A Montana company agreed to a multi-million dollar clean-up of a former smelting site to protect the health of people living in the area.
The Atlantic Richfield Company agreed to complete cleanup of the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site in Deer Lodge County, Mont., according to a Sept. 30 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency news release. Montana U.S. District Court approved the past cost settlement Sept. 11, in which Atlantic Richfield agreed to to reimburse the EPA for more than $48 million in cleanup costs at the smelter site and the Warm Springs Ponds Operable Units.
"This settlement highlights the agency's vigorous enforcement to ensure the complete cleanup of the Anaconda Smelter Superfund site," EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Larry Starfield said in the news release. "The work performed under this settlement will further protect the environment and the health of the people who live, work and play in this community."
The copper smelting site was active for decades near Anaconda, Mont., and polluted the area's soil yards, pastures and open spaces and commercial and industrial areas in the 300-square-mile site, according to the release.
"This pollution has in turn contributed to the contamination of creeks and other surface waters at the site, as well as of alluvial and bedrock ground water," the news release said. "The closure of smelting operations in 1980 left large volumes of smelter slag, flue dust and hazardous rock tailings that have had to be secured through a variety of remediation methods."
Under the settlement, Atlantic Richfield, a British Petroleum subsidary, agree to complete "numerous remedial activities" that have been going on since EPA administrative orders were issued in the 1990s, according to the release.
Cost for remaining work at the site, including operation and maintenance activities to protect remediated lands over the long term, is $83.1 million, according to the news release. Atlantic Richfield will pay $48 million to reimburse the EPA Superfund Program and to the U.S. Department of Justice for "response costs." Atlantic Richfield also will pay about $185,000 to the U.S. Forest Service for future remedial oversight Forest Service-administered lands at the site.
"This is an important milestone for the people of Anaconda and Montana," Montana Department of Environmental Quality Waste Management and Remediation Division Administrator Amy Steinmetz said in the news release. "A lot of great cleanup work has already been done, and this consent decree will ensure that remaining remediation needs are funded and completed."
