U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

Thursday , February 28, 2008

CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-494-8790
Cody Wertz – 303-350-0032

Sen. Salazar Introduces Legislation to Address Short and Long Term Issues of Leadville Mine Tunnel Situation

WASHINGTON, DC – To address the blockage occurring in the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel (LMDT), and avoid a potentially catastrophic overflow, United States Senator Ken Salazar today introduced a Senate bill to ensure that short term action that is under way now can continue and that a long-term plan is in place to address on-going drainage from the LMDT. Senator Salazar’s bill will ensure that the Bureau of Reclamation has the necessary authority and the necessary funding for the long-term treatment of the mine drainage water at the Bureau’s water treatment plant.

“The residents of Leadville deserve straight answers to their concerns and straight fixes to the Leadville mine drainage tunnel that will avoid any contamination or harm to their homes,” said Senator Salazar. “This legislation will help ensure that the Bureau of Reclamation has all the authority and responsibility it needs to solve the tunnel blockage right now and prevent this from being an issue in the future.”

Senator Salazar’s bill specifically will:

  • Give the Secretary of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation clear authority and responsibility to maintain the LMDT in a manner that protects human health and the environment. For many years the Bureau has maintained that it is not responsible for changed conditions within the LMDT. Senator Salazar’s bill eliminates any ambiguity on this point, and provides clear authority for the Bureau to act.
  • Specifically direct the Bureau to participate in the long-term remedy for the LMDT that has been approved by the EPA and the CDPHE, and vetted through public meetings.
  • Authorize $40 million in funds for implementation of the long-term remedy.
  • Direct the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the State and the EPA, to conduct a study to determine whether any blockages in the LMDT have affected, or are affecting, water quality and aquatic life in the Arkansas River in the vicinity downstream of the LMDT.

Background: The LMDT is 2.1 miles in length, is located near the headwaters of the Arkansas River, and dates from the WWII and Korean War era. The Bureau of Reclamation acquired ownership and took possession of the LMDT in 1959. In 1995 a collapse of a portion of the tunnel was first detected. Since then, water has collected behind the debris. More than one billion gallons of water, much of it tainted with toxic levels of cadmium, zinc, and manganese, has collected behind the collapsed portion of the tunnel.


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