Crapo, Risch, Fulcher Call Out EPA Failure to Elicit Community Feedback on Cinnabar Mine Superfund Designation

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan expressing concerns regarding the EPA’s failure to obtain community input on the potential listing of Idaho’s Cinnabar Mine as a Superfund site.

The EPA is seeking a Superfund site designation for the Cinnabar Mine, a former mercury mine located in Valley County.  The agency claims its public outreach has elicited enough support to justify the Superfund designation despite the EPA’s failure to visit the site in the last five years and the lack of input from communities affected most, including Donnelly and Cascade.

“EPA Region 10’s seeming insistence for listing Cinnabar as a Superfund site, without properly collecting widespread public opinion, educating stakeholders, entertaining other alternative solutions, or identifying available funding, is completely destructive to entire communities and economies that rely on safe outdoor recreation in Valley County,” the Lawmakers wrote.  “We recognize the National Priorities List can serve an important role overall in the assessment and cleanup of dangerous sites.  However, it is essential we thoroughly explore all options for Cinnabar and seriously consider additional input from all affected communities before following this permanent and uncertain path.”

The full letter can be read here.