We have asked you and the President to find resources and try to prioritize funding for a water treatment plant in the Upper Animas River.

Senator Bennet and I were at a community meeting in Durango where the results of testing and water samples were displayed.

Sometimes when information is produced but not explained, that can be as bad as keeping information hidden.

We need to pass Good Samaritan legislation, as Senator Gardner said.

It's also clear that the agency was slow to communicate with local governments and didn't obtain water quality results.

This spill shows a greater need for legislation that would allow Good Samaritans the opportunity to assist with cleaning up these abandoned mines across the West.

Unfortunately, this didn't provide enough certainty and hasn't encouraged action.

From the outset, I have said that the EPA should be held to the same standards as EPA would hold a private company for the spill, which means investigations must be conducted, people must be held accountable and tough questions must be…

From the outset I've said that EPA should be held to the same standard as EPA would hold a private company for said spill.

We need solutions to address the acid mine drainage coming from all of these old abandoned mines.

We also need to pass Good Samaritan legislation to encourage counties, nonprofits, and companies to clean up abandoned mines.