The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied a request by the Navajo Nation for an emergency declaration following the Gold King Mine spill. Arizona Public Radio’s Ryan Heinsius reports.
FEMA says responsibility for the tribe’s recovery falls under the authority other federal agencies. But Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s response to the spill has been insufficient. He also says the incident has devastated the tribe economically and culturally, and he’ll appeal FEMA’s decision.
In August, EPA and contract workers released 3 million gallons of toxic waste from Colorado’s Gold King Mine. It flowed into the San Juan River and through the Navajo Nation. The EPA says tests show the river is safe for crops and livestock, but many farmers and ranchers have refused to use the water.
A recently released Department of the Interior report blames the EPA for the spill.
