Contacts

Tom J. Wiens
State Senator
State Capitol Building
Denver, CO 80203
Capitol: 303-866-4869
Capitol Fax: 303-866-2012
tom@tomwiens.com

Mike Hickman
Chair, Lake County Board of County Commissioners
719-486-4512

Ken Olsen
Lake County Commissioner
719-486-4701

Carl Schaefer
Lake County Commissioner
P.O. Box 917
505 Harrison Avenue
Leadville, Colorado 80461
Office: 719-486-4100
Cell: 970-390-7891
cschaefer@co.lake.co.us

John Simmons
Producer-Writer
Director of Communications
Save The Arkansas River
646-250-3942
johnsimmons@savethearkansasriver.org

Tim Nixon
Director, Cameraman, Editor
Save The Arkansas River
cell: 970-485-1393
office: 970-668-5627
tim@baughan.com

Peter Soeth, a spokesman for the Bureau of Reclamation, which acquired the drainage tunnel in 1959, said there was no immediate threat to Leadville's 2,700 residents.
Colorado Town Fears Avalanche of Water

Stan Christensen, an EPA expert on the tunnel, said the likelihood that something catastrophic can happen increases the longer nothing is done.
Colorado Town Fears Avalanche of Water

The area manager of the Bureau of Reclamation, Mike Collins, says safety of residents is his number one concern. He denies there is an immediate threat to residents living near the mine drainage tunnel.
Seeping water is sign of looming disaster

EPA Regional Administrator Robert Roberts wrote: "Due to the unknown condition of the tunnel blockages and the large volume of water behind the blockages, we are concerned that an uncontrolled, potentially-catastrophic release of water to the Arkansas River from the LMDT (Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel) is likely at some point."
Seeping water is sign of looming disaster

The California Gulch Superfund site cleanup project started in 1983. EPA community involvement coordinator Jennifer Lane said the cleanup is about 75 percent complete.
Seeping water is sign of looming disaster

"Our priority is to support Lake County in protecting residents who may be directly affected by this potentially dangerous situation. We intend to facilitate mitigation of threat as quickly and effectively as possible," said Hans Kallam, Director of the Division of Emergency Management.
Lake County Declares Disaster Emergency Over Water Blockage

Greg Teter, the general manager of Parkville Water District, noted that he was particularly concerned about the possibility that some sources of public drinking water could be contaminated. On a scale of 1-10, he said, his concern ranked as a 10.
Mine emergency declared in Leadville

Debbie Turner, who owns the trailer park below the mine pool, spoke of her worries about safety for the park's residents.
Mine emergency declared in Leadville

Jeff Foley, Lake County's Emergency Manager, spoke of Lake County's inability to respond to a major disaster.
Mine emergency declared in Leadville

"At this point, we don't have any data that indicates a threat to the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel," bureau spokesman Buck Feist said Thursday.
Leadville mine leak could endanger water supply

"Certainly this is a regional issue and we are concerned and it needs to be addressed," said Gary Bostrom, Utilities' general manager of water systems.
Leadville mine leak could endanger water supply

Jim Martin, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, told townspeople Friday the state will do everything it can to jump-start a response plan...
$5 million pumping plan for Leadville tunnel

As emergency response officials gathered at the courthouse Friday, Elsie Duran, 52, and her husband unloaded bottled water from their truck and carried it into their trailer home along the Arkansas River.
$5 million pumping plan for Leadville tunnel

"What we're trying to do is get all the stakeholders together and see what's going to be done," said Polly White, spokesman for the Colorado Division of Emergency Management.
State assessing risks from plugged tunnel

Mike Ryan, Bureau of Reclamation regional director: "The Bureau of Reclamation is aware of the recent change in discharge quantity and quality from the tunnel portal and is moving forward with an investigation into the associated risks that may have developed,"
State assessing risks from plugged tunnel

Gov. Bill Ritter is asking President Bush for quick action in dealing with the threat of a catastrophic blowout of 1 billion gallons of contaminated water trapped in a mine drainage tunnel near Leadville.
Gov. Ritter asks Bush to act on Leadville mine threat

Bob Elder, a local expert on mine pool history, drew attention to the issue during the fall. He first noticed water levels in old mines, tunnels and faults were higher than they should be if the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel was working correctly.
Fear of blowout at tunnel

State Rep. Tom Massey of Poncha Springs and State Sen. Tom Wiens of Castle Rock, are drafting a joint resolution calling for state and federal action to avert a potential disaster in Lake and Chaffee counties.
Fear of blowout at tunnel