Current Activities

Bonita Peak Mining District construction equipment and materials with a foggy foreground obscuring the mountain views.

In March 2026, EPA completed the 2019 IROD work at 23 source areas. The next cleanup actions are expected to be selected over the next two to three years and will focus on three priority areas: Eureka, Kittimac, and the Howardsville area along the Upper Animas. These future actions are intended to reduce metals migration and support recovery in the Animas River watershed. EPA will continue to provide opportunities for public comment and community engagement as those remedies are developed and selected. Public notice will be provided when proposed plans are available for comment.

Before additional remedy selections can be made, the site team will continue the ongoing Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). This work includes Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments, as well as ongoing investigation of the Bonita Peak groundwater system to better understand the site’s hydrogeology.

Emergency Response and Removal

Removal actions are quick responses to immediate threats from hazardous substances to eliminate dangers to the public. At the Bonita Peak Mining District, EPA has conducted several removal activities.

Bonita Peak Mining District scenic view of mountains on a cloudy day.

For a complete list of Silverton, CO removal actions, please visit response.gov.