Penrose Funeral Home demolition facing more delays
PENROSE, Colo. (KRDO) -- Demolition efforts at the Return to Nature Funeral Home are facing another delay. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced they have not begun the process.
In January, the E.P.A. announced plans to demolish the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose the last week of February. The agency announced another delay in a press release, “pending logistical issues regarding landfill access”. This is the second postponement due to logistical complications.
In October of 2023, the E.P.A. discovered 189 improperly stored bodies, some dating back to 2019, within the Penrose building. The discovery prompted an immediate response from federal and local authorities. Despite initial plans for a prompt demolition the project has encountered significant obstacles that have delayed the building's removal and for many the healing process.
The postponement is primarily due to a pending modification in the landfill's certificate of designation. They say that is a necessary step before the demolition materials can be disposed of properly. This issue follows a previous postponement that was due in part to cold temperatures and other unspecified logistical issues.
The E.P.A. added there is no current health risk to the public based on the safety measures for demolition transport, and disposal. The agency also did not give a date as to when they plan to proceed.
