Public safety is Douglas County’s number 1 priority. As we begin building Zebulon Regional Sports Complex, we want you to have detailed information about the land and environment. The land near Moore and Waterton Roads has transitioned from a former industrial site to a key part of Douglas County’s long-term vision for public safety, open space and recreation. This page is designed to provide community members with a clear, plain-language view of the environmental elements of the site, including available documents, key dates and ongoing safeguards.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is responsible for regulating the identification, handling and cleanup of hazardous materials on development sites; overseeing site investigation and remediation efforts; enforcing compliance with environmental laws; and ensuring long-term protections are in place to safeguard public health and the environment.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is responsible for managing and protecting the state’s fish, wildlife and natural habitats; enforcing wildlife and outdoor recreation laws; conserving biodiversity; and balancing resource stewardship with public access to Colorado’s parks and outdoor spaces. As a referral agency, their role is to explain, not opine, on the impact a proposed project has on wildlife in the area and offer mitigation strategies.
Sterling Ranch LLC owns most of the land around Zebulon and traded with Douglas County for the 46.5 acres now slated for Zebulon Regional Sports Complex. They are responsible and accountable for mitigating environmental factors on the land that they own.
Douglas County owns 46.5 acres of the site and will be the owner of Zebulon Regional Sports Complex. Douglas County is responsible for the construction of Zebulon.
A Transparent Environmental Record
Once home to the DuPont/Chemours dynamite facility, the broader area underwent decades of environmental investigation and remediation. Two documents confirm the site’s unrestricted use:
A third-party Environmental Site Assessment completed by AGW at the direction of Douglas County in October 2025 states: “This assessment has revealed NO evidence of recognized environmental conditions (RECs) in connection with the subject property.”
The broader Waterton Road area is planned as a private development, with environmental restrictions and monitoring applying to specific areas outside the Zebulon development boundary. For a full history of documents related to environmental remediation on the entire 357-acre Chemours site, visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s online database linked in the Documents & Resources section below.
Key Site Facts
Former Site: DuPont / Chemours
The broader property spans 357 acres and includes land associated with the former DuPont industrial site.
Please Note: A former industrial property can include multiple parcels, restrictions, cleanup areas and land uses. The Zebulon development area is separate from the restricted or monitored areas. One area of known firefighting foam release resulting in PFAS/PFOA in the soil will be removed by Sterling Ranch under a CDPHE-approved work plan.
State Closure: 2022
CDPHE issued a closure letter after investigation, testing and remediation.
The CPDHE Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division granted the request to conditionally close the entire DuPont facility site, determining that no further remediation was required based on compliance with the approved Environmental Use Restrictions.
Zebulon Site: 46.5 acres
Area received by Douglas County for Zebulon Regional Sports Complex.
Development area: Environmental notes state that none of the 12 areas with CDPHE-enforced use restrictions or ongoing inspection/maintenance requirements are within the boundaries of Zebulon. A CDPHE-approved Materials Management Plan guides site work during development.
Open Space: 185 acres
Surrounding area tied to open space and wildlife corridor preservation.
Historic Timeline
See how more than 300 acres of land evolved from an industrial facility to a planned mix of public safety infrastructure, 185 acres of open space, 24 acres of private development and 46.5 acres of recreation amenities.
Louviers, Colorado, in the early 20th century
1906–1908: DuPont builds the Louviers dynamite plant and company town
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, better known as DuPont, builds a dynamite plant and company town at Louviers.
1908–1971: Dynamite manufacturing
The DuPont Louviers Works factory manufactures dynamite for military, mining and construction uses.
1967–1989: PETN manufacturing
The facility manufactures pentaerythritol tetranitrate, or PETN, a new type of explosive in rope form.
1989: Facility operations cease
Facility operations ceased, buildings were demolished and long-term environmental monitoring and remediation began.
Early 1990s: Environmental investigation begins
Initial environmental investigations began in the early 1990s, and DuPont voluntarily entered a compliance process with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to investigate contamination.
