Orange Mine Waste Flowing Toward Farmington (EPA Spill Destroying the Environment)

KOB4 ^ | 08/07/2015 | Danielle Todesco

[nickcarraway]

The Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting in Durango to discuss mine waste contamination of the Animas River Friday afternoon.

The EPA said its workers triggered the release of a million gallons of waste while using heavy machinery to investigate pollutants at the Gold King Mine north of Silverton, Colorado.

The agency plans to answer questions and share information about the waste at the board room of the County Administration Building at 1101 E. 2nd Avenue in Durango. The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

KOB's crew reported seeing the sludge cross the state line into New Mexico around 9:50 a.m. Officials expect it to hit Farmington Friday evening.

The EPA says it will complete chemistry testing within 24 to 48 hours, although that deadline keeps extending. Officials think the waste is just filled with iron and zinc.

"We are demanding from the U.S. EPA an immediate release of detailed information on the type of contaminants that is flowing into the river from the Gold King Mine," President Begaye said in a statement Friday. "This is an all too familiar story on the lax oversight responsibility of the U.S. government."

Emergency management in Farmington has closed off any access points in the river that could get into the drinking water. The Animas River will stay closed off for the next few days as the waste passes through. Crews plan to put more water into the river to dilute it Friday morning.

A call center has been set up for the public at (970)-385-8700.

[dfwgator]

Remember that scene from Ghost Busters and the guy from EPA?

Is this true?

[depressed in 06]

Ghost Busters?

[nickcarraway]

Is that scene going to be rewritten in the new female ghostbusters?

[litehaus]

kakistocracy, n. See U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

....Civilian Agency should be created called KICKASSTOCRACY to counter ....??

[litehaus]

kakistocracy, n. See U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

....Civilian Agency should be created called KICKASSTOCRACY to counter ....??

[DannyTN]

[bicyclerepair]

Literally nixon’s fault.

[Up Yours Marxists]

That’ll never happen with these goons.

Not only will fedgov blow this off, the EPA will give everyone involved a “raise” for imposing fines on downriver towns who don’t clean up in a “timely fashion” the toxic sludge they themselves dumped.

[BitWielder1]

Some toxic sites are just better left alone.

[CPT Clay]

Fine the EPA a Billion dollara a day until fixed.

[nothingnew]

clean up should come out of their damn budget

Of course, you mean OUR budget, don't you? We pay for all this crap!

FMCDH(BITS)

[nothingnew]

Nice, eh?

FMCDH(BITS)

[Charles Martel]

I’m not sure the EPA “did” anything (or does anything). I imagine any heavy equipment is run by an outside firm (like a drill rig to get ground water samples). The rig was driving along the dam, or perhaps even sampling the dam, too much weight, went side-ways, whatever and then the “oh crap” moment.

Yes, I'm sure it was a contractor running the equipment, but generally there is some sort of federal oversight in the field. Some EPA on-scene coordinator screwed the pooch here.

[laplata]

Wonderful. /s