Agency’s accidental spill of 3M gallons of toxic mine water ‘likely inevitable’

The spill of bright orange wastewater, which carried high concentrations of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and mercury, was an embarrassment for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA officials acknowledged Wednesday that more efforts should have been made to notify downstream communities. The Animas flows south into New Mexico and eventually to Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border.

Environmental officials have said the water quality in the Animas River has since returned to pre-spill levels. It’s unclear what, if anything, the agency did to reduce the risk.

The initial EPA report also concluded that a spill from the unstable mine was inevitable, pointing out that a prior work plan on cleaning up the mine had raised the prospect of a blowout. Since the accident, the EPA has built a series of ponds so contaminated sediments can settle out before the water enters a nearby creek. He knows that operations could remain suspended for another week or two, and Progess says the earliest work could restart would be in that same timeframe.

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on Aug. 10 requesting documents and materials relating to the work that caused the Aug. 5 spill as well as information on “whether the polluted water poses health risks to humans or animals”. Led by five EPA personnel from multiple EPA regions and Headquarters, the reviewers were tasked with developing a detailed, chronological description of events as well as identifying potential factors contributing to the release. Regardless, the episode has revealed an even more frightening, long-festering problem: There are an estimated 500,000 abandoned mines nationwide, though mostly in Western states, an unknown number of which contain similarly noxious brews that could potentially be released and contaminate innumerable water systems and adjoining lands. “Expensive and technically difficult” drilling could have detected that high pressure, Meiburg said.

However, Meinburg said there was “no evidence to suggest this technique would be necessary”, and other factors indicated there was little or no pressure inside the mine. The contractors could have drilled into the mine to determine the exact water pressure, the internal review acknowledges.

The Navajo Nation, among other tribes in the Four Corners area that were impacted, have been the most vocal about the detrimental impacts of the spill on their tribe.

Separate investigations into the accident are being conducted by the EPA’s Inspector General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Interior.