1998–2022: Testing and remediation continue under state oversight
DuPont, and later Chemours, worked with CDPHE to investigate, test and remediate the property. Environmental areas were identified as Solid Waste Management Units and Areas of Concern. View all documents available from CDPHE via their online database linked in the Documents & Resources section below.
April 2014: Douglas County purchases 295 acres from DuPont
Douglas County purchased 295 acres from DuPont for $2.3 million, with 39 acres designated for the planned Southern Connector roadway to improve regional mobility.
December 2014: Emergency Vehicle Operations Center site established
The County transferred 100 acres to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to build the Emergency Vehicle Operations Center, addressing a regional need for emergency response training space.
2014–2022: Continued environmental testing and cleanup
Environmental testing and cleanup continued across the former DuPont/Chemours property as part of state and federal oversight.
2022: CDPHE closure letter issued
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a closure letter confirming that the remediated DuPont/Chemours site required no further environmental cleanup, with remaining restricted parcels located outside the area for Zebulon Regional Sports Complex.
Early 2020s: Sterling Ranch planning advances
Sterling Ranch acquired and began planning redevelopment of the larger property, including preserved open space and new infrastructure.
2025: Douglas County due diligence assessment
Prior to the land trade with Sterling Ranch, Douglas County conducted its own due-diligence assessment and confirmed that the land proposed for Zebulon required no remediation, aside from a limited area of known firefighting foam use resulting in PFAS/PFOA presence in soil that is to be removed by Sterling Ranch in accordance with a CDPHE-approved work plan. Read the full report in the Documents & Resources section below.
Oct. 14, 2025: Douglas County and Sterling Ranch land exchange
Douglas County and Sterling Ranch approved a land exchange: the County received 46.5 acres for Zebulon, while Sterling Ranch received 23.8 acres for commercial development and continued its commitment to preserving 185 acres of open space.
2026 and beyond: Construction planning and environmental safeguards
As grading begins on the site, Douglas County–out of an abundance of caution and in line with the CDPHE’s Materials Management Plan–continues to have CDPHE inspectors out on site. Environmental consultants from AGW are also on site on behalf of Sterling Ranch and Douglas County.
Safeguards, Monitoring and Construction Controls
This section explains what happens after approval and during construction, including materials management, environmental restrictions, monitoring obligations and construction-phase discovery procedures.
The Materials Management Plan explains procedures for handling soils or materials encountered during site work.
The Notice of Environmental Use Restrictions (NEUR) establishes inspection and maintenance requirements for restricted areas and identifies reporting obligations.
Construction discovery protocol
If unexpected materials or conditions are discovered during grading, infrastructure or construction work, the project team will follow applicable materials management, reporting and response procedures in coordination with CDPHE and environmental consultants.
Groundwater
Sterling Ranch (via Dominion Water) is providing water to the site, including for Zebulon Regional Sports Complex. Environmental notes state that Sterling Ranch does not intend to use groundwater under the site and is capping wells as stated in CDPHE’s conditional closure letter. The project will not rely on groundwater from the former industrial site.
Insurance and remediation responsibilities
Douglas County and its partners will follow applicable environmental insurance, remediation responsibility and contractor obligation requirements associated with the project. A $10 million Pollution Liability Policy protects Sterling Ranch and Douglas County as an additionally named insured party in the event that unforeseen site remediation is mandated by CDPHE.
Is the Zebulon site on land that still requires environmental remediation?
With the exception of the area of known firefighting foam release to be remediated by Sterling Ranch, the Zebulon development area does not require further environmental remediation. Some areas elsewhere on the broader former DuPont/Chemours property remain restricted or monitored, but those areas are outside the Zebulon development boundary.
Was PFAS or PFOA found near the project area?
Yes. PFOA was found in a limited area associated with a past firefighting foam test. That cleanup area is along the eastern boundary of the Zebulon site, underlying a future roadway. Sterling Ranch is working with CDPHE on a voluntary cleanup work plan for that area.
