Communities, state agencies await EPA reimbursement from Gold King spill

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Communities, state agencies await EPA reimbursement from Gold King spill

Conversations with EPA leave some less than optimistic
“The water tastes like iron.” said Eric Parker as he floated down the Animas River Aug. 6, 2015, a day after the Gold King Mine spill. Nine months later, several affected communities await word on whether expenses they incurred from the spill will be reimbursed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Communities, state agencies await EPA reimbursement from Gold King spill

“The water tastes like iron.” said Eric Parker as he floated down the Animas River Aug. 6, 2015, a day after the Gold King Mine spill. Nine months later, several affected communities await word on whether expenses they incurred from the spill will be reimbursed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
What has the EPA paid for Gold King?

Environmental Protection Agency officials have paid local, state and tribal entities a total of $881,152 for costs associated with the Gold King Mine spill to date, not including a $2 million grant to support state and tribal long-term monitoring projects.
EPA spokesperson Christie St. Clair provided these reimbursement figures on Friday:
La Plata County: $197,792 for initial response costs; $9,786 for expenses related to a tour of Superfund sites last fall. It is considering an additional $140,000 for other expenses incurred before Oct. 31, and “expects to reimburse allowable response costs under the existing cooperative agreement.”San Juan County and the town of Silverton: $220,667 in “allowable removal response expenses.” City of Durango: $2,471 for Superfund tour expenses.Southern Ute Indian Tribe: $116,372 for response costs.New Mexico Environment Department: $334,064 for response costs. The EPA is considering requests from multiple New Mexico state agencies. Navajo Nation: $157,000 for response costs. In addition, the EPA said it spent more than $1.1 million on response for the tribe immediately after the spill. Also, a $2 million grant was made available to Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe and Navajo Nation for spring water-monitoring efforts in the Animas and San Juan rivers. With $465,000 allocated to the state of Colorado, the San Juan Basin Health Department installed water-monitoring gauges at three river locations in La Plata and San Juan counties.
Jessica Pace

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