Cleanup at the Cortez Airport

Award of Cleanup Grant

In August 2025, the City of Cortez was awarded a $221,540 Brownfield Cleanup Grant for cleanup activities at the Cortez Municipal Airport.

In 2024, the City of Cortez applied for a $500,000 FY25 EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant. In the past year, an environmental assessment found some levels of contamination in three buildings at 22870 County Road F, Cortez CO 81321 and 23378 County Road G, Cortez CO 81321 at the Cortez Municipal Airport. None of the found contaminants are life-threatening nor causing harm to individuals using the airport or the terminal. All cleanup activities are voluntary.

A copy of the draft Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) is available for public review and comment until March 1, 2026. To review this material, please visit City Hall, 123 Roger Smith Avenue, Cortez, CO Monday through Thursday 7:30 am to 5 pm and Friday from 8 am to 12 pm. Ask for the Cortez Airport packet. Upon completing your review, you may provide written comments to the City Clerk or Helen West. The draft ABCA will also be available for online review and public comment via ClearGov at: https://tinyurl.com/Airport-Cleanup-Grant. You can also download a version of the ABCA at this link, although comment must be provided via ClearGov or by emailing Helen West at hwest@cortezco.gov. 

Upcoming Public Meetings

Information on upcoming public meetings will be listed here.

More Information

Background

In 2022, the City of Cortez, along with three other municipalities, was selected as a participant in the Colorado Department of Health & Environment Statewide Assessment Grant for brownfields. With these grant funds, local property owners with underutilized properties may receive free environmental assessments (ESA) and redevelopment planning documents. The City of Cortez has conducted 6 Phase I ESAs, 3 Phase II ESAs, and 5 Regulated Building Materials Surveys. 

Through these environmental assessments, contamination was identified at the Cortez Municipal Airport, and cleanup activities for two buildings (the former Hertz Rental Car Building and the Maintenance Hangar Building) and soil around these buildings was recommended. There is no threat to human health or safety because of the materials found at the Airport. All cleanup activities are voluntary, and as a local government (and because the contaminated buildings were not originally constructed by the City) the City of Cortez may apply for an EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant to cover the costs of cleanup and remediation.

Consultants

In October 2024, the City of Cortez entered into a contract with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. for grant writing and environmental professional services. This contracted was approved by Cortez City Council on October 8, 2024. The recording of Council discussion can be viewed at: https://cortez.ompnetwork.org/sessions/300930?embedInPoint=1&embedOutPoint=4459&shareMethod=link