DOW halts plan for incinerator

The Colorado Division of Wildlife announced in late March that it will not build a new incinerator in Larimer County for the disposal of deer and elk heads that have been tested for chronic wasting disease.

DOW spokesman Todd Malmsbury noted that the elimination of mandatory CWD testing has contributed to a lower demand for testing of deer and elk heads. Recently, the DOW received a certificate of designation from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that would have enabled it to seek final approval from the Larimer County Commissioners to build the incinerator. The DOW wanted to build the facility at the Wellington State Wildlife Area even though the county planning commission had denied a request to locate there. State law allows the state's wildlife commission to overturn a local planning commission.

In cooperation with Colorado State University, the DOW manages two incinerators in Craig which are used to dispose of tested deer and elk heads. Animal heads are also disposed of at CSU facilities in Rocky Ford, Fort Collins and Grand Junction. Deer and elk heads are burned in the incinerators, buried in designated landfills or destroyed at a digester under the watch of CSU diagnostic lab personnel in Fort Collins.