At least 52 properties, located in the City of Leadville, Colorado, are addressed by this Removal Action. The Properties have areas where the concentrations of lead in soil exceed the soil action levels of 3,500 parts per million (ppm).
The Properties are within OU 9 of the California Gulch Superfund Site (Site). The Leadville area, including portions of OU9, was the site of extensive mining, milling, and smelting operations that began about 1860. Most mining operations ceased around 1900, although some facilities continued intermittent operations as late as the 1960s. Most of the mines within the Site boundary are presently inactive and all of the mills and smelters have been demolished. Site investigations showed the presence of heavy metals in soils and in waste piles in and around the current residential area of Leadville.
On July 17, 2006, the OSC, EPA’s Superfund Technical Assistance Team (START) Contractor, and EPA’s Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS), responded to the Site and initiated the following activities:
• Lead contaminated soils will be removed to a depth of six or twelve inches as determined by the analyses that have been previously conducted and evaluated. In areas where twelve inches are removed, eight inches of common fill will be placed in the dig, then topped by four inches of top soil. The sources of both soils were located nearby Leadville. The six inch removals get all top soil while gardens get twelve inches.
• Unless requested by the owner, trees and shrubs will be left in place. In those cases where they need to be moved, replacements will be planted or given to the owner for planting, or some other agreement will be made.
• Currently five lots have been completed and another dozen are ready to be or are getting sod today, August 15.
See "current activities" above.
FUTURE ACTIONS
• Site activities, listed above, will be completed on 52 residences or more - some corrections will be made to last summers’ activities (e.g., replacing roadbase with asphalt on car approaches that are currently washing or have washed out).
• Water will be used during the removals if necessary to mitigate any fugitive dust.
• The Removal Action may include some lead based paint; and, if the need arises, it will be remediated if it is on a lot where a removal is to be conducted.
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