Several years ago, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa received a federal EPA Brownfields grant to clean up the site of the former San Haven State Hospital and Sanitarium.
San Haven was originally a place to treat tuberculosis. It became a home for the developmentally disabled in the 1960s. It closed in 1987.
Ted Lanzano is the Brownfields Project Manager for EPA Region 8. He recently visited the San Haven site.
"There's still a lot of work to do up there," Lanzano said. "But it's looking really different then from what most people remember. I think it's looking great, and I think everyone is relieved to have such a safety hazard removed."
Lanzano said he also credits North Dakota’s Department of Environmental Quality, especially for the on-site disposal area, which he said was critical.
"There's just too much debris," Lanzano said. "We couldn't haul it to the nearest landfill, which was over 100 miles away."
Lanzano also said the Tribe has plans to reuse the site.
"The current plan is to have a heritage park," Lanzano said. "The property is 600 acres. It's not just where the main buildings are. There's so much potential for recreation, the memorial area, and even an events center."
Lanzano said it's really a beautiful location, and will be "really great" when it's ready.