WT: DENVER — The Obama administration exits with an ugly environmental blot on its record after failing to hold itself financially accountable for the Gold KingMine spill, but Republicans are hoping President-elect Donald Trump will clean up the mess.
In one of its final moves before President Obama leaves office, the Environmental Protection Agency refused to pay 73 claims totaling $1.2 billion filed by tribes, farmers, river-rafters and local governments from the August 2015 wastewater spill, citing sovereign immunity under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
Western lawmakers were floored by Friday’s decision, pointing to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy’s numerous assurances that the agency would take responsibility for the damage caused by the EPA-led crew, which unleashed 3 million gallons of mustard-colored contamination into the Animas and San Juan rivers and three states.
“They said they would make everyone whole, and now they’re backing away from that decision,” said Rep. Scott R. Tipton, the Colorado Republican who represents communities in the Durango area hit by the spill.
At the same time, the agency’s 11th-hour reversal affords the Republican president-elect a unique opportunity to notch a quick conservation coup by reimbursing victims for the environmental damage suffered under the Obama administration. MORE
We can throw $$billions away at the UN and nations that loathe us but we can’t take care of Americans? Disgusting but expected.
The corrupt Obama regime is an embarrassment to all Americans. Just a few more hours, thank you God.
Deplete EPA’s operating budget by spending it to reclaim this river.
When the money runs out, disband the EPA.
The EPA was guilty of gross negligence and incredible stupidity, but the real damage was mostly negligible. The dilution of the Gold King Mine’s water by the Animas and San Juan Rivers insured that very little harm occurred. The EPA has been trying to turn this entire area into to a Super Fund Site for a decade, guaranteeing work for hundreds of EPA employees and hundreds of millions of dollars for subcontractors. There is absolutely no proof that all this money and work is necessary.
This disaster is now a windfall for Trump and conservatives in general.
Who could argue the EPA should continue as is, given their results?
Absolutely correct. I know a dozen people who have been terrorized by the EPA and threatened with financial ruin here in Colorado. The EPA employees who caused the Gold King Mine discharge need to be treated just the same as any land owner would have been by the government. They are nothing but builders of bureaucracy and boondoggles. Everything costs ten times what it should have to get anything accomplished, because money is no concern to these people.
Durango has lots of rich liberals with ski chalets. They voted for Obama. Tax them for the cleanup.
Take those miscreants responsible and have them sentenced to be Laborers in the clean-up until it is done.
At the very least, fire that bulldyke.