Abandoned mines in Colorado must be cleaned up

In October, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced $10 million in funding designated for mine cleanup in Colorado. Compared to the typical annual allocation of $2.8 million in funding, this increase is significant for the state. It will enhance the cleanup of the thousands of abandoned mines across the state. These mines are located everywhere. From the Bluebird/Satanic mine near Red Rocks Amphitheater outside of Denver to the numerous unnamed mines located above treeline across Colorado public lands, the dangers of these sites deserve attention.

There are tens of thousands of abandoned mines across Colorado and many of these locations are left open and littered with unstable structures. Some mines (usually coal mines) are also on fire underground throughout the state, 38 to be exact. Two of these fires are located within Boulder city limits. Many of these abandoned sites have been left unmaintained due to a lack of cleanup funding for the state. The newly announced federal funding helps address the dangers that these locations present to the public.