story get unbelievable every day epa record release toxic runoff mine two tiny colorado towns date 2005 local mine owner claims.the 3-million-gallon heavy-metal spill two weeks ago silverton pollute three state touch national outrage epa escape public wrath 2005 secretly dump 15,000 tons poisonous waste another mine 124 miles away dump contain arsenic lead materials materialize runoff town leadville say todd hennis own mine along numerous others private company do would fin existence hennis say battle epa 10 years do nothing create pollution 20 percent silverton residents think purpose declare whole area superfund site like silverton south leadville found late 1800s mine town municipality county today tourism livelihood.it backdrop environmental protection agency begin lobby declare part leadville superfund site order develop recreational area call mineral belt trail project officially complete 2000 apparently agency stay continue work town.in late 2005 epa collect tons sludge two leadville mine secretly dump shaft new mikado mine without notify hennis owner accord document review watchdog.a drainage tunnel instal bottom mine shaft u.s. government 1942 mean snow rain would leach toxins surround land.hennis say epa claim instal treatment pond near tunnel clean runoff epa rebuff demand clean mess create mine say frustration hennis send county sheriff certify notice epa officials find near property trespass arrested.despite history bitterness 2010 epa ask hennis grant agents access gold king mine silverton agency investigate hazardous runoff mine region say want land fear create additional pollution like leadville hennis say official request turn threat hennis say say give us access within four days fine 35,000 day epa administrative order date may 12 2011 say inspectors want conduct drill hole instal monitor well sample monitor water soil mine waste material mine water rock dump necessary evaluate release hazardous substances epa hit hennis 300,000 fin say wave white flag allow agency property.so past four years epa work mine two others nearby border creek funnel animas river one mine north wall cement owner continue leak water gold king epa instal drainage ditch gold king side mine alleviate problem accidentally fill ditch dirt rock last summer build water-retention wall.that wall burst contractor punch hole top aug. send bright orange stream cascade epa look like keystone kops anger intensify media general public 24 hours pass notification low state navajo nation white house ignore mention incident take week epa administrator tour durango downstream refuse visit silverton itself.the epa say clean ponds instal leach toxins water claim anything release actually clean spill occur fallout disaster low state still unknown.also unknown fate silverton months epa push town leaders allow designation superfund site belief whole town contaminate something town resist reputation stake current test show evidence toxic soil level whenever hear word epa think superfund say silverton town board trustee david zanoni say want work together b.s want come take water naturally fill minerals need clean epa litany mistake gold king mine barometer zanoni say hand rein silverton would disaster contingency plan case go hell said.the epa could reach comment.via watchdog.org secret dump toxic waste private property epa government bully epa finally expose