© 2024 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KUNR’s spring fund drive is happening now, and your gift to the station will go twice as far with a matching pledge from the KUNR Advisory Board!

Now is the time to act –
click here to make a gift to KUNR today or increase your sustaining membership and have it matched.

Sandoval Approves Superfund Site Listing For Anaconda Copper Mine

Ken Lund
/
CC BY-SA 2.0

Governor Brian Sandoval has cautiously agreed to put the Anaconda Copper Mine on the National Priority List, opening up federal funding for clean up efforts. Reno Public Radio's Noah Glick reports.

The cost to clean up the site is estimated at $31 million. By getting it on the EPA’s National Priority List, Governor Sandoval hopes that federal dollars can provide a solution.

"The issue has always been funding," Sandoval explained. "That's been part of my discussions with the EPA is to have that assurance that if it is going to become a Superfund site, that the funding will be there to clean it up and that there will be a schedule to clean it up." 

Sandoval sent his official request to the EPA Tuesday, with the goal of getting work started by the end of next year.

"There is no imminent threat to health, safety, and welfare of the people of Yerington or of Lyon County, but it does need to be cleaned up before it can become one," Sandoval said.

The first time the state considered this listing was back in 2001.

Noah Glick is a former content director and host at KUNR Public Radio.
Related Content