EPA won’t pay Colorado county for some mine spill costs

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told officials in Colorado that it won’t reimburse their county for certain costs related to last year’s mine waste spill there.

Staff members of the La Plata County government, where the Gold King Mine is located, worked for months on an agreement to ask the EPA to reimburse it $2.4 million over 10 years for costs related to last year’s spill.

{mosads}But Bill Murray, head of the EPA’s Superfund program, told county officials Wednesday that the agency will not cover anticipated costs, according to The Durango Herald.

“The intent is not that this co-op agreement would cover future activities,” Murray said. “For Superfund sites, we don’t often have future costs included. The program is not designed to provide for a lot of what is in there.”

County officials were very disappointed to learn that not only would they not receive the money, but they had wasted the effort in writing a cooperative agreement.

“We were encouraged to take a certain approach,” County attorney Sheryl Rogers said, according to the Herald. “Parties knew that some of these funds were not going to be allowed under the agreement, yet no one told us, and we continue to dedicate staff time to a document that was done on arrival.”

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said the news about the reimbursement is “outrageous.”

“This is yet another example of the Washington double standard and it’s unacceptable, shameful, and will be fiercely challenged. The EPA must keep its promise to the people of Colorado and abide by the standards it expects of others,” he said in a statement, vowing to fight for La Plata County and others to get reimbursed.

Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo.), who represents the county, had a similar take.

“I have been skeptical of the EPA’s management of this situation from the onset and find it offensive to the communities in my district that the EPA, who is directly responsible for this disaster, has so blatantly admitted La Plata County, and others, will not receive full compensation for the damages caused by this spill,” he said.

The EPA has taken responsibility for the spill, and said it has already provided or committed to providing millions of dollars to state, local and tribal governments for various costs related to the spill.

— This story was updated at 5:30 p.m.