Leadvilles designation as Superfund area
Re: “Digging out from Superfund ordeal” and “Concern for kids elevated level of testing,” March 13 news stories.
It was so refreshing to read Rebecca Thomas, Environmental Protection Agency site manager, express that we are achingly close for delisting of this site from the Superfund list. She also reveals that deletion has taken way too long. Yes, 25 years and counting – when will it ever end? To have the EPA admit that this agency has failed this community is alarming yet enlightening.
More to the point, the acid mine drainage brought the EPA to Leadville, and instead of staying focused on the river clean-up, the government regulators went after every yard in town to remediate a non-lead problem. Important to note, before a single yard or waste rock pile was removed, the blood- lead levels in our children had already dropped and are the same as the national average due to the ban on lead in gasoline and in paint. Did you know that children have a higher risk of elevated blood lead in Denver than in Leadville and always have?
Mediation has been proposed by Lake County and agreed to by all parties. Many bureaucrats have cut their baby teeth on this site and now are waiting for their gold watch. It is time for them to leave.
Brad Littlepage, Leadville
The writer is a member of the Superfund Action Deletion Committee.
. . .
The Leadville Superfund miasma boils down to two main issues: the acid mine drainage into the river, which has indeed been 90 percent solved by EPA efforts; and lead content of local soils, which has been a complete red herring from square one. While the still-remaining 10 percent of the water issue is rightly a major embarrassment to the EPA, the soil issue should inspire investigation into government abuses.
After 10 years of study, the 1991 EPA Baseline Risk Assessment stated, “Analyses reveal no correlation between mine waste derived lead and blood lead.” After 25 years of study, a 2006 EPA scientific report found “No predictable correlation or relationship between environmental lead levels and blood- lead levels.” Leadville blood-lead levels are same as the national average, and there are no Superfund residents with elevated blood-lead levels (versus several percent in urban areas). Then why are they even here in our residential areas?
The EPA may say it is “achingly close” to the end, but we local residents are the ones who are really aching to see them leave and take the undeserved designation and stigma with them. The proposed mediation is an effort to inject rational third-party perspective (former Gov. Dick Lamm has been suggested as a mediator) into a completely stalled process, and we strongly support the proposal.
Bill Klauber, Leadville
. . .
I am a fly fisherman who has been fishing the Arkansas River for more than 30 years. The success of the Leadville Superfund can be measured in thousands of brown trout per mile on the Arkansas. When I used to fish the river, the fish were small and not nearly as abundant as they are now. With every year that passes since the Superfund effort has started, the river rebounds dramatically. The average size of brown trout in the river used to be in the range of 10 to 14 inches; now it’s easily 12 to 15 inches and the numbers have increased dramatically. The health of the ecosystem is reflected in the increase of overall biomass, including aquatic insects, invertebrates and fish.
No discussion of the relative success of the Superfund effort in Leadville can be complete without mentioning the positive impact to the watershed in terms of biomass recovery.
Gerry Lee, Manitou Springs
Changing the states rules on adoption
Re: “Adoption bill is dishonest,” March 14 Al Knight column.
Al Knight would do well to read Cindy Rodríguez’s column regarding House Bill 1330 (“Anti-gay forces adopt scare tactics on HB 1330,” March 13). Hers is the voice of reason. His is the voice of ignorance and fear.
Would it make sense for the legislature to craft this bill to apply only to same-sex couples? It doesn’t matter that most adoptions this bill would allow indeed will be within same-sex relationships. The only thing that matters is that this bill protects children.
If my partner (of 26-plus years) and I had a child who was legally mine, that child would have no health insurance in the event of my death. My partner would have no legal position with regard to that child’s financial and familial needs. Only Al Knight and his ilk would question how House Bill 1330 will remedy that.
Stephen Crout, Denver
Tancredos take on dealing with North Korea
Re: “Fooled once by North Korea,” March 13 Tom Tancredo column.
Congressman Tom Tancredo’s position on North Korea entails a drastic escalation of Asian nuclear tensions. Arming Taiwan and Japan with theater missile defense systems, which they may not want, is more provocative than Kim Jong Il’s weak, poorly industrial country’s ability to defend itself from a perceived American threat. A light water reactor, promised to replace a plutonium breeder, would have been better than seven wasted years of standoff.
Why are all the Axis of Evil countries leaders compared to Hitler? These tinpot surviving dictators of Third World industrial-capacity nations are nothing compared to 1940s Germany. Neither was Saddam Hussein. Every diplomat and negotiator is not Neville Chamberlain. If North Korea reaches the gates of Moscow, it will be with their hands out, not hands armed. This is not World War II or III, congressman.
Lewis Elliott, Thornton
TV tower near Golden
Re: “Rezoning OK’d for Lookout TV tower,” March 13 news story.
Thank you, Jefferson County commissioners, for saving metro Denver TV viewers millions of dollars. After six years of questionable debate, the Lookout Mountain digital television tower, providing a “free” over-the-air digital signal, is a reality. No doubt this six-year delay has caused a finanacial hardship for many metro Denver low- and middle-income citizens. The lesson to be learned from this needless delay is: In the future, we need to consider the total impact on all parties involved and not just special-interest and fractional government groups.
Richard Schneider, Arvada
What would Bill do?
With Hillary Clinton as a candidate for president, the question must be asked: How and where will Bill fit? Never in our history has this issue needed to be addressed. I can envision a Clinton White House as a family affair. That would be a first.
Hillary must come to the reality that her husband is a respected global figure. Will we see a similar relationship like Bush and Cheney, where we are left to wonder who the real president is? Former President Clinton is a committed American who crossed party lines to achieve goals to aid Americans and peoples of the world. Mr. Clinton is not one to concede his influence and take a back seat. Bill will not be a shadow in the background.
Ron Packard, Lakewood
War without a tax hike
Re: “Bush waging war on the cheap,” March 8 Thomas L. Friedman column.
All of our past administrations have increased taxes to pay for ongoing wars. The Bush administration is the only one that has not taxed the public. Only our military and their families are bearing the burden of this war. If Congress would pass a resolution that any future military engagement would require a war tax, future administrations and Congress might be more prudent before engaging in war.
Harold Rayor, Lakewood
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