EPA Office to Focus on Western Lands Cleanup, From the West (3)

The EPA announced a new Colorado-based office on Wednesday that will oversee Western land cleanup.

The Office of Mountains, Deserts, and Plains will focus especially on mining cleanup and will provide oversight, guidance, and technical assistance, said Environmental Protection Agency associate deputy administrator Doug Benevento at an announcement in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The office in Lakewood, Colo., will be closer to mine sites and more accessible to communities affected by mine pollution, Benevento said.

“EPA recognizes that the West has distinct needs that aren’t always effectively addressed through existing mechanisms and resources,” he said.

“Done are the days of a ...