lferrell@alamosanews.com 

CREEDE — The EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will host a public question-and-answer event on June 10 from 3 to 5 p.m. about the coming Commodore Waste Rock Pile Project. This event will be at San Juan Sports and the Sunny Side Bar in Creede. 

According to the project summary provided by the EPA and CDPHE, “The EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Rapid Response Team will repair and stabilize the Commodore Waste Rock Pile between July and September 2026. This work is being done to help protect tourists and others traveling on Bachelor Loop and to prepare the area for future Nelson Tunnel cleanup work planned for fall 2026.” 

The project is the first phase of a larger-scale restoration effort that is expected to take years to complete. In November of 2025, Mineral County hired Harrison Western to inspect the old crib wall along the Bachelor Loop and determined that it was unsafe. 

In the summary, it explained, “The old crib walls along Bachelor Loop near the Nelson Tunnel site. They found that both sides of the wall were at risk of failing. Temporary repairs, including anchors and mesh, were installed before winter and spring runoff to help prevent collapse. Long-term repairs to the waste rock pile are the responsibility of the EPA.” 

EPA Nelson Tunnel Superfund Project Manager Dania Zinner stated that the project will be done in a way that will keep the historical integrity of the structure as they move forward. 

“We are going to do our best to keep the historical integrity intact as we stabilize the crip wall,” she said. 

Zinner also addressed concerns of summer closures along Bachelor Loop. 

“The project has to be done during the summer and will require some closures, but we will have information posted at the Creede USFS office to notify of closures. We are hoping people will travel East Willow Creek and enjoy the rest of the Bachelor Loop as we get this done,” she said. 

Planned Work  

During Summer 2026, EPA and USACE Rapid Response crews will complete urgent stabilization work to help prevent further collapse of the pile and protect Bachelor Loop for the future. 

The project will include: 

Regrading the waste rock pile to reduce pressure on the crib wall next to the road, repairing and/or replacing cribbing along the east side of the pile, preserving the historic appearance of the Commodore Waste Rock Pile, maintaining space needed for future Nelson Tunnel cleanup work led by EPA and USACE. 

EPA, USACE, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and CDPHE will notify the community about any road closures or impacts during construction. For current day-to-day updates, please visit the USFS Main Street Office in Creede or visit this web page: www.epa.gov/superfund/nelson-tunnel.