The Herald recently published a complimentary editorial (Herald, Dec. 20) on the passing of Good Samaritan legislation to limit liability to volunteers cleaning up historic mine sites. This legislation should be celebrated. A lot of hard work went into its passage.
In the editorial the Herald states, “The need for this type of legislation, identified in the 1980s by Peter Butler, local attorney …” To be clear, I didn’t identify the need, others before me did so. The issue was first identified in 1994 when EPA determined that draining mines are point sources of pollution under the law. And, I am not an attorney.
Peter Butler, Ph.D.
Durango
