RCRA Facility Investigation
Parachute, Colorado

A Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation was conducted at the former Parachute Creek Shale Oil Facility.  The investigation was conducted pursuant to an Order on Consent between the facility and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).  The focus of the project was to evaluate the nature and extent of any constituent releases from EPA- and Owner-identified solid waste management units (SWMUs) associated with retort testing and oil shale upgrade operating areas.  Results of the investigative component of the project were used to design and implement the necessary corrective actions needed to close the facility. 

The investigative component of the project included preparing planning documents (work plan, quality assurance/quality control plan, data management plan, and safety and health plan) and collecting the surface and subsurface information needed to assess geochemical conditions in background areas, within the SWMUs, and downgradient of the SWMUs.  The resulting analytical data were validated and used to construct a project database.  A Corrective Action Plan was prepared to document the recommended corrective actions identified on the basis of investigation results.  Following CDPHE approval of the plan, the recommended corrective actions were implemented, and once completed, CDPHE provided certification that the actions had been properly completed and no further actions were required at the site.