The state of New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over last summer’s toxic spill from the Gold King Mine north of Durango, Colorado.
The suit, which also named two miner owners was filed by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. It alleges economic and environmental damages from the toxic spill that the EPA admits was the fault of its contractors working at the abandoned mine site.
Millions of gallons containing 880,000 pounds of toxic metals including lead, cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc flowed into the animas and San Juan rivers following the Aug. 5, 2015 mine blowout.
Attorney general Balderas maintains the state of New Mexico is still experiencing enormous economic losses. His lawsuit also named EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Environmental Restoration, Kinross Gold Corp., Kinross Gold USA Inc. and Sunnyside Gold Corp. according to a report in the Farmington Daily Times.
