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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 7, 2015 - 11:27am PT
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Ok, so copy and paste is failing right now, but read this article.
Essentially, one million gallons of heavy metal laden waters are flowing down the San Juan river right now, presumably wiping out huge ecosystems.
Click the link.
http://www.sltrib.com/home/2812762-155/blm-warns-utahns-to-avoid-san
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Not in the areas those pictures were taken... I thought we figured this chemistry out years ago. Goechem 101. Criminy!
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Gary
Social climber
From A Buick 6
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Not to worry! This is just market forces working their magic! All is well. We just need to get the EPA out of the way and stop over-regulating.
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couchmaster
climber
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There will be at least one Fish left reprezentin' http://www.fishproducts.com/
As far as salmon goes, we are having a near record breaking Salmon run up the Columbia River. However, lack of snow has caused the water to warm up and an estimated 50% of some salmon species may be dieing in the river before spawning this year.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Here's an interesting commentary posted to one of the articles. Sounds about right.
The problem is that this should have been designated a Superfund site by the EPA long ago, but leaders of the town of Silverton and San Juan County have apparently blocked it -- reportedly because it would hurt tourism. Such a designation would allow the EPA to do permament remediation of toxic water from a number of abandoned mines -- and sue everybody involved with them for contribution. Instead, the EPA was forced to use stop-gap measures which often (as in this case) fail. So, I really don't blame the EPA at all. I blame anybody who has impeded Superfund designation of these abandoned mines. The EPA was merely trying to collect polluted water backed up behind a temporary dam so they coult treat it, and they under estimated the volume of water. Smaller quantities of polluted water have been flowing from these abandoned mines for years into the Anamas. That's why we are advised not to eat fish caught in that river. These abandoned mines must have Superfund status, and now!
http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20150807/NEWS01/150809708//article/20150807/NEWS01/150809708/EPA-takes-blame-for-Animas-River-contamination
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timy
Sport climber
Durango
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But they're having a healing ceremony for the river at the dog park, things should be okay.
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couchmaster
climber
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Well, at least we know where Homer Simpson went to work when the Nuc plant shut down.
"The Environmental Protection Agency has said it caused a large release of hazardous water from a mine above the town of Silverton, in Southwest Colorado."
EPA press release graphic.
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MisterE
Gym climber
Being In Sierra Happy Of Place
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timy
Sport climber
Durango
Aug 7, 2015 - 07:43pm PT
But they're having a healing ceremony for the river at the dog park, things should be okay.
OK, that was funny.
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Dave
Mountain climber
the ANTI-fresno
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No, blaming the EPA.
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timy
Sport climber
Durango
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Well, some of 'em are blaming Planned Parenthood but we can blame the extremist politics (mostly Texans) of San Juan County for rejecting the actual fix a long time ago. Kinda like what's happening on a larger scale right now with climate change.
By the way, the Animas River is running pretty clear now.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Thanks for the update Timy. Did the worst of it have an odor?
I am puzzled at the 'blame the EPA' crowd myself. The fuller history of it (as I understand it) points the finger elsewhere instead of the group actually trying to do something about it.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 8, 2015 - 03:10pm PT
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What I read was that the towns adjacent to the mine fought superfund status, and won, because they didn't want tourism to be affected. EPA screwed up, but they should have been there en masse long before now working to remediate the potential damage.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Having been personally involved in preventing an engineering faux pas (not nearly this extreme. they might have blown up their filters though) at a Superfund site a few months ago this doesn't surprise me.
The EPA and their low bid DBE engineering consultants aren't the sharpest pencils in the box. If it weren't for equipment suppliers and contractors frequently putting their foot down and saying , "no you can't do this. It won't work" this would be a far more frequent kind of occurrence.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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TGT.. I catch your drift...
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Dave
Mountain climber
the ANTI-fresno
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What do you get with low bid engineering and construction?
Bad ju ju.
Any idiot that knows anything about the San Juans and hydraulics could have predicted this - plug one mine at a lower elevation and you will back up water in the connected mines until it blows out the next one above.
Flow in = flow out, eventually.
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Dave
Mountain climber
the ANTI-fresno
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The EPA has such a fine record of working with locals in Colorado, who can blame the folks in Silverton for telling 'em where they could shove Superfund?
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Any idiot that knows anything about the San Juans and hydraulics could have predicted this - plug one mine at a lower elevation and you will back up water in the connected mines until it blows out the next one above. The EPA was well aware of how the mines were all connected, except for some that were not mapped. Watch the video on this page from 2013. http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20130803/NEWS01/130809831/0/SEARCH/Superfund:-A-dirty-word-to-some-in-Silverton
Also, while much of the protest of making the area a superfund site was related to tourism, some was because they still hope to bring mining back to the area.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Aug 10, 2015 - 09:33am PT
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If this had been a private company that pulled this bonehead stunt, this thread would have a 1000 posts exhibiting more outrage than over Cecil the lion by now. There would be howls for fines and jail time for even the most peripherally involved.
But since it's the feds, all is well and quiet. Even though they lied about the spill and it's three times bigger than they claimed.
The guy responsible will probably even get a promotion. He certainly won't get fired.
Big government accountability for ya.
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