Are any restricted or monitored environmental areas inside the Zebulon development boundary?
No. None of the 12 areas with environmental use restrictions or ongoing inspection and maintenance requirements are within the Zebulon development boundary.
What about claims that uranium is present?
Uranium has not been identified on the site. Douglas County will link to CDPHE confirmation or other source documentation as available.
Will groundwater be used for the project?
No. The project will not rely on groundwater from the former industrial site. Existing wells are being capped consistent with CDPHE closure requirements.
What happens if something unexpected is found during construction?
If unanticipated materials or conditions are encountered during site work, the project team will follow the Materials Management Plan, applicable reporting procedures and any required response protocols.
Is the site designated as critical habitat for the federally protected Preble’s meadow jumping mouse?
No. The site does not contain critical habitat of the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, nor does the Zebulon site lie within the County’s Riparian Conservation Zone as defined under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved Habitat Conservation Plan for the species.
What about elk? Is Zebulon located within a known migration corridor?
No. The Zebulon site lies adjacent to but not within elk migration corridors mapped by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Large portions of Douglas County lie within Elk Resident Population Areas, as well as summer and winter range areas. In partnership with CPW, Douglas County has permanently protected a migration corridor from the Pike National Forest to Plum Creek with strategic open space acquisitions, including approximately 185 acres south of the Zebulon site.
Regulatory Status and Land Use
CDPHE issued a Conditional Closure Letter after years of investigation, testing and remediation. The Notice of Environmental Use Restrictions establishes the requirements for remaining restricted areas, including inspection and maintenance obligations. The area for Zebulon has been identified for unrestricted use by CDPHE. Other areas of the broader former DuPont/Chemours property remain subject to environmental restrictions or monitoring.
What does "unrestricted use" mean?
In Colorado environmental and land management contexts, “unrestricted use” refers to property that meets cleanup standards allowing the land to be used without special environmental restrictions. A site may receive this designation after environmental testing and, when necessary, remediation work to address contamination in soil, groundwater or other environmental factors. The goal is to ensure the property is protective of human health and the environment for a wide range of future uses, including public access.
Even when land is considered appropriate for unrestricted use, the property still remains subject to:
Local zoning and land-use regulations
Building and development codes
Environmental laws and permitting requirements
Public health and safety standards
“Unrestricted use” is therefore best understood as an environmental cleanup designation rather than a complete absence of regulation. Visit the CDPHE’s Environmental cleanup webpage for more information.
What areas still have restrictions?
Across the broader former DuPont/Chemours property, 10 Solid Waste Management Units and 2 Areas of Concern remain restricted for development. These areas are not within the Zebulon development boundary.
Are restricted areas within the Zebulon boundary?
No. None of the 12 areas requiring use restrictions or ongoing inspection and maintenance are within the Zebulon development boundary.
What documents control ongoing inspection and maintenance?
The Notice of Environmental Use Restrictions controls inspection and maintenance requirements for restricted areas. The Materials Management Plan controls how soils and materials are managed during site work. Both documents are included in the document library.
PFAS / PFOA and Firefighting Foam Area
PFOA was found in one known area associated with a single firefighting foam test exercise. Sterling Ranch is working with CDPHE on a voluntary work plan to clean up that area. The PFOA cleanup area is on the edge of the Zebulon development boundary.
What is PFAS/PFOA?
PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals used in many industrial and consumer applications. PFOA is one compound within that broader group. Additional background is available through CDPHE and EPA resources linked in the Documents & Resources section below.
Is the PFAS/PFOA area inside the Zebulon development boundary?
No. The PFAS/PFOA cleanup area is outside the Zebulon development boundary.
Who is responsible for cleanup?
Sterling Ranch is working with CDPHE on a voluntary work plan for cleanup of the PFOA area. The work plan and related CDPHE correspondence will be linked on this page as they are available.
Douglas County wants to make sure residents have their questions answered. After reviewing this information, if you still have questions, please submit this form to request a meeting with staff experts.
Safeguards, Monitoring and Construction Controls