Colorado Mine Release Requires 1872 Mining Law Reform
On August 5, 2015, a cleanup crew hired by the US EPA accidentally triggered the release of more than 3 million gallons of toxic acid mine drainage that had pooled inside the defunct Gold King Mine in the headwaters of the Animas River.
The toxic plume colored the Animas a neon orange-yellow and forced the closure of the Animas for more than a week and contaminated water wells along the river. The plume is now traveling down the San Juan River and will end up in Lake Powell.
This is a tragic event to be sure and many are blaming the EPA. Without a doubt, congress and state agencies will be using this accident as a blunt instrument to attack the EPA. However, there is plenty of blame to go around.