Rocky Flats Cleanup Levels Questioned

Nevada Officials Plan to Sue on Yucca Mountain Site Guidelines

* A report by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (or IEER) released this week has found that the proposed cleanup levels for Rocky Flats are far higher than other Department of Energy (or DOE) sites that are not being considered for wildlife refuge designation. Plutonium triggers were produced at Rocky Flats, near Denver, Colorado, until 1989 when a FBI raid halted operations due to serious environmental issues. Cleanup of the site will be completed on December 15, 2006, after which the land is expected to be transferred to the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife for use as a wildlife refuge.

The IEER report states that cleanup levels for Rocky Flats are nearly 40 times higher than they would be for land that is not reserved for wildlife use. IEER is recommending that residual radioactivity soil cleanup levels should be determined by a future resident farmer or rancher living on the site who eats locally grown food, regardless of whether the area becomes a wildlife refuge. IEER argues that "[the] wildlife refuge scenario does not provide an adequate basis for long-term public health protection."

IEER also recommends that the designation of Rocky Flats as a wildlife refuge not serve as a precedent for future DOE closures. IEER says that although wildlife refuge designation may limit DOE cleanup expenditures now, it is only a short-term solution. Arjun Mahkijani, President of IEER, said, "We don't oppose the designation of this site as a wildlife refuge as a short-term way to keep the public off the site."

Jeremy Karpatkin, of DOE's Rocky Flats project says, "We will provide a safe and effective cleanup of Rocky Flats." However, Mahkijani remains concerned, saying that the wildlife designation "is a foot in the door for relaxation of cleanup standards."

* A report by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (or IEER) released this week has found that the proposed cleanup levels for Rocky Flats are far higher than other Department of Energy (or DOE) sites that are not being considered for wildlife refuge designation. Plutonium triggers were produced at Rocky Flats, near Denver, Colorado, until 1989 when a FBI raid halted operations due to serious environmental issues. Cleanup of the site will be completed on December 15, 2006, after which the land is expected to be transferred to the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife for use as a wildlife refuge.

The IEER report states that cleanup levels for Rocky Flats are nearly 40 times higher than they would be for land that is not reserved for wildlife use. IEER is recommending that residual radioactivity soil cleanup levels should be determined by a future resident farmer or rancher living on the site who eats locally grown food, regardless of whether the area becomes a wildlife refuge. IEER argues that "[the] wildlife refuge scenario does not provide an adequate basis for long-term public health protection."

IEER also recommends that the designation of Rocky Flats as a wildlife refuge not serve as a precedent for future DOE closures. IEER says that although wildlife refuge designation may limit DOE cleanup expenditures now, it is only a short-term solution. Arjun Mahkijani, President of IEER, said, "We don't oppose the designation of this site as a wildlife refuge as a short-term way to keep the public off the site."

Jeremy Karpatkin, of DOE's Rocky Flats project says, "We will provide a safe and effective cleanup of Rocky Flats." However, Mahkijani remains concerned, saying that the wildlife designation "is a foot in the door for relaxation of cleanup standards."

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