The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The Division is gathering information
The state’s Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has extended a deadline for U.S. Energy to produce a progress report over water quality standards. Originally the division had asked to see a report by February 1 but that date has now been extended until April 1.
U.S. Energy was sent a “Compliance Advisory Letter” at the end of December by the division. The letter advised the company of “possible violations of the Colorado Water Quality Control Act, its implementing regulations and permits, so that it may take appropriate steps to avoid or mitigate formal enforcement action.”
U.S. Energy is the primary mining patent holder for the Mt. Emmons project, a proposed mine that would extract molybdenum from Mt. Emmons.
Water quality sampling between 2008 and 2010 has shown that the water from the mine property exceeds water quality standards for Coal Creek, according to Dave Akers with the water Quality Control Division.
For example, huge violations were detected in May 2009 in terms of heavy metals from storm water runoff. Those increases in metals were found below the town’s water intake and thus the town’s drinking water is safe from contamination. The company itself conducted the sampling and has taken a stand that contaminated water coming onto its property isn’t necessarily the entire responsibility of the company. U.S. Energy CEO Keith Larsen has said he is confident the company can “work through the issues” with the state.
“It appears to us that the division is talking to various parties and gathering information,” said High Country Citizens’ Alliance executive director Dan Morse. “The delay in the compliance schedule appears to be to give the division time to process the information they are getting and formulate a response. We are waiting to see the results of the conversations taking place with the division.”
Director of community relations for the Mt. Emmons Project Perry Anderson said the company and the state are communicating over the issue and it is his understanding that the division is taking the extra time to gather more information.
