The 2006 Phoenix Award Winners include two projects on which Envirocon contributed significantly to the remediation and redevelopment of the site. The first is the Murray Smelter Site in Murray, Utah the U.S. EPA Region 8 winner. The Murray Smelter Site is a 142-acre former lead smelting site located within the City of Murray, just south of Salt Lake City. The smelter began operations in 1872 and operated until 1949. More than 75 years of smelting and refining, caused the soil, surface water, groundwater, and sediments to be contaminated with lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals.

Envirocon was contracted in May of 2000 by Asarco, Inc. to remove contaminated soils, construct a lined repository, place the contaminated soil in the repository, and construct a cap over the repository. The repository was constructed in the alignment of a major road that was to be constructed as part of the site redevelopment. The roadway itself offers additional cap protection and further limits the potential for surface water intrusion. The project was successfully completed in February of 2001. Envirocon is very proud to have participated in the remediation effort that led to the receipt of this award.

The other Envirocon project to receive a 2006 Phoenix Award is the Trail of the Coeur d’alenes in the panhandle of northern Idaho. The Trail of the Coeur D’alenes is the Region 10 winner and involved the removal of 72 miles of railroad track that once served the Silver Valley Mining Complex. The track retirement was undertaken by a major Railroad Company as a rails-to-trails project that converted the rail bed to a 72-mile bicycle trail. The work occurred in a remote setting along the Coeur d’Alene River and required extensive logistical coordination, property owner relations, and oversight from multiple stakeholders in addition to EPA.

Envirocon was contracted to remove 200,000 ties, 72 miles of rail, and 260,000 tons of contaminated ballasts and contaminated soils in addition to completing the construction of the bike path. The contaminants included lead, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc. Approximately 61 miles of the alignment was paved to create the bike trail. The Railroad’s dedication and commitment to the successful construction of the Trail of the Coeur d’alenes has been recognized with the designation of this award.

In 2005 the Phoenix Award Winner for Region 8 was the Platte River Commons & Salt Creek Heights Business Center in Casper, Wyoming. Envirocon conducted the majority of the remediation and initial site redevelopment at the Casper site. Remediation included construction of two lined repositories, excavation and removal of underground refinery pipe and foundations, excavation and stabilization of sludges and sediments from multiple waste units, and placement of remediation wastes in the repositories. When possible, piping and other metal debris was salvaged for scrap value and foundation concrete was crushed for re-use as fill on site. Envirocon also constructed a wetlands treatment system that removes hydrocarbons from the site’s groundwater and is a major surface feature of the new golf course. Redevelopment included rough grading the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Championship golf course, installation of office park roadways and utility corridors; and construction of a recreational kayak course in the North Platte River.