EPA reaches a settlement with a Great Falls oil refinery for its federal Clean Air Act violations
Montana Public Radio | By Ellis Juhlin
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with a Great Falls oil refinery for its federal Clean Air Act violations.
Calumet Montana has agreed to pay a $385,000 penalty and will update its risk management plan as part of the settlement. Documents show the EPA found nearly 30 procedural violations in Calumet’s risk management plan during a 2019 on the ground inspection.
The Clean Air Act Risk Management Plan guides the safe handling and storage of hazardous substances.
Calumet’s facility must follow federal Clean Air Act regulations because it processes and stores large amounts of flammable mixtures and hydrofluoric acid. According to the EPA, hydrofluoric acid can cause severe injury, burns or death when released into the air.
In a statement, Calumet said 2019 infractions were administrative and not related to any allegation of harm to the community or the environment.
Groundwater near Holland Lake hasn't been contaminated due to wastewater leaking from a nearby holding pond, forest officials say
Montana Public Radio | By Austin Amestoy
Groundwater near a lake in the Swan Valley has not been contaminated due to wastewater leaking from a nearby holding pond. That’s according to Flathead National Forest officials who manage the site.
The forest was required to sample the area after state environmental regulators this fall found the waste treatment pond that serves Holland Lake Lodge and a campground was leaking far more than state rules allow. The Forest Service said it’s working to improve the wastewater treatment system.
An ad-hoc citizen group opposed to large-scale development at Holland Lake pushed back against the Forest Services analysis.
The Save Holland Lake group in a press release said a summary of the results showed elevated nitrogen levels in groundwater. The group is asking the Forest Service to publicly release the results in full and allow a third party access to the sampling wells for additional testing.
