Report finds hazards at U's Rosemount site

Contamination in the soil of a University of Minnesota-owned property in Rosemount doesn't appear to be putting drinking water at risk — but plenty of other hazards on the site are in need of attention.

Those are among the key findings of a report released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health on the site once occupied by Gopher Ordnance Works, a World War II-era gunpowder plant.

The department now is seeking public comment on its assessment, which reviewed the results of decades of investigations into the site's environmental health — and its potential as a home of new development.

Health officials who reviewed studies of the Dakota County property, now known as UMore Park and Vermillion Highlands, said the biggest risks on the 5,000-acre property are hazards like crumbling building foundations and debris. They noted that the land is not surrounded by a fence, and it appears people have trespassed onto the property.

The researchers noted that soil on some sections of the property does contain known contaminants, including lead, which could put workers at risk. They didn't find broader contamination that could leak into drinking water systems but said more research is needed.

University officials said they cooperated with the Health Department on the assessment and knew that the results would show on-site contamination.

"That has been factored into any thoughts we've had about future development on the site," said Pamela Wheelock, vice president of university services.

Public comment on the assessment will be taken through Nov. 24. It's available online at the Health Department's website or in hard-copy form at the Robert Trail Library in Rosemount.

Emily Hansen, a health risk assessor with the Health Department, said determining the full range of potential hazards is difficult because of the property's size. The report includes her agency's recommendations on additional testing.

"We listed very detailed recommendations on what we think they need to do to address the groundwater," she said. "We've listed different contaminants that need to be tested for."

Decisions about additional work — or who is responsible for completing it — will be made by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The university has plans to turn the land into a research and residential development, which could be home to 35,000 residents and workers.