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Commissioners press EPA, seek federal and legislative engagement on Gold King and other remediation work
Summary
Commissioners reported an EPA meeting and said they are pressing for clearer timelines, local contracting opportunities and attention to legacy sites; staff arranged a meeting with Senator Bennet's office to discuss priorities.
County commissioners reported a recent meeting with EPA and other stakeholders about remediation work related to the Gold King and other historic mine sites and said they expect more federal engagement and a meeting with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet's office.
Commissioners said they raised project-timing concerns and the county's interest in having smaller remediation tasks done locally. "We actually argued that we'd rather see the state do all of these smaller projects because the state gives local contracts a better chance," a commissioner said. Participants noted staffing shortages at EPA and the core contracting firm and asked whether some smaller tasks could be contracted to the county.
Why it matters: Decades-long remediation efforts affect water quality, downstream users and local infrastructure. County officials said delays or cost increases reduce the money available for other local priorities and urged federal and state partners to clarify schedules and contractor plans.
County staff said EPA has moved some contracts forward and that a contractor has been selected for a larger pond project; commissioners expressed frustration that mobilization timelines and escalating cost estimates have delayed on-the-ground work. The county asked EPA to consider having the state or local contractors perform smaller delisting or remediation tasks to increase local economic participation and speed certain repairs.
Commission staff also reported a planned outreach from the office of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet; a county staff member said Senator Bennet's office is trying to set up a small planning meeting to discuss Gold King and related priorities. Commissioners said they will participate and press for clearer remediation timelines and state-federal coordination.
Ending: County leaders said they will continue to press federal and state partners for clearer schedules, consider whether local contracting is feasible for some tasks and meet with federal legislative staff to advance county priorities.
