Data shows Colorado voters want elected officials to take action on mining

Friday marks one year since the Gold King mine disaster in Durango.

Last August, 3 million gallons of toxic mining waste spilled into the Animas River in southwest Colorado. The EPA took full responsibility after a contractor drilled into the side of the mine.

Colorado has nearly 17,000 abandoned or inactive mine sites that have yet to be cleaned up. Many of them are still leaking contaminated water into rivers and streams.

New data released by Conservation Colorado shows the following:

-86 percent of Colorado voters say they are concerned about Colorado’s rivers and streams.
-88 percent believe it’s a problem that tens of thousands Colorado’s polluting mine sites have not been cleaned up.
-70 percent say mining companies should be held financially responsible for the damage and pollution that they cause.
-53 percent support closing loopholes that allow mining companies to avoid their cleanup responsibilities.
-54 percent support updating our nation’s outdated mining laws.

“It’s important to note that some of our mining laws are over 100 years old, so the time really is now for reforming our outdated state and national mining laws,” said Kristin Green, Conservation Colorado.

The poll, conducted by Chism Strategies, has a representative sample size of 600 regular voters in Colorado.