The Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a former chemical weapon manufacturing facility, is located northwest Denver, Colorado. It was established as a response to World War II. Today, the Arsenal is managed by the National Wildlife Refuge. RMA was used to produce chemical weapons and as a base for weapons research and development.
The Army and other contractors are currently leasing the site. The site contains approximately 1,100 acres. An on-site landfill, two waste consolidation areas, and five groundwater treatment facilities are also operated by the U.S. Army.
RMA was created in 1942 in order to produce chemicals for war efforts. By 2010, the cleanup of the site had been completed. The operation resulted in the disposal of approximately 650 hazardous substances. These materials included solid wastes, explosives and other chemicals. Some of the compounds produced at the RMA included Napalm, a deadly pesticide; rocket fuel; and chemical munitions. Many of these contaminated materials migrated into the surrounding soil and water.
The Army tried a pilot project in the mid-1960s to manage toxic wastes. They devised a plan for injecting chemicals into the RMA's deep injection well. However, the injection activity was stopped by a series of earthquakes. There were no established waste disposal procedures. The site included Basin A with 93 acres of land and Basin F with a large open lagoon. All of them were contaminated. Furthermore, the groundwater in these basins was high. Consequently, the groundwater contaminated the surrounding area.
RMA was an ex-chemical weapons manufacturing site that had a significant impact upon the local community. While there were no known fatalities associated with the contamination, numerous farmers suffered crop damage. Further, livestock died at nearby ranches. To prevent contamination, the Army was responsible for 14 interim response actions.
In addition to producing chemical wastes, the facility also produced agricultural products such as herbicides. These products were shipped off the site by rail spur. During the transfer, chemicals were transferred to rail cars and damaged some of the RMA buildings.
The XXXX Oil Company leased a few of the facilities and used them to produce pesticides. The RMA was terminated and the site became an area of national wildlife refuge.
While the RMA’s wastes had been removed from the site's location, the chemical contamination spread to the surrounding area. A number of areas were contaminated. Groundwater extraction was necessary. Groundwater P&T systems have been installed at the RMA's north and northwest borders. Operable Units 2/3 were also affected. The ROD off-site also affected domestic wells within these areas.
The RMA's Emergency Management/Contingency Plan describes the U.S. Army's response to the contaminated land, and provides guidance to the managers of the RMA National Wildlife Refuge.