April 9, 2024 |
Photo – Old water treatment plant and police department in Saratoga – Bigfoot99 file photo
In Saratoga, officials are exploring the possibility of destroying the old water treatment facility on River Street.
Last August, the Saratoga town council considered applying for a Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program grant through the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The grant would allow the EPA to see if the town’s former water treatment plant on South River Street contains environmentally harmful material.
The council asked what would happen if an abundance of hazardous chemicals were found in the building. Would the town be forced to pay for potentially expensive remediation? The council decided to table the matter until EPA provided answers.
Fast forward to the April 2nd Saratoga town council meeting. Public Works Director Emery Penner said a representative from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality contacted him. Penner said DEQ did not offer much information. The public works director said Town Attorney Kylie Waldrip wasn’t able to provide much help, either.
Penner explained how the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program grant works. The public works director said the funding would pay to have the EPA investigate the property for potential contaminates and advise the town on ways to use the property in the future.
Councilwoman Kathy Beck said either way, the town will need to perform an environmental assessment if it wants to reuse the water treatment plant property. Public Works Director Penner said the town must properly dispose of any harmful material found during the demolition.
Penner said the town is prepared to remove asbestos and lead from the property, if any are found during an inspection. Planning Commission Chairwoman McCall Burau said the Brownfields grant will cover more than the environmental assessment. Burau said Wyoming DEQ will also provide consultants to determine the best use of the property.
Currently, the town uses the old water treatment plant, and the nearby former police station, for storage. Public Works Director Penner said the town must decide if it can afford to create a new storage space before applying for the Brownfields grant.
Mayor Chuck Davis said Penner will need to find out how much it will cost to move the storage area to a different location. Mayor Davis said he would like to reuse the land beneath the old water treatment plant, but the mayor said he’s worried about the cost.
Penner said the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program grants are not due until fall. The public works director said he’ll investigate the potential cost to construct a new storage building. Penner said if the town isn’t able to afford to build a new facility, then they shouldn’t move forward with the Brownfields grant.
