WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Reclamation will take responsibility for the flooded Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel, whether the agency wants to or not, Capitol Hill lawmakers from Colorado said today.
Reps. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, and Mark Udall, an Eldorado Springs Democrat, as well as Sen. Ken Salazar, a Denver Democrat, will introduce bills that would give the bureau responsibility for the tunnel.
The agency would be required to drain a backlog of metals-laden mine runoff from the tunnel and shore up the structure to reduce the risk of collapse. The tunnel holds about a billion gallons of water.
“We could have serious property damage, and even loss of life,” if the water blows out of the tunnel, Lamborn said.
The bureau has said that although it will drain the water now, it does not have the legal authority to do so in the future. At a congressional hearing this week, bureau Commissioner Robert Johnson said the Environmental Protection Agency is responsible because the water is part of a Superfund site.
Lawmakers said the bills will clarify who is responsible.
“We not only have a physical blockage with the tunnel, we have a legal blockage,” Udall said.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
Work to drain the water already is starting, Lamborn said. Fixing the tunnel could take two to three years and cost as much as $5 million, he said.
The legislation authorizes spending the necessary money, although the funds would have to be allocated as part of a separate spending bill.
Salazar planned to introduce a Senate bill that would mirror the House legislation from Lamborn and Udall.
“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,” Salazar said.
Anne C. Mulkern: 202-662-8907 or amulkern@denverpost.com
