Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on today’s request from Governor John Hickenlooper for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Superfund site to help clean up abandoned mines in San Juan County near Silverton. The Superfund designation would put the site on a National Priority List to provide resources to help clean up several dozen inactive mines that are leaking acid mine drainage into the local watersheds.
“A Superfund designation will help expedite the cleanup of dozens of abandoned mines in San Juan County that are polluting our watersheds, endangering the health of Coloradans, and holding back local economies. We will work with Silverton, San Juan County, and the state to ensure the EPA proceeds swiftly and heeds the community’s concerns about implementation. Cleaning up this pollution, protecting people’s health, and supporting the local economy are priorities for everyone in the region.”