That toxic threat in Leadville Colorado

[malaise]

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080214/NEWS/972891293

One Federal agency does not think the threat is imminent. Surprised? NOT On the other hand,
the EPA says it is urgent. Interesting to hear a resident compare the situation to NOLA (I guess she meant the levies).
<snip>
“Citizens, it is not our goal to cause panic, but it is our goal to protect human health and the environment. Lake County residents and the citizens that live in the Arkansas Valley Watershed are faced with an imminent threat that cannot be ignored anymore,” read Lake County Commissioner Mike Hickman at a special meeting of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday.

With that, the commissioners declared a state of emergency in Lake County.

A blockage in the tunnel caused over a billion gallons of water of toxic acid and metal-laden water to form a pool at the headwaters of the Arkansas River, according to Commissioner Hickman. He explained that the water is now nearly 200 feet high and continues to apply pressure against the cave-in.

Given that the Denver Post recently declared snowpack levels in the Upper Arkansas Valley to be 163 percent of normal, spring runoff will only increase the size of the pool, he said.

“You must all understand that there is a potential risk of catastrophic failure…which could lead to a loss of life, and environmental degradation of the Arkansas River beyond anyone’s comprehension,” said Hickman.

In addition to their concerns about a potential blowout of the makeshift dam, the commissioners believe that some of the water backing up behind the blockage may be working its way underground and surfacing below the Yak treatment plant in California Gulch. Seeps and springs in California Gulch have recently popped up, and water tests in the gulch have found significant increases in zinc and cadmium, say the commissioners.

[barbtries]

1. it sucks to see it coming

feeling helpless and knowing beyond any doubt whatsoever that this government will do exactly NOTHING to stop it.

[liberal N proud]

2. Even after the catastrophic failure of our gov. following Katrina

This is still un-f$#ing-believable

[SoCalDem]

3. Um.. when you move to a place called LEAD-ville

you might have reason to do a bit of research about the place, and why it might have been named thusly..


"Hey kids, we're moving to Plutonium Plaza...Doesn't that sound nice?...or maybe we should move to "Arsenic Acres""

[Bobbieo]

4. One of the things the new Democratic administration has to do is get rid of the

"political appointees" as agency and department heads and go back to getting knowledgeable civil service people in the top jobs.