Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/608970
ing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. The rule drew substantial criticism from industry, who claimed the rule was an EPA power grab. The court cited in its ruling substan- tial "ripple effects" associated with the rule, and therefore issued a stay across all 50 states to temporarily halt imple- mentation of the final WOTUS rule. The court argued that, given the substantial possibility of success in the lawsuits pending, a stay was in order. Though the final WOTUS rule has limited impact on groundwater, the con- troversy over the rule has taken the oxy- gen out of many water-related activities on Capitol Hill this year. Full imple- mentation of the rule could have adverse impacts on the agricultural community, and NGWA will continue to monitor the rule's court challenges. House Holds Hearing on Abandoned Mines and Good Samaritan Laws Following the Gold King Mine toxic release into the Animas River, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard from witnesses, in- cluding the Environmental Protection Agency, on Good Samaritan laws on abandoned mine cleanups—to deter- mine what works and what revisions could be made to current policy to encourage more activity by Good Samaritans. The EPA stated it had spent roughly $1 billion on abandoned mine cleanup between 2010 and 2014. Many members of Congress and wit- nesses at the hearing suggested a need for greater emphasis on inventorying the risk and number of abandoned mines present—as it was made very clear the number and extent of abandoned mine risks is unknown. NGWA's communication to Congress relating to the Gold King Mine release highlighted similar concerns over this uncertainty. Given bipartisan interest in the issue, there is a potential for momentum by Congress to seek a legislative fix. How- ever, uncertainty remains as to the solu- tion. Many witnesses and members of Congress were satisfied with modifying existing Superfund legislation, whereas others believe new legislation, specifi- cally dealing with abandoned mines, is needed. Abandoned mines pose a threat to groundwater resources, given uncer- tainty surrounding the number and risks of the mines. Legislation would provide an opportunity for NGWA to provide technical expertise and could stimulate opportunities for remediation work. NEWS from page 13 14 December 2015 WWJ waterwelljournal.com Movie Depicts Chilean Mine Rescue in 2010 A movie recounting the rescue of 33 miners from a mine in Chile that gained worldwide attention in the fall of 2010 opened on November 13. The 33 tells how the miners survived 2300 feet below the surface for 69 days before getting rescued from the San Jose mine in Copiapo, Chile. The mine collapsed on August 5, 2010. The groundwater industry played key roles in the rescue efforts. Jeff Hart, operations manager for Layne Christensen Co., a Mission Woods, Kansas-based firm, was joined by Matt Staffel, along with Doug Reeves and Jorge Herrera, Spanish-speaking employees from the firm's U.S. operation. It was the first time Layne Christensen was involved in a rescue effort of this magnitude. Part of the team were engineers from two Pennsylvania companies— Schramm Inc. of West Chester, which manufactures the T130XD drill, and Center Rock Inc. of Berlin, which manufactures the LP (low-profile) drilling tool. A number of companies from the groundwater industry helped with the efforts and are listed in the coverage of the rescue in the December 2010 issue of Water Well Journal. The 33 stars Lou Diamond Phillips, Antonio Banderas, and James Brolin. R-CAM 1000 XS Professional Grade Portable Borehole Camera SC-350 Portable Borehole Camera System 2 "- 10 " Diameters t 350 '- 500 ' Cable 12VDC t 540 TVL t Stainless Steel Dual View Option SC-350 Portable Borehole Camera System 2 "- 10 " Diameters 540 TVL Dual View Option SC-350 Portable Borehole Camera System 2 "- 10 " Diameters t 350 '- 500 ' Cable 540 TVL t Stainless Steel Dual View Option side view camera down view camera MADE IN USA SC-350 Portable Borehole Camera System 2 "- 10 " Diameters 12VDC Dual View Option Dual View Camera 1,000 '- 2,000 ' t 9" Monitor/DVR Combo 12VDC t Depth Counter 540 TVL t 3"- 18" Diameters Laval Underground Surveys Telephone 559-251-1396 E-mail info@lavalunderground.com NEW