Hearing in Lawsuit to Block Opening of Rocky Flats Visitor Center

The lawsuit attempting to stop the opening of a visitors center at Rocky Flats continues on Tuesday July 17 when a group of experts plan to offer testimony detailing the health risks posed by construction on the site of the former nuclear weapons site.

A coalition of community based organizations filed suit in May seeking an injunction against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services from building a visitors center until such time as the area is adequately tested and proven safe for recreational usage.

The site has been mired in controversy for decades due to its history as a facility once used to manufacture components for nuclear weapons that, according to the plaintiffs, have left the area dangerously toxic with radioactive particles.

Alesya Casse, who’s affiliated with a number of organizations on the list of plaintiffs, told KGNU’s Robin Ryan that the flood from 2013 remains of significant concern because federal officials haven’t checked to see if any contaminants shifted as a result. She added that it’s been over 10 years since the area has been evaluated at all and officials seem reluctant to disturb what they perceived to be contained.

“There hasn’t been any testing since 2006 and we know there was a flood in 2013 that dramatically changed the profile of the land out there.”  ~Alesya Casse, Candelas Glows.

Casse said she expects the court’s decision on whether or not to grant the injunction is likely to come before the end of the week and conveyed that a variety of demonstrations in proximity to the hearing are being staged throughout the day.

A full-day hearing on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction is set for July 17, 2018 at 9:00 a.m., in Courtroom A 701 before Judge Philip A. Brimmer. The day will consist of expert witness testimony on the motion for a Preliminary Injunction to halt the opening of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Hear first hand from scientists and health researchers about the potential harm from opening the Refuge to public access. At 12 pm,  community members will demonstrate against opening the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside the front of the court house at 19th and Champa.

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