EPA Treats Its Own Environmental Catastrophe As No Big Deal

Investor's Business Daily ^ | 08/11/2015 | Staff

[IBD editorial writer]

Environment: The only thing more outrageous than the EPA's release of three million gallons of toxic waste into Colorado's Animas River has been its cavalier response to the disaster in the days since.

[dfwgator]

Being in government means never having to say you’re sorry.

[rellimpank]

--I lived in Leadville from 1960 to 1977 and still visit there several times a year. I have been familiar with Redcliffe, Gilman and the NJ Zinc mine since then (my brother worked there in 1967).

I agree that continuous seepage can be an ongoing problem. If you wish to get familiar with the remediation of the Arkansas River from Leadville south , obtain a copy of a book entitled "Leadville" by one Gillian Klucas-it is the story EPA malfeasance , overspending of tax money on lawyers and Leadville's fight to get something positive out of it .

(Incidentally , I am going there to the funeral of long-time friend Jim Martin on Friday, who as mayor of Leadville and Lake County commissioner was one of the prinicpals in that battle)

--with all that, it is still my opinion that three million gallons os a relative drop in the bucket , so to speak and little if any permanent damage will be done.

--again , this is not meant to defend the EPA in any wat--

[Morpheus2009]

IMHO, whether or not a person supposedly is a true believer in climate change is more important in the EPA right now than someone’s willingness to investigate existing problems. Climate Change is highly abstract, waste problems aren’t as abstract.

[Domangart]

For the third time. They plugged the lower mine and pulled the rocks out of the entry to the upper mine. While they may have planed to use a settlement pond, there was no pond. This is now a river coming out of that hillside.

[g.orwell]

I just heard on the news that the head of the EPA said they were giving free bottled water and water test kits to residents. So very generous of them1 Where do you suppose that free money is coming from.

[g.orwell]

The EPA head said they are giving free bottled water and water test kits to residents. The question is: where is the free money coming from. snarc

[Oatka]

Congress can defund the EPA and use those funds to pay for the clean-up.

It would be great if any of the Republican contenders would espouse that. Currently, the only who would is probably Trump.

[Lazamataz]

-with all that, it is still my opinion that three million gallons os a relative drop in the bucket , so to speak and little if any permanent damage will be done.

These are heavy metals. They don't clean up and a 'drop in the bucket' can cause very bad effects. Cancer, diabetes, all sorts of stuff.

[Resettozero]

These are heavy metals. They don't clean up and a 'drop in the bucket' can cause very bad effects. Cancer, diabetes, all sorts of stuff.

Okay; that's not good news. CAN this mess be cleaned up more than superficially.?

[Oatka]

A geologist’s insight/prediction proves true.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/3323794/posts?page=51

[Fightin Whitey]

Take the necessary clean-up dollars AND the penalty straight out of their salaries, starting at the top.

And prosecute everyone at the EPA who has so much as thought about this project, just as has been done to Exxon, BP and others. And they pay for their lawyers themselves.

[Lazamataz]

Was Chernobyl cleaned up?

[Resettozero]

That’s my thinking also. But will that happen in another Bush Administration? A Rubio one? A Huckerbee Administration? Carly?

Is there anyone on the political horizon who thinks more like you and I seem to do regarding this issue?

[Resettozero]

Was Chernobyl cleaned up?

Yes. By encasing it in concrete, moving all the Ukranians to live in my neighborhood (great neighbors, BTW), and then forgetting about that situation.

Clean-up accomplished. Mission completed.

[Lazamataz]

Expect the same.

[Resettozero]

Expect the same.

And for the Navajo Nation to put on its collective warpaint and ride out to get justice.

[redpoll]

Here’s my tin-foil hat whack job thought of the day concerning the release of toxic waste from the mine.

The EPA did this on purpose to create anxiety and apprehension about mining in general. From this point on, every time there is a major mining project proposed, the EPA can just point to this incident as one of the possibilities that happen whenever you have mining and tailings. The current mess is colorful, which is good for cementing memory, and might even be dangerous and toxic in the long term, excellent for the news cycle.

I’ve been thinking this way after noticing that no one has been named in news reports for causing the problem, let alone prosecuted. What you see is the yellow-orange river. It’ll be a great image for years to come.

OK, tin hat off.

[IamConservative]

Would seem the EPA is as effective protecting the environment as the VA is at providing healthcare for Veterans.

[Army Air Corps]

They buried it. Sort of.

[Carl Vehse]

This was an attack on the United States by the EPA. The top 100 officials, starting with Gina McCarthy should be tried, convicted, sentenced, and then hanged and left to rot on a post at every mile along the Animas River.