Bennet, Gardner Urge EPA to Prioritize Water Treatment Plant for Upper Animas River

Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner are urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize the construction of a water treatment plant in the Upper Animas River watershed. The plant would provide a long-term solution to the acid mine drainage seeping into the watershed and contaminating downstream waterways that are crucial to the region's economy. The blowout at the Gold King Mine that caused millions of gallons of contaminated water to spill out into the Animas River brought to light the urgent need for a permanent solution.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, the senators wrote, "Legacy mine pollution is a serious, long-standing problem across the West. In the Upper Animas basin alone, four large mines discharge approximately 330 million gallons of acid mine drainage into Cement Creek each year. We recognize that the EPA was attempting to address these issues when they triggered the blowout. However, as communities in southwest Colorado look to move forward in the wake of this disaster, they need reassurance that the party responsible for the blowout now has a long term plan to restore the watershed."

Full Text of the Letter:

September 22, 2015

Dear Administrator McCarthy:

We urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make the construction of a water treatment plant in the Upper Animas River watershed a top priority for the long-term recovery of communities affected by the Gold King Mine blowout.

Legacy mine pollution is a serious, long-standing problem across the West. In the Upper Animas basin alone, four large mines discharge approximately 330 million gallons of acid mine drainage into Cement Creek each year. We recognize that the EPA was attempting to address these issues when they triggered the blowout. However, as communities in southwest Colorado look to move forward in the wake of this disaster, they need reassurance that the party responsible for the blowout now has a long term plan to restore the watershed.

We must first utilize reliable methods to reduce heavy metal loading into the Animas River. A wide variety of local stakeholders including the mining community, environmental groups, elected officials, and experts believe that one of the best initial solutions is construction of a water treatment plant. We urge the EPA to commit to securing the funding as soon as possible to construct and maintain a water treatment plant on Cement Creek. Over the longer term, in coordination with the community, a wide range of solutions and tools will be needed to restore the Animas River watershed.

A funding commitment by the agency will significantly help to restore the community's trust and confidence in the EPA and the federal government. Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Michael F. Bennet
United States Senator

Cory Gardner
United States Senator

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