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Park City, Utah – Cleanup of the toxic remains of Empire Canyon’s mining heyday here has a silver lining.
Private developers are transforming the once contaminated 16-acre Daly West Mine site near the Deer Valley ski resort into an environmentally sensitive resort and spa under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) first pilot project Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse, which removes liability obstacles to encourage environmentally beneficial redevelopment projects.
“Events like this don’t just happen,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson at a gathering to commemorate the project in Park City on April 17. “It takes partnerships.”
In December 2003, EPA and United Park City Mines entered into an agreement to clean up mine-related contamination in Empire Canyon. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) provided oversight of the removal of the tailings pile that remained after the mine closed in the 1920s. The cleanup also included restoring the Silver Creek stream channel through efforts led by Mo Slam, an environmental scientist with the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation (DERR).
“Mo Slam has kept us on track,” said Kerry Gee, vice president of United Park City Mines. “This is a partnership made possible by EPA, the state of Utah and Park City.”
United Park City Mines agreed to lease the Daly West site to DV Luxury Resort, LLC, which will incorporate extensive green features into the design, construction and operation of the Montage Resort and Spa, a 178 guest room and 94 resort residential development to begin this summer with completion in 2010. Such features include incorporating energy-efficient measures in the building design, including the purchase of wind energy; setting aside an open space easement, planting native vegetation, constructing wetlands and using chlorine alternatives for resort pools and spas.
To help facilitate the redevelopment project, EPA and the Department of Justice agreed to provide the company with liability relief in exchange for the company’s commitment to develop a resort in an environmentally sensitive manner.
“Through the work of EPA and our partners, Empire Canyon will be a success story of restoring contaminated properties back into community assets,” Johnson said.
Park City Mayor Dana Williams admitted he was skeptical at first. “The fact that 3,500 acres will permanently be protected is the biggest selling point,” he said.
Dianne Nielson, executive director of DEQ, said partnerships are the way DEQ does business. “This is a great example of what can be accomplished through public-private partnerships. I am proud DEQ has participated in this landmark achievement.”
Gov. Jon Huntsman sang his praises at the ceremony to kick off the development. “It is extraordinary how all the stakeholders got together and made this happen. Cleaning up the environment is not only good environmental policy but good economic development.”