*6 D 

# / iA
Ref : EPR-S R UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA LPROTECTIO N AGENC Y REGIO N VII I 99 9 18t h STREE T- SUIT E 50 0 DENVER , COLORAD O 80202-246 6 32357 1 - R 8 SDM S \ 52297

T"

A l lISS4I9

L

I . HEADIN G Date : Subject :
From : To : FINA L POLLUTIO N REPOR T

CALIFORNI A GULCH , OPERABL E UNI TVII
Jun e 30 , 199 8 

# PUBLI C " DOCUMENT
Californi a Gulc h Superfun d Site , Operabl e Uni tVII , Tim e Critica l Remova l Actio n atth e Apach e Energ y& Mineral s Property , Augus t199 6



### a Rebecc a Thoma s Remedia l Projec tManage r Ma xH . Dodso n Assistan tRegiona l Administrato r Offic e o fEcosystem s Protectio n an d Remediatio n POLRE P No. : POLRE P 1 & FINA L BACKGROUN D NP LStatus : Sit e No. : Actio n Memorandu m Status : Categor yo fRemoval : StartDate : Demobilizatio n Date : Completio n Date : Fina l NP L COD98071793 8 Approve d Augus t8 , 199 6 Tim e Critica l Augus t8 , 199 6 Augus t28 , 199 6 March , 199 7



### 1 Printed on Recycled

PaperSIT E INFORMATIO N

Th e Californi a Gulc h sit e (Site ) wa s liste d o n th e Nationa l Prioritie s Lis t o n Septembe r8 , 1983 . Th e sit e i s i n a histori cminin g are a coverin g 1 6 V £squar e mile s o fa watershe d tha t drain s alon g Californi a Gulc h t o th e Arkansa s River . Startin g i n 1859 , th e are a wa s mine d extensivel yfo rgold , lead , silver , copper , zinc , an d manganese . Si ximpounde d tailing s dump s surroun d th e cityo fLeadville , Colorado . Man ysmelters , locate d aroun d th e City , processe d silver , lea d an d zin c a t variou s times . Heav ymeta l residue s ar e presen t i n muc h o fth e Site . Approximatel y7,40 0 peopl e liv e i n Leadvill e an d Lak e County . Th e Apach e Tailing s Impoundmen t i s identifie d a s Operabl e Uni t 7 (O U 7 ) o fth e Californi a Gulc h Superfun d Site . Th e Impoundmen t i s locate d alon g Californi a Gulc h approximatel y1,50 0 fee t downstrea m o fth e Ya k Tunne l Wate rTreatmen t Plan tSurg e Pond . Th e mai n impoundmen t encompasse s approximatel y11. 3 acres . Ther e wer e tw o smalle rimpoundment s identifie d a s Tailing s Pon d 2 an d Tailing s Pon d 3 (TP 2 & TP3 ) locate d wes t o fth e mai n impoundmen t an d directl y nort h an d adjacen t t o wate rflowin g i n th e gulch . Th e Apach e Energ y& Mineral s Property , th e subjec t o fthi s Tim e Critica l Remova l Action , i s locate d at th e south-eas t corne ro fLeadville , Colorado , north wes t o fth e Mai n Apach e Tailing s Impoundmen t an d sout h o fStar rDitch . Th e Propert yi s als o include d i n O U 7 o fth e Site . Th e Apach e Energ y& Mineral s propert yi s locate d veryclos e t o a residentia l area . Ther e wer e man ydrum s an d bag s o fpyrit e concentrat e i n th e buildin g a s wel l a s spille d concentrat e waste s aroun d th e foo t prin t o fth e mil l site . Th e drum s an d bag s wer e i n poo rconditio n an d th e buildin g an d it s content s wer e a n attractiv e nuisance . Casua l user s wer e potentiall yexpose d t o th e pyrit e bot h b yth e ai rpathwa yan d b ydirect ingestion . Th e buildin g wa s i n poo rconditio n whic h increase s th e potentia l fo rinjur ydurin g casua l us e o fth e property . The Time Critical Removal

Action for the Apache Energy &Minerals

Property

is described

in an Action Memorandum

dated August 8,1996. The

document

is entitled: Request for Removal

(Response)

Action at the Apache Energy &Minerals Property, Leadville, Colorado.

