Rio Arriba County seeks federal help

EPA stopped funding Superfund cleanup; congressional delegates urge action

Rio Arriba County commissioners are asking New Mexico’s congressional delegation for help in efforts to clean up groundwater pollution in Española.

A resolution passed by commissioners last week asks the delegation for a new investigation and feasibility study for the affected site, plus recognition that a second contamination plume requires federal action.

Commissioner Leo Jaramillo said the county’s three commissioners unanimously supported the resolution at a Jan. 28 meeting. “I’m fearful about groundwater pollution. It’s making people afraid to develop the western side of Española,” Jaramillo said. “It could be a vibrant part of a college town, and developers are afraid of breaking ground because of pollution.”

Since its discovery 30 years ago, the city of Española and Santa Clara Pueblo have been concerned about a 60-acre contaminant plume from a defunct laundromat and dry-cleaning business.

The Rio Grande Sun reported that state and federal agencies discovered a second contamination plume with the same chemicals near the first plume. New Mexico Environment Department officials told residents in December meetings that they are investigating the second plume’s contamination source.

In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to fund the cleanup and designated it the North Railroad Avenue Superfund site. Solvents found there put people at risk for cancer and other deadly conditions.

In August, the state Environment Department informed the county the EPA was no longer funding the site and that further cleanup was the state’s responsibility.

In a joint statement, Sens. Martin Heinrich, Tom Udall and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján said they are taking the county’s resolution seriously.

“We are strongly urging the Environmental Protection Agency to work with [the New Mexico Environment Department] and the affected communities to ensure that their groundwater is cleaned up,” they said.

Jaramillo said the federal government has a responsibility to help fund and cleanup the site.

“My concern is [the EPA is] walking away from plume one and lumping in the second plume and denying the 10-year timeline to address it,” he said.