Senators Seek Role In Mine Tailings Cleanup Craig, Kempthorne Introduce Bill To Fund Efforts In Cda Basin

Idaho’s senators introduced legislation Thursday aimed at cleaning up a century’s worth of mining contamination.

The Coeur d’Alene Basin Environmental Restoration Act of 1996 calls for reducing discharges of heavy metals, capping or removing mine tailings, improving fish and wildlife habitat, and stabilizing river banks.

The bill is co-sponsored by Republicans Larry Craig and Dirk Kempthorne.

“The hallmark of this legislation is local input and control,” said Craig.

The bill is similar to the draft legislation that Craig’s staff presented at meetings in North Idaho last fall.

However, said Craig aide Nils Johnson, this version includes more authority for a 13-member citizens advisory commission that the law would establish. The change came after many people asked that less cleanup authority be given to Idaho’s governor.

The bill now calls for the commission to work with the governor to develop an action plan for the cleanup. The commission and governor also would jointly determine what mining companies must do to be released from future liability for any damage done by the presence of lead, zinc, cadmium and other metals in the environment.

The act does not say how much the federal government or the mining companies would contribute to restoration efforts. Estimates for that range from the $100 million quoted by industry representatives to $500 million called for by the Coeur d’Alene Indians.

The bill does approve $500,000 to develop the cleanup plan, Johnson said, and gives Congress the authority to fund the plan.

The commission would include private citizens, and representatives of state agencies, federal agencies, affected industries and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

The bill will likely be referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee, of which Kempthorne is a member.

The committee will decide whether to hold a hearing in North Idaho, Johnson said. He said Craig’s staff will be in the region in April to gather comments on the bill, but could not say if a public meeting would be scheduled.

Earlier this month, Idaho Gov. Phil Batt asked federal agencies not to sue the mining companies to recover natural resource damages caused by the metals contamination. On Thursday, Craig echoed that sentiment.

“Litigation does not benefit the citizens affected by the problem,” he said. “And it certainly doesn’t make good use of resources available for cleanup.”

Craig noted that the Silver Valley mines that produced the contamination also contributed to America’s economy, especially in wartime when the region’s minerals were of strategic importance.

“The federal government has been involved in every phase of mineral production over the history of the valley. It’s only appropriate that Congress now have a role in funding some of the cleanup.”

The legislation would not affect the ongoing Superfund cleanup of a 21-square mile area surrounding the defunct Bunker Hill smelter.

, DataTimes