WELD COUNTY, Colo. — Galeton Elementary School returned to campus in person Tuesday after a temporary closure for the last two weeks, the Eaton School District RE-2 announced.
A release of oil and gas from a Chevron well site in Weld County prompted evacuations on April 7. One person was injured and taken to a medical facility, according to Chevron. Weld County said a team will investigate the root cause of this incident once recovery efforts are complete.
The students and staff of Galeton temporarily relocated to Benjamin Eaton Elementary School while their building was closed. While there was no school for the entire district Monday, transportation to Galeton Elementary School resumed normal routes on Tuesday, according to Eaton Superintendent Jay Tapia. The school was cleared to begin classes in the building at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 17, Tapia said.
The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) will monitor the school over the next few years, the Eaton School District RE-2 said.
“The remediation and clean-up of the Galeton Elementary facility was based off of precautionary measures and not on contamination concerns during the Bishop Well Incident,” WCDPHE Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Peter Graham said. “It was agreed by incident responders that the school would undergo a thorough remediation for the safety and assurity of the students and staff.”
Chevron hired a professional exterior company to clean the outside of the school campus and another for the inside. Outside, the exterior and roof of the buildings, as well as playground and other outdoor areas were cleaned. Gravel and mulch were also removed and replaced on school grounds. Inside, surfaces and areas used for daily activities were cleaned. All of the HVAC filters were replaced and the HVAC system will be monitored as a precaution, the WCDPHE said.
The completion of the cleaning process and satisfactory air quality results allowed Galeton to resume classes at its discretion, the WCDPHE said.
Anyone with questions about testing or remediation of the site can call 970-400-2206.
Prior related coverage:
- 1 person injured, evacuation order in place near Galeton amid 'control incident' at Chevron well site
- Work continues to contain release from Chevron well site in Weld County
- Chevron well site release in Weld County contained after four days; evacuations remain in place
- Recovery efforts begin after the Bishop Well site incident in Weld County
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