EPA deletes portion of Eagle Mine Superfund site in Minturn from priorities list

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday issued the following press release on the deletion of a 5.31-acre portion of the Eagle Mine Superfund site in the Town of Minturn, which is considering approving a settlement deal with the Battle Mountain developer in the area:

Minturn, Colo. (August 21, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the deletion of a portion of the Eagle Mine Superfund site in Minturn, Colorado, from the National Priorities List (NPL), benefitting the environment, nearby communities and the people of Colorado. The deleted portion of the site consists of 5.31 acres of soils at what is known as Operable Unit 3 North Property Redevelopment: Trestle Area. 

“This partial deletion of the Eagle Mine Superfund site reflects the cooperation between EPA, Colorado, the community and private industry to secure the site and protect human health and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “EPA will conduct five-year reviews at the property to ensure the remedies in place remain protective.”

EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have determined all appropriate response actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or the Superfund law, have been completed. Institutional controls to prevent activities that could lead to exposure to contamination will remain in place on the property. These site controls and use restrictions are in effect under the State Environmental Covenant Statute and will ensure the long-term protectiveness of cleanup and response actions.

Remaining portions of Operable Unit 3 are not currently eligible for deletion from the NPL. EPA and CDPHE will continue to monitor, evaluate and ensure the protectiveness of completed actions through operations and maintenance activities, including annual inspections and five-year reviews. 

For more information about the Eagle Mine Superfund site, visit the EPA Eagle Mine webpage and the Partial Deletion Justification. Additional information about EPA’s NPL deletions and information about these and other NPL sites are available online.