The jolting sight of a mustard-yellow river in the aftermath of the Gold King Mine spill was enough to incite the worst fears for Silverton’s future, mainly that the national headline-yielding blowout would destroy the community’s economic crown jewel: tourism.

But a year later, with official Superfund status expected this fall, it appears the Environmental Protection Agency’s presence in San Juan County is more likely to pressure housing, roads and public services than sales tax.

“With the anniversary coming up, this is a time for reflection, and we have some concerns,” said DeAnne Gallegos, executive director of the Silverton Chamber of Commerce.

The expected impact is multifaceted, she said. When EPA crews are in town, they stay in local hotels and contribute to what has been a “stellar” tourist season, she said. But the nature of their work means the town of 600 is bracing for other challenges.

“We’re very vulnerable having people in the backcountry doing that kind of work,” Gallegos said. “That’s our biggest concern.”

Thus far, the EPA’s physical presence has been minimal since the Bonita Peak Mining District was proposed in April for Superfund status. In the preliminary stages of Superfund, the agency has begun investigating the mine sites in small teams.

Superfund site manager Rebecca Thomas said five or six two-person crews collected surface water samples in early June, and about six officials visited in late July to collect soil and rock samples. Another 12 to 14 people are expected to continue sampling in September, which will be in addition to crews working at the Gold King site and treatment plant.

Thomas said EPA crews lodge in Silverton if possible, and if there isn’t room, they stay near Purgatory Resort. A precise count of workers in the coming years is difficult to quote, she said.

“As we get into remediation and cleanup, we might have people there more consistently.”

What that means for public safety, particularly in the backcountry without cell service, is cause for apprehension in a small town with limited resources.

San Juan County is the poorest per capita income in the state, meaning it has the lowest wages as a county than any other in Colorado. That reflects in its tax money and budget, and amplifies impacts that might be negligible elsewhere.

“We’re at our limits, regardless,” said Kinnet Holland, director of emergency services. His department averages about 200 calls each year, with 30 or 40 occurring in the backcountry.

“Anytime we have a call here in town that takes patient care, by the time we get on the scene, start treatment, get them loaded and drive to a hospital, we are typically tied up for four hours on average, which means no other EMS coverage for that time that the ambulance is gone.

“If we’re up at Gladstone or the Gold King, add another hour or hour and a half.”

San Juan County EMS has one paramedic on duty 24 hours, partnered with a volunteer EMT on call for the day. After the spill, Holland requested EPA funding for a staff increase, so that there would be two paramedics on duty daily. He did not receive the money.

Holland reported no calls so far this year from anyone working on mine pollution remediation in the Gladstone area, but there were three in 2015, one involving chemical exposure. In those cases, the people involved in the incidents were taken to town and did not require EMS to retrieve them.

In the event of simultaneous occurring emergencies, the county would page other local qualified responders to help. If they don’t respond, the next closest source is Durango Fire Station 15, just south of Purgatory, 25 miles away.

A depressed housing market is also a concern, underscored by a housing study released this year that indicated outsiders are diminishing available inventory for locals by buying real estate and renting it out.

“Our housing problem is severe because we have not had any construction in many years,” Town Administrator Bill Gardner said. “The pressure the EPA could put on the market in terms of rentals in future years could be a very real challenge, but we don’t want to be in the position of not inviting them to come and live in our community.”

Carl Miller was a Lake County commissioner when Leadville’s California Gulch received Superfund designation in 1983 after a toxic blowout similar to Gold King. Miller said EPA officials were poor communicative partners, but he did not recall strained county resources at the peak of cleanup efforts.

Despite a blunt distrust of the EPA, Miller said the project was for the best, and that the negative connotations of Superfund fade over time.

“I don’t think the same stigma is there today that there was in the 1980s,” Miller said. “We still remember it, we still have hard feelings, but most people don’t give a second thought to the EPA.”

Moreover, there is development in California Gulch today where there wasn’t before.

San Juan County Administrator Willy Tookey said the EPA has quelled one major issue: The agency has pledged to cover the cost of county road degradation caused by large trucks and heavy equipment.

At this early stage, Tookey said concerns are speculative.

“None of our crystal balls are working well, so we’re just guessing,” he said.

Those who have accepted Superfund have done so by taking the long view, hoping for an untouched tourism economy, and an improved environment.

Thomas said the most successful sites, in her 20 years of overseeing federal cleanup projects, are those where there is community engagement, which Silverton officials say is more important than ever as the first tentative steps toward Superfund are made.

“Quite frankly, from the perspective of the chamber, we’re going to try and make the most out of the situation by being good neighbors with staff and encouraging them to become part of our community and not just have this be a housing spot,” Gallegos said.

“I encourage them to hold their word and be truly conscientious: it’s part of being in a small community; you have to be engaging. It’s not the city.”

jpace@durangoherald.com