Background

Historically, the area was a major smelting center for the Rocky Mountain West. Two smelting plants, Omaha & Grant and Argo, operated at the site for varying lengths of time, beginning as early as the 1870s, refining gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc. As a result, heavy metals were deposited in area soils at levels that, in some cases, posed a health risk to people living there. Groundwater was also impacted at the former smelter locations.

The Vasquez Boulevard & Interstate 70 (VB/I-70) Superfund site is located in northeast Denver, Colorado. The site includes two commercial/industrial areas as well as residential ...
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