Mines cited for state’s No. 1 toxic-waste status

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, April 12, 2001 | 11:19 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Nevada, for the second consecutive year, released more toxic materials into the environment than any other state, according to an Environmental Protection Agency report released Wednesday. Mining operations were cited.

By law, mining companies for the past two years have been required to report releases of naturally occurring materials such as arsenic, mercury, sulfur and lead that miners unearth when they move tons of rock to get to precious metals such as gold and silver.

The sheer volume of rock -- and the metals trapped inside -- pushed Nevada to the top of the toxic-chemical list.

But mining officials say the toxic materials are not harmful to the air or land and generally don't get washed into ground water.

"While (the materials) may be exposed a little bit more when we break up the rock, they are not generally available for take-up in the environment," Nevada Mining Association director Russell Fields said. "They pose no threat to the community or the workers."

Nevada produces about 75 percent of the nation's gold, mining about 8.6 million ounces last year worth $2.4 billion.

Mining officials do not object to reporting toxic releases, but believe the EPA report misleads the public, Fields said.

"In an ideal situation, Nevada would not be at the top of a polluter's list," Fields said.

But environmentalists say toxic materials in waste rock are dangerous. "These materials in the ground are not hurting anything; it's not until they are dug up and made available to wind and rain that they pose a real threat," said Chris Cervini, spokesman for the Mineral Policy Center in Washington.

The release of mercury into the air during the gold-extraction process is the worst problem related to toxic releases, University of Nevada, Reno environmental science professor Glenn Miller said.

The Environmental Protection Division should do more to crack down on mining operations responsible for mercury pollution, he said. Arsenic seeping into drinking water is another serious issue.

"The (EPA) numbers in a way overstate the problem because not all of the materials will be released," Miller said. "On the other hand, it's a clear signal that there are large amounts of reactive material in there that will produce a large problem for Nevada."

Environmental officials are not prepared for the mammoth task of cleaning up toxic materials left by large mines, Miller said.

"These are not small problems," he said. "These are the largest gold mines in the country."

Mining officials note that states monitor and regulate waste-rock piles. The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service also oversee waste rock on federal public land.

But environmentalists said the EPA report highlights the need for more protections. They used the report to criticize President Bush, who has placed holds on environmental regulations, including new rules that would have held mining companies more responsible for cleaning up toxic messes.

"The new information released today shows exactly why rolling back environmental protections is a terrible idea and why even thinking about rolling back our right to know about lead pollution is an even worse idea," Jeremiah Baumann, environment advocate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said in a statement.

The annual EPA Toxic Release Inventory report, which typically contains year-old data, is an attempt at compiling a comprehensive list of manufacturing companies and industries that release toxic chemicals into the air, land and water. There are 650 chemicals reported to EPA.

The grand total: 7.77 billion pounds of toxic materials were released nationwide in 1999, a 5 percent increase. Half of the total releases came from mines, the EPA said. Seventeen of the top 20 toxic release sites were mines.

Nearly one-third of all toxic materials came from two states, Nevada and Utah: Nevada reported about 1.16 billion pounds; Utah nearly 1.08 billion.

EPA officials say those numbers aren't necessarily cause for alarm, but stress the statistics are vital public information.

"How that material is handled is the key," said Adam Browning, an EPA environmental protection specialist. "These are metals that were previously buried and are now subject to leaching. It's important information to know about a certain facility. Mines are not without environmental impact."

EPA officials also point to good news: Nevada's toxic release was down from the previous year by 11 percent. That's due to regulations and improved environmental practices by business and industry, said Enrique Manzanilla, an EPA spokeswoman in San Francisco, the regional headquarters for Nevada.

Henderson-based Kerr-McGee Chemical released the most toxic materials in Clark County in 1999 -- 2.3 million pounds; followed by Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin with 1.2 million pounds; and Reid Gardner Station in Moapa with 561,000 pounds.

Kerr-McGee led the list because it produces a black powder waste in the processing of manganese dioxide ore, used in dry cell alkaline batteries, plant manager Rick Stater said. The material is hauled to the Apex landfill about 20 miles north of Las Vegas.

"It's a nonhazardous material," he said. "There are no problems at all."