After Docking demolition rubble was dumped in Kansas River, here's what the state says

Jason Alatidd, Topeka Capital-Journal
·1 min read

State officials say remediation will be required after rubble from the demolition of the Docking State Office Building was dumped in the Kansas River.

The rubble was intended to be riprap, so the loose rocks could protect against riverbank erosion, but it contained more than just broken concrete.

"There was some dumping of the concrete down there, but that was to be used as riprap, and that was good," Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters on Tuesday. "But apparently the contractor also dumped some other stuff that was not supposed to be in there. I think there have been conversations and he's remediating the situation and it shouldn't happen again."

Piles of deconstructed building materials are organized into piles at the Docking State Office Building on Tuesday as demolition continues. State officials are working on remediation after debris dumped by a subcontractor into the Kansas River for riprap was found to contain more than concrete.
Piles of deconstructed building materials are organized into piles at the Docking State Office Building on Tuesday as demolition continues. State officials are working on remediation after debris dumped by a subcontractor into the Kansas River for riprap was found to contain more than concrete.

Hutton Construction is the contractor, but state agencies said it was a subcontractor that did the dumping.

"When concerns were raised about a subcontractor's disposal of certain unauthorized debris from the Docking site, the Department of Administration immediately notified Hutton Construction and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment of the situation," the agencies said in a joint statement.

"Our partners are responding by putting in place a plan to remove any unauthorized debris and will ensure proper disposal processes are followed moving forward. We apologize for any concern that this may have caused and appreciate everyone's patience as we work through the demolition and construction process."

Docking is being torn down and will be rebuilt into a smaller office building. The state agencies said that "ensuring safe and responsible demolition and construction practices are utilized is a key priority of the Docking building's renovation."

More: Workers are demolishing Docking State Office Building. Here's the latest on what we know.

Jason Alatidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Docking building demolition rubble dumped in Kansas River near Topeka