[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] doctor larry wolk, executive director and mr. ryan flynn. i appreciate you being here. since -- don't sit down yet. i am trying to save you extra space. pursuant to the rules of the oversight and government reform committee and only that committee,committee, all witnesses will be sworn in before the testify. would you please raise your right hand. [witnesses being sworn in] once again, anything you have submitted in writing as part of the record and will be there. we will ask each of you to make a quick statement limited to five minutes. we will try and be arbitrary arbitrary with those -- with the gavel coming down, but we appreciate you being here as part of this discussion. we will start with president russell begaye. five minutes to give oral testimony to the committee. >> good afternoon, chairman. good to see you always and thank you for your support. also ranking members of the committee. my name is russell begaye, president of the navajo nation. i was born and raised along the river in shiprock. years ago we saw hundreds o

larry wolk, the executive director and chief medical officer for the colorado department of public health and environment. i appreciate the opportunity to share with you my testimony on behalf of the department regarding the water quality impacts from the recent gold king mine spill into cement creek and the animas river near silv silv silverton, colorado. the upper river basin has a long and storied mining history and as with many watersheds in colorado, legacy mining has resulted in significant water quality impacts. for years, drainage above silverton has contributed heavy metal lodes into cement creek which flows into the animas river. our water quality control division within the department has routinely but infrequently sampled the water quality in cement creek and the animas river as part of our water quality program. these samples have consistently shown the quality of the water in cement creek and the animas river is and has been for years impacted by the mine waste coming from the legacy mines. the gold king mine is a historic gold mine located approximately 1,300 feet above sea

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] doctor larry wolk, executive director and mr.yan flynn. i appreciate you being here. since -- don't sit down yet. i am trying to save you extra space. pursuant to the rules of the oversight and government reform committee and only that committee,committee, all witnesses will be sworn in before the testify. would you please raise your right hand. [witnesses being sworn in] once again, anything you have submitted in writing as part of the record and will be there. we will ask each of you to make a quick statement limited to five minutes. we will try and be arbitrary arbitrary with those -- with the gavel coming down, but we appreciate you being here as part of this discussion. we will start with president russell begaye. five minutes to give oral testimony to the committee. >> good afternoon, chairman. good to see you always and thank you for your support. also ranking members of the committee. my name is russell begaye, president of the navajo nation. i was born and raised along the river in shiprock. years ago we saw hundreds of