The Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) is a former chemical weapons manufacturing facility located northwest of Denver, Colorado. It was created in response to World War II's European campaign. Today, the Arsenal is managed as a national wildlife refuge. RMA was not only used for the production of chemical weapons but also as a weapon research and development base.
The Army and contractors have leased the site. It is now a national wildlife sanctuary. The site contains approximately 1,100 acres. U.S. Army operates an on site landfill, two waste consolidating areas, and five groundwater treatments facilities.
RMA was constructed in 1942 to produce chemical for the war effort. The cleanup of the site was completed in 2010. About 650 hazardous wastes were disposed off as a direct result of the operation. These hazardous materials included solid and explosive wastes, as well other chemicals. The RMA produced a variety of compounds, including Napalm (a deadly pesticide), rocket fuel and chemical munitions. Many of these contaminated materials were found in the soil and water around them.
The Army tried a pilot project in the mid-1960s to manage toxic wastes. They came up with a plan to inject chemicals at the RMA through a deep well. However, after a series of earthquakes, the injection activity was halted. Waste disposal practices were somewhat ad hoc. The site included Basin A with 93 acres of land and Basin F with a large open lagoon. They were all contaminated. These basins also had high levels of groundwater. This resulted in groundwater contamination of the surrounding area.
RMA was an ex-chemical weapons manufacturing site that had a significant impact upon the local community. Numerous farmers suffered crop losses, even though there were no confirmed deaths. Nearby ranches also saw livestock die. Because of the contamination, the Army and the XXX Oil Company were responsible for completing fourteen interim response actions to prevent exposures.
The facility produced products for agriculture such as herbicides and chemical wastes. These products were transported off the site using a rail spur. Some of the buildings on the RMA were damaged during the transfer of the chemicals to rail cars.
Some of these facilities were leased out to the XXX Petroleum Company, who later used them to make pesticides. The RMA's military use was ended and the site became part of a national wildlife sanctuary.
The RMA's chemical contamination spread throughout the area, even though the wastes were removed. Many areas were contaminated, and needed groundwater extraction. Groundwater P&T was installed along the RMA's northern and northwest boundaries. Operable Units 2/3 were also affected. The ROD was also felt in 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.