DEQ Fines Park City Schools, Contractor After Asbestos Found at Junior High

An inspection of the Treasure Mountain Junior High demolition site found asbestos during an Oct. 22 site visit, triggering state enforcement that resulted in fines for the Park City School District and the third-party contractor involved in the demolition. The actions matter to Summit County residents because the campus sits on land with historic mining contamination and federal oversight that makes environmental rules stricter than typical construction sites.

State regulators sent a non-compliance advisory to the contractor on Nov. 4 after the inspector’s discovery. The contractor, identified in enforcement records as Cripple Creek Consulting, responded roughly a week later, saying the continued demolition with asbestos on the premises “was the result of a mistake in previous paperwork” and that an asbestos survey “last occurred on Sept. 16.” The Division of Air Quality confirmed the department “had knowledge of the presence of asbestos at Treasure Mountain Junior High and verified the compliance advisory was sent.” A copy of the advisory was also provided to the Summit County Health Department.

The Park City School District was formally cited for failing to update its asbestos management plan and received a notice of a $500 fine sent to Todd Hansen, the district’s director of buildings and grounds, on Jan. 9. The district later agreed to a settlement that reduced the penalty to $400. The public record indicates both the district and Cripple Creek were fined, but the specific dollar amount for the contractor is not provided in the available documentation.

District communications emphasized continuing on-site oversight. The district said it “takes environmental compliance and community safety very seriously,” and Public Information Officer Colton Elliott noted that a certified environmental specialist has been on site daily during demolition. State and federal officials face added constraints at Treasure Mountain because the property is subject to a CERCLA agreement and an environmental lien tied to historic mining contamination. Because federal funds helped remediate mining waste on the property, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency retains oversight authority, which increases regulator control over cleanup methods, waste handling, and soil disturbance.

For Park City residents, the incident highlights intersecting concerns about school safety, environmental cleanup standards, and the costs of compliance. The fines themselves were small, but CERCLA-ordered oversight can raise project timelines and contractor compliance costs and may affect future bidding and insurance requirements for local demolition and remediation work. A form in the enforcement record noted that “There is also a concern for safety risks as the work is adjacent to a school,” underscoring proximity risks for students and staff.

Next steps for the community include monitoring whether DEQ or the EPA orders additional inspections, mandated corrective work, or stop-work orders, and whether the contractor faces further penalties. Parents and taxpayers should expect continued oversight and potential schedule or budget impacts as agencies ensure asbestos and contaminated soils are handled under the stricter CERCLA framework.