Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Monday 17 SepteMber 2018

Former Colorado nuke site opens to public as wildlife refuge

By DAN ELLIOTT by the gas mask he wore
Associated Press at a refuge trailhead Satur-
DENVER (AP) — Cyclists and day.
hikers explored a newly Parlato said the mask had
opened wildlife refuge at a filter capable of block-
the site of a former nuclear ing plutonium particles and
weapons plant in Colorado that he wore it for protec-
on Saturday, while a pro- tion, not for show.
tester in a gas mask brought “You even have school
signs warning about the districts that have gone
dangers of plutonium. on the record to say they
With no fanfare, the U.S. do not allow their students
Fish and Wildlife Service to come on trips here. This
opened the gates of Rocky is an ongoing danger,” he
Flats National Wildlife Ref- said.
uge on the perimeter of a Jon Simon, another cyclist
government factory that who rode the refuge trails
made plutonium triggers Saturday, said he doubted
for nuclear bombs for near- he would develop pluto-
ly four decades. nium-related health prob-
Spread across a rolling, lems in his lifetime, but wor-
wind-swept plateau 16 ried that children might be
miles (26 kilometers) north- vulnerable.
west of downtown Denver, “I wouldn’t want to walk
the refuge is a rare oasis of Stephen Parlato wears a gas mask next to his sign warning about the dangers of plutonium at my kid through here every
tallgrass prairie, with bears, Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the day in the morning for our
elk, falcons, songbirds and refuge was open to the public. morning walk or something
hundreds of other species. Associated Press like that,” he said. “But I’m
The refuge offers sweeping history marred by fires, leaks to the public. The 8-square- could stir them up or track old enough.... That’s not
panoramas of the Rocky and spills. The plant was mile (21-square-kilometer) them home. At least seven what’s going to get me.”
Mountain foothills and Den- shut down after a criminal buffer zone surrounding Denver-area school districts The opening was in the
ver’s skyscrapers. investigation into environ- the manufacturing site was have barred school-sanc- works for months but was
“You get these incredible mental violations. turned over to the U.S. Fish tioned field trips to refuge. thrown into doubt Friday
views,” said Jerry Jacka, The U.S. Energy Depart- and Wildlife Service for a If inhaled, plutonium can afternoon when Interior
who spent two hours moun- ment, which oversaw the refuge. lodge in lung tissue, where Secretary Ryan Zinke, who
tain biking at the refuge plant, said it found 62 About 10 miles (16 kilome- it can kill lung cells and oversees the Fish and Wild-
Saturday. pounds (28 kilograms) of ters) of trails are now open cause scarring, which in life Service, said he wanted
Jacka said he was not wor- plutonium stuck in exhaust at the refuge. Visitors are turn can cause lung dis- to wait for more informa-
ried about his safety, de- ducts of buildings. told to stay on the paths ease and cancer, accord- tion about safety.
spite lawsuits and protests Rockwell International, the and not wander the grass- ing to the federal Centers An hour later, the Interior
by people who argued the contractor then operating lands. for Disease Control and Department said a review
government has not test- the plant, was fined $18.5 State and federal health Prevention. was complete and the ref-
ed the refuge thoroughly million after pleading guilty officials say the site is safe, “You have a situation uge would open.
enough to make sure peo- in 1992 to charges that in- but some people worry that where you still have pluto- Department spokeswoman
ple are safe using it. cluded mishandling chemi- plutonium particles eluded nium in the soil being dis- Faith Vander Voort did not
“I don’t believe that they’re cal and radioactive mate- the cleanup and could be turbed by the wildlife and respond to an email seek-
covering up any sort of in- rial. sprinkled over the refuge, the weather,” said Stephen ing more information about
formation about pollutants The weapons complex where hikers and cyclists Parlato, his voice muffled the review.q
and radioactive elements covered 2 square miles (5
and stuff in the soil,” Jacka square kilometers) at the
said. The government built center of the site. It was
plutonium triggers at Rocky cleaned up at a cost of $7
Flats from 1952 to 1989, a billion but remains off-limits

A sign marks a trail on the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the Jon Simon takes a break after about a 2-hour mountain bike ride at Rocky Flats National Wildlife
refuge was open to the public. Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public.
Associated Press Associated Press