Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Colorado U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd introduced the Gold King Mine Spill Compensation Act to help communities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona that were affected by the Gold King Mine disaster of 2015.
“The effects of the Gold King Mine disaster were felt far beyond the banks of the Animas River. The blowout hurt families, farmers, and outdoor recreation companies in Durango and throughout southwest Colorado who depend on the river for their livelihoods,” said Bennet. “A decade later, too many Coloradans still feel its effects. Our legislation is a necessary step to help Coloradans finally recover certain remaining costs and damages incurred from the spill and make Southwest Colorado communities whole again.”
“In 2015, the Gold King Mine spill impacted local farmers, hurt homeowners, and crippled outfitters,” said Hickenlooper. “Many are still waiting for the compensation they need to fully recover. Our bill will help restore the local outdoor rec economy.”
“The Gold King Mine Spill Compensation Act will safeguard communities throughout Western Colorado,” said Hurd. “Since 2015, Coloradans have endured the lasting effects of this catastrophic disaster, and it’s time for the EPA to allocate funding to address the outstanding claims resulting from the spill.”
On August 5, 2015, the Gold King Mine spill released 3 million gallons of polluted mining wastewater into the Animas and San Juan rivers, affecting waterways in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, the Southern Ute reservation, and the Navajo Nation. Though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was able to partially compensate some claims, its ability to meet the needs of affected businesses, farmers, and homeowners is constrained by existing laws. This legislation would provide the EPA with the necessary authority and funding to compensate certain outstanding claims from the spill.
“The Gold King Mine Compensation Act clears the procedural barriers that kept businesses that suffered economic losses due to the spill nearly 10 years ago from being made whole,” said Marsha Porter-Norton, Chair, La Plata County Board of County Commissioners. “The Board of County Commissioners are grateful that the impact felt by those businesses has not been forgotten and that a remedy is possible through this much-appreciated legislation. We appreciate our congressional delegation of Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper and Representative Hurd coming together in a bipartisan way on this legislation to address this long-standing priority for our county.”
“Durango residents were stunned when our beloved Animas River turned orange after the Gold King Mine spill. It has been a long road toward recovery,” said Jessika Buell, Mayor of Durango. “This bill will help local business owners who suffered because of the spill, and show residents the key role the federal government plays in protecting a resource that is the lifeblood of this community. A huge thank you to Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper and Representative Hurd for this legislation to finally recover costs and to make our community whole again.”
“The work that Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and their teams have done on the Gold King Mine Bill is restoring my faith in government,” said Alex Mickel, President, Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours. “After all these years to see the promise of our government concerning the Gold King Mine incident and its ensuing economic damage was not forgotten, is refreshing. The wheels of government turn slowly. We at Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours are thankful that Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and their teams are keeping them turning. And we deeply appreciate our new Congressman Jeff Hurd hearing our concerns on this issue and joining the effort to pass this bill.”
The La Plata County Board of County Commissioners shared a letter in support of this legislation. The City of Durango also shared letters of support.
Immediately after the Gold King Mine disaster, then-Governor Hickenlooper declared the affected area a disaster zone. The following month, Bennet requested and testified at a Senate hearing regarding the cause, response, and effects of the Gold King Mine disaster. He also introduced the Gold King Mine Spill Recovery Act to ensure the EPA continued to work with states, local communities, and Tribes to compensate those who were affected and implement long-term water quality monitoring. The following year, Bennet worked to pass legislation to support recovery efforts from the spill.
On its second anniversary, Bennet and New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, alongside then-Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), introduced legislation to reform the nation’s antiquated mining laws and prevent future hardrock mine disasters.
Bennet and Hickenlooper first introduced the Gold King Mine Spill Compensation Act in 2024.
The text of the bill is available HERE.