U.S., state officials to visit tainted Colorado river
Several officials will be visiting Colorado and New Mexico Wednesday to inspect the damage from the Gold King Mine spill.
The head of the EPA, Gina McCarthy, as well as attorneys general from Colorado, New Mexico and Utah all plan to personally inspect the river, reports CBS News correspondent Mireya Villarreal.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper visited a contaminated stretch of the Animas River Tuesday and admitted that, while he's disappointed with the EPA, he's focused on the cleanup.
"Everyone's angry. I was angry. That said, our primary role right now is, that's behind us, and how are we going to move forward?" Hickenlooper said.
Even though the water looks normal now, over the past week, a plume of pollution with metals including arsenic and lead has marched at least 100 miles downstream.
In Washington D.C. Tuesday, EPA administrator McCarthy apologized for the spill.
"It pains me to no end see this happening, but we're working tirelessly to respond and have committed to a full review of exactly what happened," she said.
Preliminary tests show the water quality is returning to where it was in Durango, Colorado, before the accident. Still, the river will need to be monitored for years to come.
The spill is affecting people like Charlie Noone, who makes a living off the waters.
"We've had some cancellations, for sure. It's been tough, because a lot of people do come to Durango to fish the Animas," the fishing guide said. "It's a beautiful river. Not right now, but usually, it's really beautiful."
With businesses and families waiting for the all-clear, Hickenlooper said he hopes the county sheriff will be able to reopen the river as soon it's safe.
"I want to have that information in his hands the moment we have it -- in minutes, not in hours, not in days. The moment we have it," he said.
Hickenlooper said this spill should serve as a turning point for the EPA and how it handles mine-cleanups.
In Colorado alone, there are an estimated 23,000 abandoned mines.