HomeMy WebLinkAbout847 - REGARDING opposition to proposed burn at Rocky Flats. Intro 3/21/00.RESOLUTION NO. 847
URGING THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO DELAY THE PROPOSED PRESCRIBED
BURN AT THE ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SITE
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has notified the City of Boulder and
other communities of their intent to perform a controlled burn, to be conducted by the United
States Forest Service, on 528 acres in the Northwest (Walnut Creek) and Southwest (Smart Ditch
area) of the buffer zone at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site sometime between
March 27 and Apri130, 2000; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the burn is for natural resource management and to reduce the fuel
load on the ground that could contribute significantly to an uncontrolled prairie fire, reduce
noxious weeds so that herbicides are more effective and to enhance the natural vegetation at the
Site; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder supports the use of controlled burns as a fire management tool,
but recognizes that the Rocky Flats site has very unique circumstances which require a greater
level of caution when considering any controlled burn; and
WHEREAS, City environmental and fire management staff toured the site of the proposed burn,
and have specific concerns about the implementation of the burn; and
WHEREAS, the City Council indicated at a May 11, 1999 Study Session on Rocky Flats that
they wanted additional information prior to advocating use of controlled burns at the site; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder owns property contiguous to the Rocky Flats sites which may
be at risk if a controlled burn is not properly managed; and
WHEREAS, residents of the City have expressed concerns to Boulder elected officials related to
the risks of contaminants and ash becoming airborne in the smoke plume coming from the burn
and being deposited on neighboring lands and potentially in a water shed supply area.
NOW THEREFORE, be it resoived by the City Council of the Ciry of Boulder that;
*The Department of Energy and the Colorado Department of Health and Environmental
Protection are urged to delay at least until this fall the proposed burn of 528 acres at the
Rocky Flats Environmental Site so that the following actions occur:
1. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environmental (CDPHE) consider alternatives to burning that would include physical removal of
thatch by microbial solutions or by mowing and removal of the undercover thatch material (fuel
load) in addition to other methods that could be utilized for natural resource management.
2. The DOE conducts a formal public meeting prior to the burn in order to address the
concerns raised by residents of Boulder and other communities.
3. The DOE prepares an emergency preparedness plan in the event that the winds shift or
wind velocity significantly increases during the burn. Such a plan is also provided to the State
Office of Emergency Preparedness, the City of Boulder and the Boulder community and other
potentially affected communities prior to the public meeting.
4. Information related to soil sampling analysis results, location and ability of the air
monitoring system at Rocky Flats to capture small particles are made available to the Boulder
community at the public meeting.
5. DOE performs an uptake analysis on vegetation and ground litter in the areas to be
burned. This would do much to provide needed assurance to the community that the smoke
coming off the Rocky Flats site during the burn does not contain contamination and radionuclide
particles.
6. DOE conducts an experimental small-scale burn in a controlled sealed/contained
environment of vegetation and thatch with varying contents of moisture to determine the levels
of concentration of radionucleides and toxic materials and particle size distribution of residual
material that is emitted as a vapor/aerosol phase and that which remains in the solid phase as
residual ash.
7. DOE uses real-time monitors, some mounted on meteorological towers, that operate with
an adequate spectrum of appropriate filters during the burn.
8. DOE burns a small area and analyzes the air monitors and ash from that burn and makes
the information available to the public prior to continuing a larger scale burn to assure the City of
Boulder and its residents that the controlled burn can be conducted safely with no risk to human
health and environment.
9. DOE fortifies its dirt road infrastructure with additional gravel to serve as fire breaks.
10. DOE provides factual information from the experimental contained burns and small burn
area to elected officials in Boulder and surrounding communities and the public to serve as a
baseline on which future decisions regarding further burns will be made. This should be done
prior to continuing a larger scale burn.
11. DOE convenes a group comprised of members of the concerned public, health specialists,
specialists in radioactive contamination, specialists in fire control, and specialists in vegetation
management to devise a plan that is protective of public health, reduces the chance of a large
natural fire, and is acceptable to the public.
DOE must make every effort to provide opportunities to ensure confidence by providing
informational public meetings at least 60 days beforehand when considering controversial issues
such as controlled burns at Rocky Flats. Keeping the public informed, with understanding and
support, and allowing it to participate in cleanup decisions, is necessary if DOE is to achieve a
"safe," timely cleanup and closure of Rocky Flats with public understanding and support.
Finally, the City of Boulder encourages the Rocky Flats Coalition of Local Governments
(RFCLOG) and the Rocky Flats Citizen's Advisory Board (CAB) to take an official position
asking DOE to delay the burn until they are satisfied that there will be no negative impacts to
human health and the environment as a result of any burn.
Approved and adopted this 21st day of March, 2000.
William R. Toor
Mayor
Attest:
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Alisa Lewis
City Clerk