House committee to vote on Leadville tunnel bill

Posted by egable on June 10th, 2008 filed in Water, Mining

The House Natural Resources Committee will vote tomorrow on legislation that aims to help avoid a potential disaster at a clogged mine drainage tunnel in Leadville. If the committee passes the bill, it will head to the full House of Representatives.

Earlier this year, Lake County commissioners declared a state of emergency because of concerns that water built up in the old mine tunnel could break loose under pressure from the spring runoff.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.), would direct the Bureau of Reclamation to take responsibility for fixing the problems associated with the collapsed mine tunnel.