Asbestos Cleanup Costs Continue to Increase at Site of Former Colorado Steam Plant
Asbestos cleanup at the former Public Service, Co. steam plant in Grand Junction, CO has hit another snag this week after officials informed the City Council that cleanup costs would be doubling after crews discovered far more asbestos-contaminated soil than they had anticipated.
Officials estimate that the cleanup will cost at least $1 million to finish.
Over a quarter of a million dollars was spent to demolish the former plant in 2002. During the demolition phase, officials discovered dangerous levels of asbestos within the rubble. Construction was put on hold to evaluate the extent of contamination. Abatement did not begin until 2004, after several environmental assessments and an additional $40,000 spent.
So far, approximately 2,600 tons of affected soil has been removed from the site. “Trace amounts” of asbestos have been found in the remaining soil.
Linda Romer Todd of the City Council said that the rising costs are “unfortunate,” but that it is “not unusual” that the costs have increased for this type of project.
City Council members decided to move forward with the abatement and removal projects on Monday night despite far exceeding their initial budget of $180,555.