The Latest: Colorado disappointed with New Mexico lawsuit

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Latest on New Mexico’s lawsuit against Colorado over the Gold King Mine spill (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s office says it is disappointed New Mexico has chosen “costly and time-consuming litigation” in response to the Gold King Mine spill.

New Mexico has filed a complaint against Colorado with the U.S. Supreme Court, saying Colorado should be held responsible for decisions that led up the August 2015 spill.

The governor’s office says the litigation doesn’t affect Colorado’s commitment to addressing challenges posed by historic drainage from mines into the Animas River and other watersheds in the state.

Colorado officials vow to continue work to protect natural resources and public health.

The spill sent millions of gallons of mine wastewater containing arsenic, lead and other heavy metals into the Animas River. The plume coursed downstream into the San Juan River and eventually Lake Powell.

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12 a.m.

New Mexico is suing the state of Colorado, saying its northern neighbour should be held responsible for the contamination from a massive mine waste spill last year as well as decades of toxic drainage from mines near the headwaters of a shared river.

The New Mexico Attorney General’s Office and the state Environment Department announced late Wednesday that they filed a complaint against Colorado with the U.S. Supreme Court.

It seeks damages and demands that Colorado address problems at the mines.

It marks the second major legal salvo fired by New Mexico in the wake of the August 2015 spill, which fouled rivers in three states with a yellow soup of arsenic, lead and other heavy metals. New Mexico is also suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Colorado officials have previously declined to comment on New Mexico’s claims, citing possible litigation.