The article “The Mines Part Four: Our future's history” in the September 18, 2025, issue of The Mountain-Ear had requested comments from Tawana Bain, CEO and Chairwoman of American Clean Resources Group, and Health and Riley McCallister, Safety Director and General Mine Foreman. 

At the time of publication Bain has not responded. McCallister responded to The Mountain-Ear's request for comment after publication. 

McCallister stated, "The claims made by the former employee are wholly inaccurate and misleading. To clarify:

“Training & Certification: Every single employee at the site was fully trained and certified through MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration). In addition, all employees who operated the crushing unit were certified under official MSHA documentation filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Suggesting that individuals were untrained is categorically false.

“Ventilation & Safety Measures: The crushing unit operated with ventilation systems that met MSHA standards. These systems were reviewed and certified as compliant.

“Regulatory Record: The mine has maintained a perfect MSHA compliance record over the past three and a half years — with no violations cited.

 “Employee Credibility: The individual making these allegations had documented performance issues and struggled to work collaboratively with colleagues. Their characterization of events is inconsistent with the experience of our team and our compliance history.

“Leadership & Oversight: The project was overseen by a geologist with more than 50 years of professional experience. We also maintained a partnership with the Colorado School of Mines through a student work program, further ensuring a culture of professionalism, accountability, and adherence to best practices.

“We stand by the record: this operation was conducted in full compliance with safety and training requirements, and any suggestion otherwise is not supported by fact. If you wish to speak directly with current employees who can share their first-hand experiences working under these standards, we would be glad to facilitate introductions. We invite you back up to see our training program and the crushing room that was mentioned. Thank you again for your time."