What will Attorney General Scott Pruitt do about the EPA refusing to repay claims it caused in the Gold King Mine spill, if he becomes head of the giant agency?
If Pruitt’s confirmed, will he reverse the decision announced recently by the Environmental Protection Agency that it will not repay claims totaling more than $1.2 billion from the spill into the Animas River in southern Colorado?
The EPA and its sub-contractor were blamed for the 2015 pollution disaster. However the EPA leaders contend federal law prohibit it from making the payments and Congress would have to decide.
At least 73 claims were filed by farmers and rafting companies who lost crops and business.
“The agency worked hard to find a way in which it could pay individuals for damages due to the incident, but unfortunately our hands are tied,” said EPA spokeswoman Nancy Grantham in making the announcement.
The spill released 3 million gallons of wastewater tainted with lead, copper, iron, aluminum and manganese and it flowed into rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
Colorado Republican Rep. Scott Tipton couldn’t believe the EPA’s decision, noting that the agency had originally promised to compensate those who suffered losses.
“The news today is a complete departure from that commitment, and our states, local governments, and tribes can rest assured that we will continue to work to make the EPA accountable for the mess they have made.”
Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Congressman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico also expressed disappointment and accused the agency of reneging on its pledge.