Wildlife Refuge in Colorado Needs to Be Thoroughly Inspected for Plutonium Content

One of the gates of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge 

Situated sixteen miles northwest of Denver, Colorado, in an area comprised of more than 5,000 acres of wetlands, trees, and untouched rolling prairie, there is a place called Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. This wild place houses 239 of residential and migratory species, including the endangered Preble's meadow jumping mouse. Although it appears to be a haven for wildlife and an ideal place to enjoy nature and the outdoors, Rocky Flats has a shadowy past. Before becoming a wildlife refuge, Rocky Flats was once a location of a federal nuclear weapons facility during the Cold War period from 1952 to 1989. During that time, a small community stood inside the wildlife refuge where it created grapefruit-sized plutonium spheres known as "pits" which were used as triggers for U.S.A's thermonuclear weapons. The facility closed when the Cold War ended and the area underwent a more than $7 billion cleanup and demolition supervised by state and federal agencies. The cleanup ended in 2005, with the actual site of the old buildings staying fenced off forever, while the land that used to serve as an intermediary around Rocky Flats recently reopened. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated that the soil in the buffer zone was tested and concluded as safe for "unlimited use and unrestricted exposure" more than ten years ago. However, there are some skeptics like Professor Tim Mousseau of University of South Carolina who believes that the soil still contains plutonium and that even the smallest and faint particles can be inhaled and embedded in the lungs. As a result, seven local school districts have halted field trips to the area and several lawsuits are seeking to keep the refuge closed off to the public. One of the attorneys involved is Tim Gablehouse, who is representing the neighboring town of Superior. He stated that the government has not conducted a complete environmental evaluation on what the side effects could be from activities like biking and hiking, and the threat of dust from the wildlife refuge being carried into wider linked trail systems and Superior itself.

Preble's meadow jumping mouse

I strictly believe that Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge needs to be reevaluated thoroughly for plutonium content in its soil. Even though the EPA has conducted an assessment of the soil and concluded it as safe more than a decade ago, it is highly crucial that scientists and researchers double check to ensure that the soil is plutonium-free. Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element and when it gets lodged in an organism's lungs, it often stays stuck inside the organism's entire life resulting in higher risk of cancer. In the case of Rocky Flats, people would be at risk of coming into contact with plutonium by engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking and biking. In addition, even a simple gust of wind could carry plutonium-contaminated dust into the air and affect anyone or anything in the way. This is why I strongly insist it is very crucial that the wildlife refuge should stay closed to the public until a thorough scientific investigation of plutonium content is carried out. Only then will the public know whether it is safe to enter the wildlife refuge or not. Without any accurate investigation and meticulous planning to eradicate plutonium from Rocky Flats, people's lives would inadvertently be at risk of cancer and other health hazards linked to radiation exposure.

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