Heinrich Opening Statement On Gold King Mine Spill In Indian Affairs Committee

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich spoke at a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight hearing on the Gold King Mine spill, which caused a large plume of bright orange toxic waste to spill into the Animas and San Juan Rivers and pollute the Four Corners region last month. In his opening statement, Senator Heinrich discussed his visit to affected areas in northwestern New Mexico and the harmful impacts the accident has had on the Navajo Nation. He also highlighted the need for reforms to federal mining laws to end once and for all the practice of giving away valuable minerals on America's public land, for free, without a plan to address a century of pollution from abandoned mines. September 16, 2015.