Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper's letter in support of Bonita Peak Mining District NPL Listing
On February 29, 2016, EPA received a letter from Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper affirming the State of Colorado’s support for adding the Bonita Peak Mining District in San Juan County, Colorado, to the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of high-priority sites that have releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that warrant remedial evaluation and response.
The agency’s policy is to determine the state’s position on sites the agency is considering placing on the NPL, and on February 19, 2016, EPA sent a letter to Gov. John Hickenlooper seeking the State’s concurrence on adding the Bonita Peak Mining District to the NPL.
With the concurrence of the State, EPA will now move forward with its deliberations regarding proposing the site to the NPL. Should the Bonita Peak Mining District be proposed for NPL listing, it would occur through a Notice of Rulemaking where relevant documentation is published in the Federal Register. This is followed by a 60-day public comment period. After evaluating and responding to comments, EPA will make a final determination whether to add the site on the NPL.