Jan. 11 Press Conference to Showcase Widespread Support for Federal Good Samaritan Legislation
MEDIA ADVISORY
The University of Colorado at Boulder's Center of the American West in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, the offices of U.S. Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar, and U.S. Reps. Joel Hefley, John Salazar, Mark Udall and Bob Beauprez, the Western Governors' Association, Trout Unlimited and others will host a joint press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 11, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to discuss solutions to abandoned mines and their legacy of toxic contamination of Western waterways.
The press conference will be held at the EPA headquarters at 999 18th St. in Denver in the EPA Conference Center.
During the press conference, the Center of the American West will unveil its new report, "Cleaning Up Abandoned Hardrock Mines in the West, Prospecting for a Better Future."
The press conference will showcase the widespread support from government, industry and conservation representatives for federal Good Samaritan legislation, according to Patricia Limerick, professor of history and environmental studies and chair of the CU-Boulder Center of the American West.
"We wish to further the case for the reform of federal law to enable environmental Good Samaritans to undertake abandoned mine cleanups without penalty," Limerick said. "We will each bring our particular interest and ideas, but we are fortunate that this is an environmental issue in which people of goodwill and good sense can come together in a common cause."
Attending the press conference will be Robbie Roberts and Brent Fewell of the EPA; Chris Wood of Trout Unlimited; Loretta Pineda of the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology; Stuart Sanderson of the Colorado Mining Association; Joseph Ryan, civil engineering professor at CU-Boulder; Houston Kempton, scientist for Integral Consulting; Shaun McGrath of the Western Governors' Association; Rick Cables, regional forester with the U.S. Forest Service; and Zeke Ward, chairman of the Willow Creek Reclamation Committee.
For more information contact Tim Brown of the CU-Boulder Center of the American West at (303) 818-9330, Limerick at (303) 817-9216 or Greg Swenson in the CU-Boulder Office of News Services at (303) 492-3113.