State of Montana Completes Remedial Obligations on Stucky Ridge and Mount Haggin Injured Areas in Anaconda
HELENA—The Montana Natural Resource Damage Program (NRDP) has met its obligations under the 2008 Clark Fork River Consent Decree to complete remediation of State-owned lands on Stucky Ridge and the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area (WMA) near Anaconda. A joint certification filed on April 4, 2023, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NRDP, with DEQ’s concurrence, confirms that NRDP has completed all required cleanup (remedy) of injured state lands, which are subject to the CD, in the Anaconda area.
“Working with local, federal, nonprofit, and private partners, we’ve achieved a significant milestone in remediating injured natural resources in the Upper Clark Fork River Basin,” Governor Greg Gianforte said. “Together, we’ll continue to restore lands and waters in the area for the benefit of our people, fish, and wildlife.”
For background, in 2008, the State of Montana and the United States entered a Consent Decree with Atlantic Richfield Company. Under that Consent Decree, approximately $13.3 million was allocated to NRDP to perform remedy on state-owned lands in the Anaconda Company Smelter National Priorities List (NPL) Site.
Remedial actions completed on Stucky Ridge include tilling of lime and fertilizer into 400-acres of contaminated soils with subsequent planting of native forbs, shrubs, and grasses, as well as, planting a diversity of trees on steep slopes, weed and erosion control, and fencing to protect restored areas.
On Mount Haggin, steep slope reclamation techniques and best management practices were implemented to keep contaminates out of the streams and groundwater. These remedial actions were integrated with restoration actions like the construction of structures which mimic beaver dams to capture sediment and encourage the growth of riparian associated species. NRDP worked closely with EPA, DEQ, FWP, and private contractors to blend engineering with ecological approaches to control erosion and sequester sediments onsite.
Charlie Coleman, EPA’s Remedial Project Manager for the site, noted: “Coordinating superfund cleanup with restoration has achieved both programs’ goals in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Techniques developed by NRDP for addressing steep slope areas are now being used by superfund on similar areas of the Anaconda Smelter site.”
Consistent with the Draft Conceptual Smelter Hill Area Uplands Resources Restoration Plan (2007), NRDP will continue to work with FWP and contractors on the approximately 57,581-acre Mount Haggin WMA to restore habitat and assure that remedial actions required by the CD, such as the reclamation of steep slopes and revegetation, remain effective.
With this important milestone, NRDP will move ahead to perform restoration on County-owned lands in the Anaconda Smelter Site. NRDP will be working with Anaconda-Deer Lodge County to identify potential restoration actions, perform the necessary scoping, and develop a draft restoration plan amendment for County-owned lands. The restoration plan amendment will be the subject of public meetings and public comment before final consideration by the Governor.
About NRDP:
At the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program, our mission is to recover damages for natural resources injured by the release of hazardous substances and oil and to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of those injured resources and the services they provide. For more information about NRDP, please visit: https://dojmt.gov/lands/nrdp-home.
Contacts:
Doug Martin
NRDP Restoration Program Chief
Phone: 406-444-0234
Email: [email protected]
Ray Vinkey
NRDP Environmental Scientist
Phone: 406-594-7689
Email: [email protected]