Washington, DC – United States Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, and Congressman Jared Polis, announced today that the Clear Creek/Central City Superfund site will receive $5 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate hazardous waste clean-up already underway at the site. The funding, which is part of a $600 million appropriation to the Federal Superfund remedial program, is also expected to jumpstart the local economy and create new, good-paying jobs in the area.
“This funding is going to help speed up efforts to clean up this site, bringing us closer to the goal of restoring this watershed, which extends from the Continental Divide to the Denver metro area,” Senator Udall said. “Not only will it create jobs now, but it will strengthen the local communities and protect a watershed that supplies more than 50,000 Coloradans with drinking water. This is exactly why we worked so hard to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and I’m very pleased to join Senator Bennet and Congressman Polis in announcing these funds.”
“With these funds, we’ll be able to make headway in our efforts to restore and repair the area’s valuable land and water resources, while creating new jobs and jumpstarting local economies in the process,” said Bennet. “It’s a win-win for Coloradans who want vibrant economies and healthy communities.”
“A clean and reliable water supply is essential to the quality of life and overall health of our communities,” said Polis. “I’m pleased to see another successful line of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act coming to Colorado to create jobs and improve water quality for local communities.”
The new money for the Clear Creek/Central City site will accelerate the cleanup of the 400-square-mile Clear Creek watershed that is impacted by wastes from historic mining activities. Improvements will include the consolidation and capping of mine waste piles, sediment control and water treatment to mitigate heavy metals impacts to Clear Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River. Work at the site will also reduce metals entering the watershed which supplies water to Denver-area residents.
For more information on the Clear Creek/Central City Superfund Site, please click here. For more information on the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, please visit Recovery.gov or Colorado.gov/Recovery.