Printed on Recycled

Paper 

### 2IV

. RESPONS E INFORMATIO N A . Situatio n 1 . Curren t Situatio n Th e Remova l Actio n bega n o n Augus t 8,199 6 an d wa s complete d o n Augus t 28 , 1996 . Th e Remova l Actio n included : 1. 1 Th e drum s an d bag s o fpyrit e wer e transporte d t o th e Malt a Tailing s Impoundmen t (Leadvill e Silve r& Gol d site ) fo r disposal . 1. 2 Th e buildin g wa s decontaminate d an d demolished . 1. 3 Th e placemen to fth e materia l at th e Malt a Tailing s Impoundmen twa s coordinate d wit h fina l closur e a t th e Malt a Tailing s Impoundment , Operabl e Uni t2 ofth e Californi a Gulc h Superfun d Site . Thi s Remova l Actio n i s describe d i n a documen t entitled : Fina l Constructio n Reportt o th e Environmenta l Protectio n Agenc yo n 199 6 OU2/O U 7 Constructio n Activities , Californi a Gulc h NP LSite , Leadville , CO . Th e repor t i s date d March , 199 7 an d wa s prepare d b y th e U.S . Burea u o fReclamation . 2 . Remova l Activitie s to Dat e 2. 1 Thi s i s th e firs t Remova l Actio n atO U 7 . 3. 0 Enforcemen t 3. 1 O n Augus t4 , 1994 , th e Unite d State s District Court fo rth e district ofColorad o entere d a defaul tjudgemen ti n favo ro fth e Unite d State s agains t Apach e Energ y& Mineral s Co . a s t o liability . Thi s defaul t judgemen twa s entere d i n accordanc e wit h a n Orde rentere d b yJudg e Ji m R . Carriga n o n Jul y27 , 1994 . Thi s Orde rhold s Apach e Energ y& Mineral s jointl yan d severall yliabl e t o perfor m respons e action s a s ma y b e necessar yt o abat e an yimminen t an d substantia l endangermen t t o huma n health , welfare , o rth e environmen t becaus e o fth e actua l o rthreatene d releas e o fhazardou s substance s at o rfro m th e Site . I n it s Motio n fo rEntryo f

3 Printed onDefaul t Judgmen t agains t Apach e Energ y& Mineral s Co . , th e Unite d State s informe d th e Court that a determinatio n a s t o Apache' s liabilit y"ma yvoi d futur e problem s associate d wit h acces s t o th e Apach e Tailings. " EP Atherefor e undertoo k thi s actio n i n accordanc e wit h it s Motio n Fo rEntryan d th e Court' s Orde ran d Judgement . B . Planne d Remova l Activitie s Asecon d remova l actio n wa s performe d b yAsarco , Inc . at th e Apach e Tailing s Impoundmen t i n th e fal l o f1997 . It ha s bee n addresse d i n a separat e POLREP . C . Nex t Step s C. 1 Arevise d Feasibilit yStud ywil l b e submitte d i n th e fal l o f1998 . A Propose d Pla n describin g th e selecte d remed ywil l b e develope d an d mad e availabl e fo rpubli ccomment . C. 2 ARecor d o fDecisio n fo rO U 7 i s schedule d t o b e complete d i n 1999 . Remedia l Desig n an d Remedia l Actio n wil l follow . D . KeyIssue s Th e Remova l Actio n at th e Apach e Energ y& Mineral s Co . Propert yi s par t o fth e overal l remedia l activitie s bein g undertake n i n Operabl e Uni t 7 (O U 7) . Remova l alternative s t o directl yremediat e surfac e wate ro rgroundwate ri n th e vicinityo fth e Apach e Tailin g Impoundmen t ar e beyon d th e scop e o fth e Remova l Action . V . COS TINFORMATIO N Th e cos t fo rthi s actio n wa s approximatel y$60,000
. VI . DISPOSITIO N O F WASTE S N o waste s wer e dispose d o foff-site .

4 Printed on Recycled

Paper