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EPA Fires Back At Critics Over Colorado Mine Wastewater

DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is firing back at a mining company that accused the agency of letting untreated mine wastewater get into a southwestern Colorado river.

Doug Benevento, the EPA's Denver region director, said Thursday the criticism from Sunnyside Gold Corp. was meant to distract attention from Sunnyside's responsibility to help with a Superfund cleanup of the area.

The company and the government are in a dispute over who should pay for a study to help devise a cleanup plan.

EPA ordered Sunnyside to pay because the company owns mining sites in the area.
Sunnyside argues it's not responsible. The company says EPA is making things worse by running a treatment plant below full capacity, letting pollution get into a river.
EPA says the plant is running as designed.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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