safe drinking water standards on certain contaminants in the plumes. A hearing date before the Commission has been set for May 12, 2014. See Notice of Rulemaking Hearing. Anyone interested in obtaining party status to this application must do so by Feb. 25, 2014.

In 2002, as part of complex agreements involving the U.S. Air Force, the Lowry Redevelopment Authority (LRA), International Risk Group (IRG) and its cleanup arm Lowry Assumption Corp (LAC), LAC was paid $39.6 million to perform the groundwater remediation at Lowry and maintain/monitor the landfill.  Under these agreements, LAC contracted to reduce contaminants in Lowry’s groundwater (and the groundwater plumes north of Lowry) to meet safe drinking water standards.

The company has obtained significant results in reducing all contaminants, but now finds that it is “impractical due to geologic conditions and the limitations of remediation technologies” to further reduce certain contaminants (most notably Trichloroethylene and 1,4 Dioxane) to required levels. LAC is asking the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission to set new standards for these contaminants that LAC has not yet been able to bring to required levels.  In effect, relaxing the standards would allow the company to wind up remediation efforts and seek a finding by the State (CDPHE) that No Further Action is required on these contaminants of interest.  The purpose of the Commission hearing is to evaluate the request for new standards.

LAC and representatives from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment will be at the Chapel next Thursday FEB. 20 at 6:30 pm to provide more information and answer questions. While it may be difficult for residents to follow how IRG and the State calculate risk, and evaluate the scientific information regarding the mass and properties of the contaminants, it is important that residents use this opportunity to gather information and ask questions regarding the ultimate effect of this relaxation of standards on the health of residents  and the waters of the State of Colorado.

Among the many questions that will hopefully be addressed at the meeting are  whether all technologies or alternative solutions for removing the contaminant mass have been explored, what impacts on human health and the waters of the State might result from relaxing the standards, whether any monitoring would remain in place, which entity or entities would be responsible for future monitoring of the contaminants remaining in the groundwater,  what steps would be taken if current levels rebounded about the new standards, and what kinds of financial assurances will be put in place going forward to protect the public.