Mining introduces some bad chemicals to the environment, and with the loopholes in the Clean Water Act still being taken advantage of, these wastes are being dumped directly into water ways. After enough of these wastes are dumped into a body of water or river, the fish are no longer edible and the water no longer safe to swim in or drink.
EPA's link on Torch Lake
Torch Lake is an example of the insidious nature of the mine tailings and stamp sands. The lake was used as a dump for the wastes of the mine, and the results were terrible. Fish with large tumors were being found, and after several tests were found unsafe to eat. The water was also corrupted.
Not everyone was harmed equally from this act. Those who lived on the lake or obtained sustenance from it were at a severe disadvantage when they were told that the fish is no longer safe to eat. Eating some fish was ok, but nowhere near the levels that the people in this area were used to.
This disadvantage for those who subsist off of the water and its bounties is much greater than for those who do not rely upon the water as much. This is true in many other places besides Torch Lake, with Native Americans receiving the short end of the stick anywhere mines have been allowed to dump their tailings and other wastes directly into the water. The loopholes in the Clean Water Act much be taken care of to ensure the protection of both the water and the people who live on the water.
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