I agree with your opinion of what really happened.
I live in the Durango/Ignacio area, have for over 20 years...and I thought at the very beginning the same as you do now.
FMCDH(BITS)
Thank you, Nothing new. We have relatives in Grand Junction, but my husband is a geochemist, Caltech-trained, and does a lot of work on mining clean-up. NOT working for the EPA but trying to stay clear of their idiocy.
I also read that geologist’s column in the Durango (was it?) newspaper, which made a lot of sense to me.
Take care. Fight on!