This story by Lindsey Toomer appeared on Colorado Newsline on October 31, 2023.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced Tuesday another $10 million coming to Colorado from the Biden administration, for work to reclaim abandoned mine lands across the state.
At a press conference near an abandoned coal mine site in Lakewood Tuesday, Haaland said Colorado has been “an incredible partner” when it comes to ensuring federal funding brought to the state reaches the communities that need it most. She said the new investment from the Biden administration will create economic opportunities and improve the health and safety of those living around hazardous mine sites.
“The reality is that legacy pollution continues to pollute too many of our waterways and neighborhoods, from urban America to rural America, and we cannot wait any longer,” Haaland said. “President Biden’s investing in America agenda delivers the largest investment in history to detect legacy pollution, including an $11.3 billion investment in abandoned mine land remediation.”
Haaland also talked about $10 million the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation invested in Colorado for similar reclamation efforts last year. She said many of the projects supported by this money are already underway, and that Colorado can count on “many more years of reliable funding” from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
According to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado’s Inactive Mine Reclamation Program has safeguarded 10,500 hazardous openings and reclaimed more than 4,000 acres of abandoned mined land since 1980. Colorado has about 23,000 inactive, abandoned mines that pose dangers to local communities.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, left, laughs with U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen at a press conference announcing federal funding coming to Colorado for abandoned mine land reclamation efforts on Tuesday in Lakewood. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, said Tuesday that these dollars will ensure kids growing up in Jefferson County can thrive in a healthy environment.
“This is reflective of what a functioning government does, when we actually come together to address the urgent needs and challenges that our communities face,” Pettersen said.
Dan Gibbs, director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, said he knows firsthand being from Summit County how reclamation programs can benefit local communities and Coloradans as a whole. He said the Department of Interior has consistently provided Colorado $2.8 million yearly to conduct reclamation projects, and the additional funding support from the Biden administration will lead to additional safety closures.
“In addition to protecting public health, safety and the environment, our abandoned mine land reclamation program also works to either restore abandoned mine sites or ensure that the safety of our agriculture and residential communities alike are intact,” Gibbs said Tuesday.