WASHINGTON \u2013 Members of Colorado\u2019s congressional delegation are continuing to pursue separate good Samaritan mine-restoration legislation, even as a new bill focusing on the same issue was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, has proposed the Locatable Minerals Claim Location and Maintenance Fees Act, which would provide incentives for private organizations to clean up abandoned mines. It would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to offer limited liability protections for competent organizations.<\/p>\n
Lamborn\u2019s bill comes as part of a larger package of mining legislation that was introduced by the House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday.<\/p>\n
But at least three fellow Colorado lawmakers are a bit at odds with Lamborn over the bill. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, and Sens. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, and Cory Gardner, a Republican, have doubts about the bill\u2019s ability to pass, pointing out that it is part of a larger package.<\/p>\n
\u201cIntroducing a bill that stands little chance of passing both the House and Senate \u2013 despite having good ideas in it \u2013 will not get the people and resources into the mines to execute cleanup efforts,\u201d Tipton said in a statement soon after Lamborn introduced his bill. \u201cCleanup is, and has to continue to be, the primary goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The EPA estimates that cleaning the nation\u2019s hundreds-of-thousands of abandoned mines could cost more than $50 billion. State mining officials estimate that there are 23,000 hazardous mine features in Colorado.<\/p>\n
Private organizations have been hesitant to dig in themselves, as they fear liability for accidentally contaminating water.<\/p>\n
Previous efforts to pass good Samaritan legislation failed in Congress, which is why Tipton, Gardner and Bennet are looking for a bipartisan solution that stands a chance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have had just a few years back a bipartisan good Samaritan bill pass out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cIf we can build on that language that passed, make sure that it is acceptable to members of the EPW Committee and then obviously the broader floor, I think we\u2019ve got a great window to put this on the president\u2019s desk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peter Butler, co-coordinator for the Animas River Stakeholders Group, said his organization would like to take more of an active role in cleaning up abandoned mines, which is why the group has been working with lawmakers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are lots of different ideas, and we\u2019re not quite sure where they will land,\u201d Butler said. \u201cThe reason they\u2019ve had different ideas and things have been in flux is because they\u2019ve been politically trying to find out the way to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bennet spokesman Phil Clelland added: \u201cThis is obviously an important priority in Colorado, and we are working closely with community members and other stakeholders to craft a community-driven bill.\u201d<\/p>\n