SARATOGA SPRINGS -- City officials were upset in early May to find there were 25,000 gallons of explosives left unattended within city limits, but relieved to hear last week that Environmental Protection Agency staff had put the site on the fast track for clean up.

"I want to see that done before it starts getting hot out there," EPA representative Paul Peronard told the Saratoga Springs City Council last week.

Former U.S. Rep. Merrill Cook has expressed some interest in finding a buyer for the leftover explosives and materials at the old Cook Slurry explosive plant, Peronard said. He said there were some negotiations happening, but he didn't want to wait and personally wanted to see the site cleaned up within 60 days.

While it is unclear the quantity of explosives left behind when the Cook Slurry Explosives Inc. site was closed seven years ago, Peronard said the more dangerous explosives had already been removed.

City staff will work closely with the EPA in cleanup efforts, said City Manager Ken Leetham, adding he would also let residents know about the cleanup progress.

"I would not want anyone to overreact or be alarmed because there's no reason to be alarmed," he said, adding updates would be posted on the city's Web site, www.saratoga-springs.net, beginning Monday.

Peronard told Saratoga Springs Mayor Tim Parker that they are planning to either dispose of the materials on site, or to ship them out for disposal. If disposed on site, the materials would more than likely be burned, but would create fumes that are caustic if concentrated.

He said that wouldn't be much of an issue with the fairly remote location of south Saratoga Springs. Other options would be to remove the materials, but that would take the potentially dangerous material through neighborhoods.

"From an elected official's point of view, and I have been mayor since 2000, I have been assuring residents that because of state regulating agencies and so forth, the presence of these plants did not present a direct danger," Parker said at the meeting. "But I expect that 25,000 gallons of explosives going off at once would pretty much obliterate the city."

Peronard said the materials had very little chance of actually exploding, and was more concerned with vandals or thieves entering the facility. The EPA has hired security guards to protect the site while cleanup is organized and completed. Utah County has also agreed to help.

"Utah County sheriff has also assured me they are doing increased patrols," Peronard said.

"I am glad you are here," Parker said. "I am glad the EPA is taking control of it."

Parker asked Peronard what agencies had oversight of explosives manufacturing businesses.

Peronard said the Department of Environmental Quality and the Utah County fire marshal inspected the facility in 1995 and 1996, as did state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Then they went out of business and their licenses lapsed.

"They fell off the radar screen," Parker said. "That just astonishes me. I am shocked to have 25,000 gallons times what ... how many? ... of high explosives with nobody overseeing it, but that is just an editorial note."