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Mission
The mission of the Standard Mine Technical Advisory Group (SMTAG) is to assure that Standard Mine clean-up activities and the final outcome of the clean-up process are beneficial to the environment and to affected persons and communities; to assess and protect the quality of water in Elk Creek and Coal Creek; to serve as a hub of communication about abandoned mine cleanup efforts; to help foster positive relationships between citizens and the state and federal government; and to educate the community about environmental and health issues concerning Elk Creek, and Coal Creek and/or the cleanup of abandoned mine sites.
Goals and Objectives
In pursuit of our mission the SMTAG endeavors to use grant funds obtained from the EPA’s Technical Assistance Grant, and other grants which may be obtained in the future to:
1) Increase local residents’ and visitors’ knowledge of the cleanup process at the Standard Mine Superfund site
2) Contract a technical advisor to help the community affected by the site understand information contained in EPA technical documents related to site cleanup, and to understand the implications of some of the site-related decisions that need to be made
3) Assist the community in meaningful participation in the cleanup decision-making process
4) Influence the clean-up levels and remedies so that they are more protective of community health and in line with community needs
5) Evaluate the long term effects of the cleanup by evaluating, interpreting and sharing the follow-up monitoring data on Elk and Coal Creeks.
Methods
All methods employed by the SMTAG will embody the spirit of cooperation and community involvement on which the group is founded. The SMTAG will emphasize voluntary participation, education and outreach, and coordination with other organizations, entities, agencies, and stakeholders in the Coal Creek watershed.
History
The Standard Mine Technical Advisory Group (SMTAG) was formed in the fall of 2006 in response to the Superfund remediation of the Standard Mine. The organization is funded entirely by a grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Technical Assistance Grant Program which was awarded in November of 2006. Funds from the grant have been used to hire a Grant Administrator and two groups which will serve as Technical Advisors (TAs). The Grant Administrator will help coordinate public outreach for the organization and will handle reporting responsibilities related to the grant.
Technical Advisors
The duties of the TAs were split into two parts - Engineering and Risk Assessments. Frontier Environmental Services out of Wheat ridge, Colorado was chosen to evaluate engineering aspects of the cleanup of the Standard Mine site. Frontier has extensive experience in evaluating engineering elements relevant to mine site remediation. Their first duty was to review and provide comments on Phase I of the EE/CA for the SMTAG. They will be involved in reviewing Phase II of the EE/CA for the repository site. For more information on Frontier visit their website:
www.frontierenvironmental.net
The SMTAG hired Dr. Joseph Ryan and Dr. James Ruttenber from the University of Colorado to serve as Technical Advisors for aspects of the cleanup related to both Human Health and Ecological the Risk Assessments. Dr. Ryan’s expertise is knowledge of hazardous and toxic waste issues. He is trained in the field of environmental engineering and geochemistry, and he conducts research in those fields. Dr. Ryan practices the translation of technical information with students in courses on water chemistry, environmental organic chemistry, and remediation of abandoned mine sites and through outreach work for the University of Colorado. As part of outreach work over the past two years, Dr. Ryan and his students are assisting the Coal Creek Watershed Coalition in assessing the source of metals in the Coal Creek watershed. They have also assisted the Lefthand Watershed Oversight Group and the James Creek Watershed Initiative with water quality problems in these Boulder County watersheds.
Dr. Jim Ruttenber is an expert on public health issues related to hazardous and toxic waste. He is trained in the field of environmental epidemiology, public health, and medicine, and he continues to conduct research in those fields. He is well-versed in conveying technical information to the public through frequent public meetings and media reporting connected with his work assessing the risk of plutonium exposure at the Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, and as an expert witness for cases involving environmental contamination and health risk assessment.
Dr. Ryan and Dr. Ruttenber are currently serving as the Technical Advisor for the Lefthand Creek TAG Coalition, the community advisory group overseeing the Captain Jack Mill Superfund site in northwestern Boulder County, Colorado.
For Information
For more on the Standard Mine Superfund Site please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region8/sf/co/standard/
Documents related to the Standard Mine Superfund Site can be found under Files and Publications on this website or on the EPA website listed above.
For more information contact SMTAG President, Steve Glazer at (970) 349-6646 or steve@hccaonline.org or Grant Administrator, Anthony Poponi at (970) 641-0177 or acpoponi@hotmail.com.
Meetings are held monthly and public participation is encouraged. For meeting dates and times please visit the Calendar.
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