EPA Screws the Pooch - Contaminates Colorado River and Tributaries!

[Palehorse]

First of all let's get one thing straight right out of the gate; The POTUS had nothing to do with what transpired here:

(CNN)The mustard hue of the Animas River in Colorado -- the most visible effect of a mistake by the Environmental Protection Agency that dumped millions of gallons of pollutants into the water -- is striking.

Just a glance at a photo of the orange-yellowish slush is enough to know that something seems wrong. Scientists will have to say just how wrong, and possibly dangerous, the contamination is, though five days after the spill answers are few.

Just how polluted is the river? Is drinking water in peril? Are businesses dependent on the river out of luck?

One question that has been answered is the size of the spill: more than triple than originally estimated. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the size of the spill to be more than 3 million gallons, compared with the initial EPA estimate of 1 million gallons. . .

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/10/us/colorado-epa-mine-river-spill/index.html

The EPA, which caused the accidental release of the contaminants Wednesday, said it continues to monitor the river.

"Collection, transportation and lab analysis of metals in water is complex and time-consuming," the agency said in a statement.

Mistake? You're the friggin U.S.E.P.A. for crying out loud! You should be above such things! 

What training did you fail to provide those in charge of, as well as actually performing this remediation initiative?

How did you even begin this initiative without fully understanding the volume of the issue first and foremost?

Clearly you had zero idea surrounding the volume nor the actual contents of the pollution you were in charge of remediating. You had no redundant plan to contain said hazards should a failure of any one component of the plan take place. In fact, you clearly had no idea what the hell you were doing, as is evidenced by the pollution you just multiplied by 3,000% surrounding the scope of, and a million percent surrounding the exposure levels and threat to human lives and wildlife residing in and near the ever widening footprint of this disaster.

Who is going to be held accountable for this blatant series of failures?

How much are you going to fine yourselves (NOTE: US) for this damned FUBAR situation?

Why did you epically fail to follow your own standards?

[Locutus]

That spill is just awful. 

[libby]

       

[Henry Hawk]

I think you said it all PH.....

[Exterminator]

In all fairness, there are thousands of mines just like this one that are constantly leaching heavy metals into the water supply.

[The Troll]

  Guide Lamp paid through the nose to restock the White River.  Is the EPA going to restock these rivers with fish?   

[Exterminator]

  Guide Lamp paid through the nose to restock the White River.  Is the EPA going to restock these rivers with fish?

The difference is that Guide Lamp created that mess whereas the EPA was there trying to clean up after someone else.

[Palehorse]

In all fairness, there are thousands of mines just like this one that are constantly leaching heavy metals into the water supply.

Yes there are. . . And the EPA imposes draconian regulations upon the remediation of these dilapidated mines; that they themselves do not follow or cannot.

I'm not saying they do not need draconian regulations in order to be safely, and properly remediated. I'm asking just why it is that the governmental entity responsible for the establishment of said regulations did not follow them?