RILEY PASS

Riley Pass Bluff I2 - Ludlow, SD

Powered by the cold war era and the United States race for nuclear weapons, the land in the area of Riley Pass was exploited for its Uranium. Now the Forest Service is proceeding with reclamations and reducing the potential for Uranium waste and other contaminants like Arsenic from impacting the environment. Furthermore, contaminated mine spoils were excavated and capped to reduce impact on wildlife. Belair Sitework Services consolidated over 25,000cy of mine waste at the site located on bluff I2, and constructed a 1.5 foot thick cover soil cap over the waste materials. In addition, almost 3 miles of roadway was reconditioned and new aggregate was placed. Personal protection equipment (PPE) and occupational monitoring played a major component during the project planning and its execution.

Owner: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Contractor: United States Forest Service

Project Facts:

• Relocating radioactive waste to the cap area required rigorous dust management

• Extremely dangerous arsenic concentrations were present with all mine waste materials

• Very remote wilderness with very limited support or accommodations

• Sites were barely accessible upon arrival.

• Correction Site was about 5 acres

• Aside from the environmental contamination issues, the dam construction area was populated with rattle snakes