On August 5, 2015, a crew being monitored by Environmental Protection Agency officials caused several million gallons of toxic chemicals to flood into the Animas River in Colorado. The chemicals were released after excavating debris at the Gold King mine, which had been abandoned since 1923. Water had seeped into the mine for decades. Due to careless behavior, the Agency responsible for protecting our environment then released all the water that had been mixing with poisonous chemicals for years into the Colorado waterway.
To make things worse, the EPA then waited an entire day to notify local officials, families and businesses along the river of the disaster.
Does anyone remember the Gulf oil spill of 2010? It seemed as if every time I turned on the news there was footage of another beach with oil on its rocks, and another seagull being rescued from the sludge. The public outcry was unreal. People were demanding BP be investigated and prosecuted. It was a horrific disaster. Just recently, the Department of Justice announced an $18.7 billion settlement with BP over the spill.
Where is the same outcry over the Animas River? 3 million gallons of toxic water filled with poisonous chemicals have been poured into a natural habitat and water source. Where are the images of rescuing wildlife? Where are the watchdog groups calling for investigations and resignations? There aren’t any, because it doesn’t go along with the liberal agenda.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said that the river is already “restoring itself.” It seems the EPA uses the argument that nature can cleanse itself of environmental problems over time only when it is convenient for them. I hope that the EPA is held to the same financial responsibility in helping local communities with water safety and purity that BP has been held to in the oil spill, because the public outrage of demanding investigations of the Agency just does not seem to be there.