Water flows through a series of sediment retention ponds built to reduce heavy metal and chemical contaminants from the Gold King Mine wastewater accident, in the spillway about 1/4 mile downstream from the mine, outside Silverton, Colo., Friday, August 14, 2015.
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Reyes described the Silverton, Colorado, spill site as a giant, gaping hole near a quaint, historical gold-mining town. It could take years to gather enough data to accurately gauge the extent of problems for fish and other aquatic life, they said.
In an article published last week in the Wall Street Journal, it was revealed that Environmental Restoration LLC, an outside contractor, was responsible for the spill and not the EPA itself.
Vast areas of California’s Central Valley are sinking faster than in the past as massive amounts of groundwater are pumped during the historic drought, state officials said Wednesday, citing new research by NASA…
They provided the answer by dumping the aforementioned heavy metals into a tributary of the Animas River, turning the waterway a toxic shade of yellow-brown and spreading contamination all the way to Lake Powell. “Although the EPA has taken responsibility for this disaster, the OIG investigation and report will assist in determining the details of the accident, provide a better opportunity to improve future remediation projects, and prevent spills of this nature at other legacy mines across the West”.
It says that the spill in Colorado released more than 3 million gallons of toxic sludge into the water, “which translates into more than 25 million pounds”. “Many of these environment staff tested water on behalf of more than 500 domestic well owners who brought their “walk-in” samples to the County Fair last week”, NMED Secretary Ryan Flynn said.
He further said: “Part of the reason we came here was to separate myth from fact”.
The Interior Department will lead a review of the Colorado mine spill that tainted rivers in three western states.
They also want to know what EPA’s legal obligations are regarding its communication with tribal, state and local government agencies “when the agency creates a release of a hazardous substance”. Mike Lee.
“Through our ongoing conversations with leaders of the Navajo Nation, we understand their dissatisfaction with the EPA’s response to the spill, and share their concerns that toxic substances might flow onto their lands and waters”, Udall and McCain said in a joint statement. Officials said Thursday that they would continue to investigate the wells, but noted that it was not clear if the spill was to blame.
“These folks here are hurt”, he said.
It disrupted and halted recreation, swimming, boating, fishing.
“I would like to see what that proposal is”, he said, adding that if the agency doesn’t live up to its commitment, the state would consider legal remedies.
“Who pays the costs for that?”
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“We are working hard very hard to get this right”, said EPA Emergency Responder Randy Nattis. I managed a manufacturing company that was regulated by the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection), FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and a variety of other regulatory bodies.
