Jefferson Parkway: A 2018 Position Paper on the Public Health Risk of Disturbing Soil Along Indiana Street

In May 2018, Randy Stafford, then a member of the Jefferson Parkway Advisory Committee, prepared a position paper examining the potential public-health risks of disturbing soil along Indiana Street during construction of the proposed Jefferson Parkway.

Stafford wrote that his position was based on a year of research into off-site soil contamination from the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant and potential health impacts on the downwind population. His research included scientific studies, Department of Energy records, archival materials and documents from two significant Rocky Flats court cases.

What the paper examines

The 26-page paper focuses on four principal concerns.

First, Stafford reviews numerous studies of plutonium contamination in soil along the Indiana Street corridor. The paper brings together findings from research conducted over several decades and includes maps showing sampling locations and reported concentrations. Stafford argues that these studies consistently document Rocky Flats-related plutonium contamination in the corridor.

Second, the paper examines research and other evidence concerning health outcomes among people living near and downwind of Rocky Flats. Stafford discusses studies that reached differing conclusions and argues that the available evidence supports additional health research and monitoring.

Third, Stafford raises concerns about resuspending contaminated soil during construction. He identifies inhalation of plutonium-containing dust as the exposure pathway of greatest concern and argues that excavation and other construction activities could create airborne dust.

Finally, the paper discusses the possibility that undocumented buried waste could remain in areas affected by construction, citing historical records concerning incomplete documentation of waste burial locations at Rocky Flats.

What Stafford recommended

Stafford concluded that additional precautions should be taken before construction proceeded. His recommendations included an independent review of previous contamination and health studies, new testing of soil that would be disturbed, a broader review of historical contamination records, consideration of an alternative parkway alignment, and strong dust-control measures if construction occurred along Indiana Street.

Read the original document

This is a position paper, not an independent scientific study. It reflects Stafford's analysis and conclusions based on the research and records he reviewed.

We are sharing it because it brings together a substantial collection of Rocky Flats research, historical records, maps and public-health concerns in one document—and because we believe readers should have access to the original material and be able to examine the evidence for themselves.

The full 2018 position paper is available below.

Public Health Risk of Disturbing the Soil along Indiana St..pdf

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