Region 8
Superfund Program
National Information
Regional Information
Site Information
National Priorities List (NPL) History
Proposed Date
10/15/1984
Final Date
6/10/1986
Construction Complete
9/26/1996
Deletion Date
9/23/1999
Smuggler Mountain
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Site Type: Deleted NPL City: Aspen County: Pitkin Street Address: Spruce Street ZIP Code: 81611 EPA ID: COD980806277 Site ID: 0800261 SSID: 0841 Site Aliases: Aspen Congressional District: 3 |
Site Description
The Smuggler Mountain site is located in northeastern Aspen on the flank of Smuggler Mountain. Silver and lead mines were active on the site between 1879 and 1920. Mine waste included toxic metals, mill tailings and smelter by-products.
The site covers 135 acres, 116 of which are currently residential. The site has condominium units, mobile home parks, a tennis club and single-family homes.
Site soil analyses have shown high levels of lead and cadmium. The Roaring Fork River is not contaminated and is not considered a potential health risk to the community. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the site on its Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986.
Site Risk
The potential health risks to residents originally included contaminated surface soils. Contaminated dust could be breathed in or consumed in garden vegetables. Lead exposure may cause long-term or permanent nervous-system damage, resulting in learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Even exposure to low lead levels may harm the nervous system of young children. Lead exposure may also cause long-term damage to the cardiovascular system, the reproductive system, kidneys and the liver.
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| groundwater, soil | lead, cadmium | mining operations |
Cleanup Progress
These cleanup activities have been completed by the Potentially Responsible Parties (the PRPs):
- Completing reports on lead impacts, bio-availability, and blood-lead monitoring studies concluding that children living on the site are not at unacceptable risk due to exposure to lead in soil.
- Capping a contaminated berm with clean soil and vegetation. Covering and replanting common-use areas of exposed mine waste, including the Mollie Gibson Park.
- Regrading a parking area and part of the mine to drain back into the mountain.
- Controlling dust emissions from the mine from dirt roads and the parking area by periodic spraying of a dust-suppressant solution.
- Extending the existing fence to restrict entry to the lower portion of the mine.
Cleanup construction was completed in September 1996. The site was deleted from the NPL on September 23, 1999.
In relation to the mine, operation and maintenance (O&M) activities include maintenance of runoff and dust control, and restriction of site access. For the residential area, institutional controls restrict the movement of contaminated soils in and from the site and help preserve the integrity of the remedy. The last five-year review indicated that the remedy is protective of human health and the environment. The next five-year review is due in June of 2012.
Community Involvement
Community comment was solicited for the five-year review completed in June 2007.
Site Documents
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Annual Update to the Five-Year Review, July 2011 (PDF, 1 pg, 17K)
Third Five-Year Review Report, June 2007 (PDF, 54 pp, 2.4MB)
Pitkin County Resolution: prohibiting excavation without a permit, June 7, 1994 (PDF, 8 pp, 354K)
Pitkin County Ordinance: intergovernmental agreement with the City of Aspen, October 24, 2001 (PDF, 10 pp, 370K)
Aspen Municipal Code Amendment: prohibiting excavation without a permit, July 11, 1994 (PDF, 10 pp, 2.6MB)
Contacts
EPA
Kerri Fiedler
Environmental Engineer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street (8EPR-SR)
Denver, CO 80202-1129
303-312-6493
800-227-8917 ext. 303-312-6493 (toll free Region 8 only)
fiedler.kerri@epa.gov
John Dalton
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street (8OC)
Denver, CO 80202-1129
303-312-6633
800-227-8917 ext. 312-6633 (toll free Region 8 only)
dalton.john@epa.gov
Pitkin County Environmental Health
Carla Ostberg
Pitkin County Environmental Health
0405 Castle Creek Road, Suite 10
Aspen, CO 81611
970-920-5070
CDPHE
Dan Scheppers
State Superfund Project Manager
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
303-692-3398
800-886-7689 ext. 3398 (toll free in Colorado)
daniel.scheppers@state.co.us
Warren Smith
State Community Involvement Manager
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
303-692-3373
800-886-7689 ext. 3373 (toll free in Colorado)
warren.smith@state.co.us
View Documents at:
Pitkin County Library
120 N. Mill Street
Aspen, CO 81611
970-429-1900
EPA Superfund Records Center
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
303-312-6473
800-227-8917 ext. 312-6473 (toll free Region 8 only)