EPA: No Health Risks To Wildlife After Mine Spill Into Animas River

DENVER (AP) - An Environmental Protection Agency official says she doesn't believe wildlife will suffer significant health impacts from the large volume of wastewater that spilled from an abandoned mine in southwestern Colorado.

The EPA also said Sunday the amount of wastewater that spilled from Colorado's Gold King Mine into the Animas River is three times larger than its initial estimate. The agency says 3 million gallons spilled into the river Wednesday and Thursday, instead of 1 million. The revision came after the EPA used a stream gauge from the U.S. Geological Survey.

EPA toxicologist Deborah McKean says the sludge laced with heavy metals moved so quickly after the spill that it would not have harmed animals that consumed it.

The EPA still doesn't know if there are any health risks posed to people or aquatic life.

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