EPA chief: Colorado river hit by mine waste back to pre-spill quality

By Lauren Hammond DURANGO, Colo. (Reuters) – The water quality of a southwestern Colorado river rendered bright orange by toxic waste spewed from an abandoned gold mine one week ago has returned to pre-spill levels, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief said on Wednesday. The statement from EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, whose agency has assumed responsibility for inadvertently causing the spill, came as Colorado health officials cleared the way for the city of Durango, just downstream, to reopen its drinking water intakes from the river. McCarthy also ordered the EPA's regional offices to immediately cease further inspections of mines or mine waste sites, except in cases of imminent risk of danger, during an independent review of the accident.

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EPA chief: Colorado river hit by mine waste back to pre-spill quality