Democrats Propose Mining Fees To Help Pay For Cleanups

DENVER (AP) – Congressional Democrats from Colorado and New Mexico are proposing new fees for mining on federal land to help pay for cleaning up sites like Colorado’s inactive Gold King Mine, where 3 million gallons of wastewater spilled into rivers that run through three states.
The legislation announced Thursday would impose a reclamation fee on all mines, both new and existing. The lawmakers estimate it would raise about $100 million a year toward a total cleanup bill they say is