Rep. Scott Tipton is in the dark when it comes to a federal timeline to clean up the Red Arrow milling operation outside of Mancos.
Tipton spokesman Josh Green said the U.S. representative has been engaged with federal and state officials regarding the reported pollution of the gold mine’s milling operation, but added that Tipton has yet to receive any remediation timeline from the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Congressman Tipton is intently monitoring the situation and awaiting an EPA assessment,” Green said. “This is an important issue that hits close to home.”
Tipton’s hometown of Cortez is some 15 miles west of Mancos where a milling operation was conducted by Red Arrow gold mine owner Craig Luikko. Green declined to comment about the lack of oversight from Montezuma County commissioners, who failed to permit the illegal milling operation.
In August, Tipton introduced HR2970, the Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2013. Through a permitting process, the proposed legislation would encourage remediation of inactive and abandoned mine sites for the public good by individuals or entities that are not legally responsible for the remediation.
Luikko is scheduled to appear in district court Friday at 2 p.m. for a status hearing in regard to receivership issues. He’s also scheduled to appear this month before the state mined land reclamation board.
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety issued a cease and desist order against the mine in June, subsequently fining Luikko $285,000 for multiple violations.
Red Arrow milling operations, located on Grand Avenue just outside of town limits, reportedly started last spring and continued for at least six months. A rudimentary exhaust system, which included a tin bucket turned upside down, was used to collect mercury vapors at the illegal gold mill.
Preliminary sampling of the mill site revealed higher than acceptable levels of mercury and naturally occurring arsenic. DRMS officials maintain the milling site does not present any risk to public health.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com
