Potential changes to the Superfund cleanup plan for Butte are on the table this week at the first of two public meetings in the Mining City.
On Tuesday night the EPA will explain and take feedback on proposed changes to the 2006 legal Record of Decision that governs the cleanup of the Butte Hill and Upper Silver Bow Creek corridor in town. The plan includes waiving some state water quality standards in Butte’s creeks and replacing them with federal ones.
"This is a very important part of the process here," says Nikia Greene, the local EPA project manager. "I know the Butte community has been frustrated, feel like they’ve been waiting a long time. There’s been a lot of work done. We have a lot more to go. I’m excited about this. Get involved, let’s have the conversation."
The "proposed plan" is the framework of the final Superfund cleanup deal, or consent decree, currently being negotiated for the Butte Priority Soils site.
The first public meeting will be held at the Montana Tech Campus Library Auditorium in Butte from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23.
Find more details about EPA’s proposed amendments to the Record of Decision, and the public comment period, which is open through June 11.