EPA takes blame for Colorado mine waste spill

The Environmental Protection Agency is taking the blame for a huge leak of contaminated water into a Colorado river. Government officials said Sunday three million gallons spilled into the Animas River. That is three times larger than the original estimate. The once-clean waterway that was a popular place for kayakers is now filled with yellow, contaminated water. Mireya Villarreal reports from Durango, Colorado.

[marionmitchell]

The statement: The water is ok for wildlife, but still unknown for human

Wow, that sums up the entire mind set for the EPA and most of the government as well.

[versa]

I love when the EPA makes a spill they say its not so bad. If a mine company did this I wonder what they would say

[babylonslim]

They’re claiming it dissipated. Nope. They know. We all know Lead, Arsenic & foe knows what all are heavier than water, settled on the bottom for hundreds of miles - for ever & ever. Amen. I’ll catch that chubby fellow some trout & feed them to him.

[marlenemcgovern]

Seriously? If it is dangerous for animals... it is dangerous for people. Outrageous!!

[saltzmann]

The EPA should be removed from this work and give up cash for slug clean up. It looks more like the government will need to clean it up for giving the EPA control of the work. Tell Joe Biden to start making out blank checks for the clean-up.

[jaydeencal]

Something MUST be done about this criminal organization.

[bill]

Slow response is inexcusable
1. Stop the Flow
2. Contain the Spill
Anyone that’s worked with hazardous chemicals in the smallest degree knows those are immediate actions in a spill

[jackdavid]

it’s like “water is life”

and old Apache Teaching?

[jackdavid]

“i was there”

like I took a photo of the blue water and about A month later?

“this happened”

[jackdavid]

Animus river!

“i was hanging out at the”

Anasazi Hotel!!!

[ScottWConvid]

How ironically appropriate. The EPA never has been concerned for the enviroment or for the people. They always do what they are ordered to do by the department heads, which are appointed by elected officials that cater to the corporations that financially support their campaigns. Wake the Flock up!

[ggysbers]

With the mine breach spanning many days, one would think there was enough time to quickly involve the army core of engineers (or private firm) to plug the hole. Boulders, rocks, gravel and finally concrete. Once breach plugged, dig a proper well from the top down (not sideways) allowing the water to be pumped out and appropriately treated at a manageable rate.

Good thing the EPA went public with the VW Dieselgate scandal the day after this little incident.

[Olghina]

To all you employees from CBS... Do you travel to the area where its effected?? Besides working, why can't you do something else about it. I'm sure you and everyone else is worried...

[dancebackthesea]

The real crime is that those running the mine did not clear this huge load of toxic waste themselves during the course of the mine's profitable operations. Maybe it is true that the EPA, in their attempt to pump out and clear the area of toxic waste, did cause this spill accidentally by disturbing earth. But, why does the government funded by citizens' tax dollars get the responsibility of cleaning the deadly pollutants so often spilled, or left abandoned by private businesses, industry, and corporations who are often making huge, huge profits. They use our infrastructure, our lands, rivers, roads, the services of firemen and police, but they are barely taxed even half the percentage of what most people must pay. When nearly every congressman is a millionaire, and 95% of policy is made without the citizens' vote, this is what happens. They make their profits and leave us with poisoned lands, rivers and oceans, or worse a world warming so rapidly from continual and ever increasing fossil fuel use that scientists now estimate we could have as much as a 7 meter rise in sea level by 2070. Do we have to wait until their quest for profit has killed billions before we stop them?