Key Information
The Highway 24 Mill Site is in Colorado Springs near the historic Golden Cycle Mill and tailings pile. The Site includes the A-1 Mobile Home village.
Due to the proximity of residences to a tailings pile and historic milling activities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been investigating heavy metals contamination in soils since 2022. Now, the EPA is partnering with the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) to clean up the soils at the site.
In January 2024, EPA updated its guidance on lead in residential soils, lowering the screening level. In 2025, EPA released updated toxicity values for arsenic. At the Highway 24 Mill Site, previous sampling has identified lead and arsenic above these levels. Cleanup of residential soils at the A-1 Mobile Village is now necessary to protect human health. EPA is funding CDPHE to clean up soils at the A-1 Mobile Home Village. Cleanup will begin in 2025.
Upcoming Activity
Analyze clean up options:
With community input, CDPHE is assessing possible options to clean up soils. The Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis is now available for comment. See the documents section and contact Pedro Ayala for comments at ayala.pedro@epa.gov
Select clean up option:
EPA will select the final clean up option. Typical clean up actions include removing contaminated soil and replacing it with clean soil.
Complete clean up:
Clean up activities are expected to be complete by the end of 2025 or early 2026, and we will continue to inspect the area to make sure it is protective of human health and the environment.
Questions
For more information on cleanup plans, please contact Patrick Medland, CDPHE Project Manager, at patrick.medland@state.co.us.
Para español, contacta a Pedro al ayala.pedro@epa.gov
