Residents of south Globeville are receiving an additional $126,484.90 from Asarco mining company for contaminating their properties with arsenic and other pollutants, according to a press release from the attorneys who represented the residents.
The additional payments are part of a $12.3 million settlement the residents reached with Asarco in 1999. The initial settlement included cash payments to 390 residents and money for contamination clean-up.
The additional money is being distributed to 107 residents whose settlement payments were delayed when the mining company declared bankruptcy in 2005. The money for this additional distribution came as a final payment in that bankruptcy action.
All of the residents in the case owned or rented property in south Globeville within the area bounded by East 46th Avenue to the north, Washington Street to the east, East 44th Avenue to the south, and Interstate 25 to the west.
South Globeville residents filed a class-action lawsuit in 2007 against Asarco when high levels of toxic contamination were found on properties. Asarco released arsenic as a stack emission from its Globe Plant smeltering facility for about 70 years starting in the 1920s.
Mitchell Byars: 303-954-1698 or mbyars@denverpost.com
