State legislation aimed at helping government deal with inactive mines contaminating waterways advanced Monday, a step toward cleanups at sites that cannot qualify for .
The bill backed by Reps. Millie Hamner, D-Dillon, and Don Coram, R-Montrose, passed the House on its second reading. It allows for the use of funds collected by state mining regulators at inactive mine sites where hazardous circumstances exist.
But the amount, $100,000 in an emergency fund, is tiny compared with the magnitude of the problem, with hundreds of mines draining into streams and rivers.
“It’s a small amount of money, but every bit can help, and it provides more flexibility,” said Todd Hartman, spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources.
House lawmakers still are considering the bill, which, if approved, would pass to the Senate. Currently, neither state nor federal law requires responsibility for mines abandoned before 1976.
Thousands of mines drain acidic, metals-laced water in small amounts into streams and rivers around Colorado and the West. The 3 million gallon spill Aug. 5 from the Gold King Mine above Silverton, which worsened contamination of Animas River headwaters, raised the profile of the problem.
“We have had these emergency funds, and they’ve very rarely been used,” Hamner said. “It is certainly not going to be very significant for a long-term solution. This is to get something started as soon as possible.”
Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700, bfinley@denverpost.com or @finleybruce
