[CPEO-MEF] Lowry privatization details

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Lowry Environmental Privatization a National First For Air Force

In a nationally precedent-setting agreement, the U.S. Air Force has
contracted with the Lowry Redevelopment Authority (LRA) to manage most
of the remaining environmental cleanup at the former Lowry Air Force
Base. The agreement is the first of its kind for the Air Force, which is
responsible for the environmental cleanup and conversion of 32 closed
bases around the country.

Environmental investigations at Lowry began in 1983 with the Department
of Defense Installation Restoration Program. The Air Force has spent
approximately $55 million on environmental investigations and limited
cleanup since Lowry closed in September 1994. Final cleanup remedies
were scheduled to be in place by September 2000. According to the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), no one
living, working or going to school is at risk from the environmental
contaminants found at Lowry to date Lowry is not a Superfund site.

Under a privatized cleanup, the Lowry Redevelopment Authority's
contractor, Lowry Assumption, LLC will manage cleanup of groundwater
contamination and the former base landfill. The cleanup will come under
the regulatory oversight of CDPHE, through a Consent Agreement under the
State's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act authority. The Air Force
will provide $39.6 million in funding, and Lowry Assumption will secure
an additional $57 million in environmental insurance to cover potential
cost overruns or unforeseen circumstances.

For more details see:
http://www.lowry.org/aboutlowry/about_environ_privatization.htm

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