Final Post of the Gold King Mine Release Joint Information Center

This will be the final blog post for Gold King Mine Release Joint Information Center; however, incident information sharing and coordination will continue as necessary. Starting immediately, further information and updates related to the incident, including EPA claims program, will be handled by the EPA through their toll free hotline at (844) 607-9700.  Local agencies will continue to inform the public of ongoing operations through our established media process. Local information can be accessed at:

• http://sjbhd.org/public-health-news/gold-king-mine-incident
• www.facebook.com/sanjuanbasinhealth.
• www.co.laplata.co.us/emergency
• www.facebook.com/laplatacounty
• http://durangogov.org/utilities

EPA has released Sediment Data for 8/13 and 8/14/15

EPA has released sediment data and has issued the following information:

The EPA surface water samples collected on August 16 and 17, 2015 from along the Animas River have been validated.  EPA has done a review of the data which included a comparison to screening levels for exposure during recreational use to determine if the metal concentrations are consistent with pre-incident levels.

Based on the results of the surface water samples in the Animas River, surface water concentrations are trending toward pre-event conditions.

Click link below to read more from the EPA

http://www2.epa.gov/goldkingmine/gold-king-mine-data-august-23-2015

Media Advisory - Gold King Mine Incident Media Site Visit Plan

******MEDIA ADVISORY****MEDIA ADVISORY***MEDIA ADVISORY***

DATE: August 22, 2015
CONTACT: (970) 812-3351

Gold King Mine Incident Media Site Visit Plan

DURANGO, CO – Due the demand for visits to the Gold King Mine release site, the Unified Colorado Command has announced the following rules for media site visit requests:

• All requests for visitation must be submitted 48 hours prior, to the Joint Information Center (JIC) Media line (970) 812-3351, Monday through Friday. Access is provided for the sole purpose of capturing B-roll/footage.
• If access to Gold King Mine is made available following construction work on the access road, ALL media/visitors must receive personal protective equipment (PPE), an in-person safety briefing and sign the ‘Gold King Mine Visitor’ sheet prior to work zone entry.
• Use of a media pool is requested for access to the Gold King Mine for the purpose of capturing B-roll/footage, if the site is deemed accessible in the fall. No more than three representatives will be allowed; to be determined by media outlets. Names of media representatives shall be provided with credentials to Public Information Offer (PIO) at time of visit. Representatives should report no later than 10:45 am to the Silverton Courthouse, 1557 Green Street, to meet the PIO for tours on designated days.
• If Gold King Mine becomes accessible, visit/tour times will be limited to two days (Tuesday/Thursday) during the week from 11 am to 1 pm. Tours of the Silverton Hundred Gold Mine are available for filming/photos of general mining operations. After contacting PIO to confirm tour, report to the Silverton Courthouse by 10:45 am.
• Additional access via Hurricane Pass overlook is available without PPE or a safety briefing. To schedule, call the JIC Media line at (970) 812-3351.
• Safety briefings are to be provided by designated Incident Management Team (IMT) Safety Officers, EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC), or United States Coast Guard (USCG) Strike Team contract oversight personnel only.
• Based on location of visit, visitors are required to wear appropriate PPE at all times. (e.g., eye protection, hard hat, and closed toe shoes).
• Site operations will take priority; be aware that visitations may be cancelled or postponed last minute due to operational constraints or weather conditions.

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EPA Releases Gold King Mine File Documents

EPA announced today that it is has made a number of Gold King Mine file documents available to the public. These include the EPA Task Order, the Action/Work Plan and Site Health and Safety Plan for the work at the Gold King Mine site:  http://www2.epa.gov/goldkingmine/epa-posts-gold-king-mine-file-documents

The most recent water quality and sediment sample data can be found here: http://www2.epa.gov/goldkingmine/data-gold-king-mine-response

Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Claims Processing

Links to Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Claims Processing FAQ sheet handed out at the 8/20/15 community meeting: http://bit.ly/1JqD1WA and Claim Process Fact Sheet: http://bit.ly/1NrqZ1F

Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) FAQ

Link to Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) FAQ sheet handed out at the 8/20/15 community meeting: http://bit.ly/1fwDev6

Livestock/Feed FAQ

Link to Livestock/Feed FAQ sheet handed out at the 8/20/15 community meeting: http://bit.ly/1h1Qzg6