While filling in for Thomas Roberts on MSNBC Live, Frances Rivera brought on Dan Olson from the San Juan Citizens Alliance to defend the EPA and cast all the blame on local mines in the region. The Environmental Protection Agency broke a dam holding back three million gallons of lead and iron filled water while working on the Gold King Mine on August 5. In the days following the disaster caused by the anti-mining governmental agency, the toxic mix of metals leaked and spread downstream, turning the Animas River yellow in Southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Olson dodged Rivera's questions, and insisted on deflecting all the blame to local mines and residents. In the process, he compared the disaster to a bomb technician trying to defuse a bomb in a supermarket:
FRANCES RIVERA, Host: Many people are questioning how this happened to begin with. With the EPA assessing leaks in that Gold King Mine when it accidentally shook loose a debris dam releasing all this water with the arsenic and lead and toxins. Is that something that you're questioning how this even happenned in the first place?
DAN OLSON, guest: Again, I want to blow it out a little bit more and look at the bigger picture perspective. The EPA was trying to clean up an ongoing pollution concern in our communities. The headwaters of the Animas River is a historic mining district that every minute is leaking pollutants into these waterways. The EPA was working in that region to try and identify and address these leaks. And in so doing triggered a very nasty accident. But if you were to think of an analogy-- If someone plants a bomb in a crowded market and someone goes in to defuse it and it blows up, who's at risk? The bomb maker or the defuser?
He also suggested that this type of thing can be expected in the future, and that we shouldn’t expect the EPA to fix their mistakes in situations like this:
OLSON: Absolutely. I mean not even around Colorado. I'd say a couple hundred yards downhill of this mine there are two mines that are leaking pollutants into our waterways right now. So the ongoing question is not just how do we fix this spill-- which to be honest we may not be able to clean up or remediate. But I think the bigger question is how do we address the legacy of mining, and the toxic mine pollution that's been left behind in these regions for literally over a century worth of mining.
Typical liberal response when their policies and actions fail. “Don’t blame me for what I did. It’s ultimately your fault.”
The relevant transcript is listed below:
FRANCES RIVERA, Host: Many people are questioning how this happened to begin with. With the EPA assessing leaks in that Gold King Mine when it accidentally shook loose a debris dam releasing all this water with the arsenic and lead and toxins. Is that something that you're questioning how this even happenned in the first place?
DAN OLSON, guest: Again, I want to blow it out a little bit more and look at the bigger picture perspective. The EPA was trying to clean up an ongoing pollution concern in our communities. The headwaters of the Animas River is a historic mining district that every minute is leaking pollutants into these waterways. The EPA was working in that region to try and identify and address these leaks. And in so doing triggered a very nasty accident. But if you were to think of an analogy-- If someone plants a bomb in a crowded market and someone goes in to defuse it and it blows up, who's at risk? The bomb maker or the diffuser?
RIVERIA: So how do you feel as far as the EPA and their job addressing this, are you satisfied with that?
OLSON: You know, I think that early on, and even today, some of their communications I think could definitely be improved. There are so many questions with regards to “is the water healthy” and “what would healthy even mean?” So we would like to see better data and better communication from the EPA but I think this is a phenomally difficult situation covering such a large stretch of river and such a complex problem that I don't think anyone could have all the answers at this point.
RIVERIA: And how about the concern for other mines? I know those areas especially in Colorado, there are a lot of similar mines. Any concern of it happening again or danger in the future?
OLSON: Absolutely. I mean not even around Colorado. I'd say a couple hundred yards downhill of this mine there are two mines that are leaking pollutants into our waterways right now. So the ongoing question is not just how do we fix this spill-- which to be honest we may not be able to clean up or remediate. But I think the bigger question is how do we address the legacy of mining, and the toxic mine pollution that's been left behind in these regions for literally over a century worth of mining.
RIVERIA: Something that may be tackled long after that river in particular cleans up. Thank you, Dan Olson from San Juan Citizens Allience. Appreciate your time.
