Political Quotes

“I have come to the floor to talk about an environmental problem that affects many parts of Colorado as well as other western States; that is, abandoned hardrock mines. These mines pollute thousands of miles of streams and rivers in America with truly a toxic soup of heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, and mercury. That pollution impairs drinking water and kills aquatic and plant life for miles downstream. This is a problem that doesn't get enough attention in the Congress, and it is my hope that by speaking, I can spur all of us in this body and the administration to take greater steps to help solve this problem. I would, in that spirit, invite my colleagues to join me in this effort. If I might first, a little background: Starting in the 1800s, miners flocked to the West in search of fortune following the discovery of precious metals, such as gold, lead, copper, and silver. They settled in places with romantic names such as Leadville, Silverton, and Gypsum. Mining became an important part of our history, of our settlement, and of our development in Colorado. But it also left a very dirty and deadly legacy. When a claim was mined for all its worth, the miner frequently packed up and left without a thought about the lasting problems the mine would cause. And this was an era before modern mining laws that hold miners accountable for their impact on the land.…”