Health Risk Report Delayed At Colorado Mining Superfund Site

DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection agency has delayed a report on the human health risks of wastewater draining from southwestern Colorado mines.

The EPA said Friday it will collect more data and do more analysis after local health officials, toxicologists and others reviewed an early draft. The study was expected this spring, but the agency now says it will be fall.

The study is a step in developing a cleanup plan for the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund project, which includes includes 48 mining-related sites near Silverton.

One of those is the Gold King mine, where the EPA inadvertently triggered a spill of 3 million gallons (11 billion liters) of wastewater in 2015. Rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah were contaminated.

The Superfund site was established the next year.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)