Nelson Tunnel Commodore Waste Rock

⚠ Superfund · Cleanup underway

The EPA is currently in the remedial design phase for the interim remedial action of putting in a flow-through bulkhead in the Nelson Tunnel. This would help prevent a sudden, large release of water from the Nelson Tunnel draining adit. EPA is working with the State of Colorado and the U.S.

Location

CityCreede
CountyMineral County
StateColorado
Coordinates37.87785, -106.93672

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 05/14/2007
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 03/19/2008
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 09/03/2008
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 04/28/2009
  5. Remedy Selected — 04/05/2021
  6. Remedial Action Started — 09/30/2025
  7. Construction Completed — Not Yet Achieved
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — Not Yet Achieved
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — Not Yet Achieved

EPA references

Understanding this Superfund site

Nelson Tunnel Commodore Waste Rock is a federal Superfund site in Colorado. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Cleanup underway. Active cleanup is underway, meaning EPA has approved a remediation plan and work is in progress. Cleanup timelines vary widely — some sites take decades depending on contamination depth, groundwater involvement, and funding availability.

Contamination has been detected in soil, surface water.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.