The site of the Gold King Mine spill in Colorado. Photo from Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye / Facebook
The Obama administration will be under extreme scrutiny as lawmakers focus on the Gold King Mine disaster. The spill at the abandoned mine in Colorado will be the focus of four hearings on Capitol Hill. The first takes place next Wednesday, September 9, before the House Science Committee. The remaining three hearing take place the following week. On Wednesday September 16, both the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will look into the catastrophe that has affected the Navajo Nation, Southern Ute Tribe. and the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The following day, the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Oversight Committee are conducting a joint hearing on Thursday, September 17. The Natural Resources Committee has jurisdiction over Indian issues. The August 5 spill at the mine unleashed about 3 million gallons of toxic waste into the Animas River in Colorado and the San Juan River in New Mexico. The Animas flows through the Southern Ute Reservation while the San Juan runs through the Navajo Nation. Committee Notices:
Oversight Hearing on "EPA's Gold King Mine Disaster: Examining the Harmful Impacts to Indian Country" (September 16, 2015)
Oversight of the Cause, Response, and Impacts of EPA’s Gold King Mine Disaster (September 16, 2015)
Joint Oversight Hearing on “EPA’s Animas Spill" (September 17, 2015)
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