County Commissioners blast CDPHE

Lake County Board of County Commissioners - 3/5/08

Commissioners claim the Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment is stalling Parkville Water District efforts to solve the Leadville problem.

Read the article posted by 9NEWS

Commissioners say Health Department breaking promise 

The following is the full text of the Lake County Commissioners' protest letter to Jim Martin and Jeff Deckler at the CDPHE:

March 5, 2008

Mr. Jim Martin, Executive Director
Mr. Jeff Deckler, Program Manager
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive
Denver, CO 80246

RE: Canterbury Tunnel/Evans Gulch Fluming - Sent via E-mail 03/05/08

Dear Mr. Martin and Mr. Deckler:

I spoke with Greg Teter, Manager, Parkville Water District, this morning and asked him if Parkville had been contacted by anyone from CDPHE regarding the Caterbury Tunnel or Evans Gulch proposed remedies for elevated ground water in Leadville. Greg said the last contact with CDPHE was on Wednesday, February 27 and that no one has spoken to Parkville since regarding these projects.

Lake County is perplexed with the lack of contact from CDPHE with Parkville and the County on these projects. It was our clear understanding from our meeting with Senator Allard that CDPHE was taking the lead regarding these two very important projects. If CDPHE is not going to take the lead and get things accomplished, then we need to know. We will find an agency that will help us. If you will help us the following needs to be done:

A) Meet with Parkville to get things started. Review prior geology, history, and engineering reports on the tunnel.

B) Well needs drilled and financed and pump specifications determined. Well needs drilled 1250 feet from portal and 250' deep. Pump sizing 1000-1200 gpm

C) Work on an operational agreement for long-term maintenance of well and pump with Parkville.

D) Need engineering and costing of Evans Fluming Project

Thank you for your concern.

Lake County Commissioners

Kenneth L. Olsen
Michael J. Hickman
Carl F. Schaefer

CC: Ann Umphries
      Senator Tom Wiens
      Senator Ken Salazar
      Senator Wayne Allard