401kRollover Blog

A report conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency into the cause of a Colorado mine spill at the inactive Gold King mine on August 5 shows that regulators failed to take into account the potential for toxic blowout. The EPA caused the release of 3 million gallons worth of sludge into rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah while conducting an excavation. The report found that regulators ignored the possibility of water pressure being high enough to cause the blowout, which was the principal cause of the spill. It also said that regulators could have drilled into the mine in order to assess pressure levels before going ahead.

The EPA nonetheless seemed to dodge responsibility for the spill at the same time as admitting their actions caused it. Despite finding that regulators ignored prior warnings about the potential for blowout and failed to take measures to assess the water pressure, the report concluded that the spill was “probably inevitable.”  When asked about the contradictory nature of these facts, EPA assistant administrator Mathy Stanislaus said it wasn’t certain the drilling could have been done.

The agency has also been chastised for failing to release its report on time.

Texan Republican Representative Lamar Smith criticized the agency’s handling of the incident, saying last Tuesday “This information matters to the many Americans directly affected in Western states, who are still waiting for answers from the EPA.” Those answers have since been released but Associated Press reported that EPA management knew about the possibility of a spill as early as June last year, yet failed to draw up more than a “cursory” response plan. Colorado water is now returning to normal levels, but the agency has also failed to announce the cost of the cleanup, redacting figures relating to cost in their reports.

Like & Share if you think the report shines a light on the EPA’s disastrous handling of this environmental catastrophe.