Comments sought on Cotter Natural Resource Funds

Submitted by NewsNowAdmin on
A public meeting was conducted August 30th in Cañon City to receive citizen comments on a proposal to use the remaining $1.1 million in Natural Resource Damage funds that the state received from the Cotter Corporation to continue and expand a park, a riverwalk and wildlife habitat construction started two years ago. The public comment period, which includes provisions for the submittal of written comments, will continue through Thursday, September 15.
The proposal, drafted by local city and county officials following the consideration of a number of suggestions for the use of the funds, calls for:
  • The construction of a bicycle path from Florence to the new Pathfinder Park, located two miles west of the town.
  • Extension of the Cañon City Riverwalk from First Street along the Arkansas River to the entrance to Tunnel Drive.
  • The purchase of 14.8 acres of land to build a park in the Town of Brookside.
  • The establishment of about 250 acres of wildlife habitat and open space along the Arkansas River.

Total cost of the proposed projects is estimated at $2,627,570, with $1,123,000 being requested from the Natural Resource Damage account. The balance is proposed to come from the cities of Cañon City and Florence, the Town of Brookside, the Cañon City Recreation and Park District, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Parks, and the Fishing is Fun Program.
The projects, which would take five years to complete, would be an extension of work funded from the first round of $1.15 million in Natural Resource Damage funds awarded two years ago for riverbank restoration, wildlife enhancement; work on the Arkansas River Walk; and purchase of property for the 178-acre Pathfinder Park.

The first grant award and the proposed grant award are being funded from interest on the $1 million the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment collected from Cotter Corporation in a 1988 settlement resulting from environmental damages in the Cañon City area related to operation of the Cotter Uranium Mill. Since 1988, the $1 million has earned more than $1.15 million in interest.

The new proposal was submitted by a work group that included William F. Jackson, mayor of Cañon City; Larry Lasha, chairman of the Fremont County Board of Commissioners; Scott Johnson, a representative of the Cañon City Area Metropolitan Recreation and Park District; Ron Fredrick, mayor of Brookside; and Cynthia Cox, Mayor pro tem of Florence.

In addition, the State of Colorado is represented on the work group by Ronald W. Cattany, director of the Division of Minerals and Geology for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources; Jerry Goad, an assistant attorney general from the Colorado Attorney General's Office; and Phil Stoffey, Lincoln Park Superfund site manager for the Department of Public Health and Environment's Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division. Fremont County Commissioner Mike Stiehl represented the Lincoln Park neighborhood, which is located south of Cañon City and near the Cotter Uranium Processing Mill. George Overstreet, county human resources director, represented Fremont County.

Citizens can review the proposals at these locations:
Florence City Hall and the Florence Public Library.
Fremont County Commissioners' Office.
Cañon City Public Library.
Local History Center in Canon City

Written comments also can be submitted through Thursday, September 15, 2005, to Phil Stoffey, Lincoln Park Superfund site manager, Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246. After comments are considered, the proposal endorsed by the work group will be submitted on October 24, to the Colorado's Natural Resource Trustees for final approval.

(The above information was provided by the Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment)