When the Gold King Mine spill turned the Animas River orange in 2015, our community was reeling. Within days, Sen. Bennet was on a plane and on the ground in Durango. He didn't send a staffer or issue a statement from Washington – he showed up, looked at the river himself, and listened to those of us who depend on the Animas for recreation, drinking water, and agriculture.
But he didn't stop at showing up. Michael pushed to get federal resources flowing when we needed them, and made sure the foot-dragging federal agencies paid back the local governments that had spent money on the spill response. He brought me to Washington to testify before Congress about the long-term work to clean up the Animas. And he supported the Superfund designation that made lasting recovery possible.
For years, Lake Nighthorse sat full but closed to the public, tangled in federal bureaucratic inertia. Michael refused to accept that. He came to Durango, assembled the relevant federal officials, and brought us to the lake to press our case. Working closely with our community, he kept constant pressure on the Bureau of Reclamation until it opened. Today, families can fish, swim, and paddle there because Michael wouldn't take no for an answer.
I've worked alongside Michael Bennet more closely than any statewide official I've known, and he's the best. He's always had Durango's back, and we can count on him to do the same as governor. That's why I'm supporting Michael Bennet for governor – and asking you to vote for him too.
Dean Brookie, former Mayor of Durango
Durango
