An obstacle course race scheduled for Colt State Park later this month is facing opposition from a group of residents who say last year’s race damaged the ecosystem of the park, hurting trees, polluting a pond in the park and even killing marine micro-organisms.

The race organizer refutes the claims and said no real damage was done. The race is expected to go one as planned on July 30.

Deirdre Robinson, a Bristol resident and frequent visitor to the park, has petitioned the state Department of Environmental Management to prohibit the Trident Race from running. She has written multiple letters to DEM Director Janet Coit, as well as letters to the editor in publications including the Bristol Phoenix. Ms. Robinson complains of orange paint that was sprayed along the nature trails in the park to direct runners, obstacles that were bolted to trees in the park and limbs that were cut from trees. She also has said one of the race elements — a bucket brigade that involves participants filling a bucket of water from the town beach and carrying them into the park — kills marine organisms when the water is dumped on dry land.

“What environmental ethics are we teaching the children who observe this for-profit event?,” Ms. Robinson wrote in a letter. “Are they learning that you should aspire to shake the Earth (the race’s slogan)? Is our fragile Earth not already shaking enough?”

Ms. Robinson, along with three supporters, met with DEM officials Wednesday morning to state her case and attempt to get the race application canceled.

“We’ll do anything we need to to get this year’s application canceled,” she told State Parks Superintendent William Mitchell and parks Regional Manager Roger Monfette Wednesday.

Mr. Monfette indicated the race will continue this year, and that he has met and will continue to meet with race organizer Ethan Tucker to ensure no damage is done to the parks. There will be no paint sprayed anywhere in the park, and nothing will be bolted to any trees in the park, he assured the group.

“I asked Mr. Tucker for specifics and told him it wouldn’t go forward without them. He has provided those specifics,” Mr. Monfette said. “If he strays from any part of that, I have made it clear he will not be allowed next year.”

Mr. Tucker confirmed Wednesday there will be no spray painting, indicating last year’s paint was the result of a mistake by a race volunteer. He also said nothing will be bolted to any trees and there will be no damage done to the park. He said race organizers will be cleaning up the trails often polluted by fishermen and other visitors to the park, and plan to leave the park in better condition than when they arrive.

“I feel like she (Ms. Robinson) is singling this race out when there are much larges pollution issues in the park,” Mr. Tucker said. “The whole seawater thing - I’m still kind of dumbfounded on that. It takes place on the shoreline. Every time someone comes out of the water, they’re taking seawater with them onto the shore. There will be no bolting to trees and no paint of any kind.”

The race, scheduled for July 30 beginning at 9 a.m., is four miles long, beginning at the Town Beach and running through Colt State Park’s trails. It features 17 obstacles for runners to overcome, including wall climbs, crawls, a log carry, a buck brigade and more. There is also a quarter-mile kids race that he said was one of the highlights last year.

More than 500 racers have already registered, and Mr. Tucker expects the number to exceed 600 by race day. Registration costs $80 for adults and $30 for kids, and is available on the race website, www.thetridentrace.com, or at Town Beach on July 30. As part of the festivities, the National Guard will be on hand with a zip line for visitors to ride, and RE/MAX hot air balloon rides are available from 9-11 a.m. The balloon rides cost $5, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, Mr. Tucker said.