Helena Independent Record: Helena-area projects to benefit from $65M tagged for 3 Montana Superfund sites

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said nearly $65 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be available for cleanup projects at three Superfund sites in Montana: the Upper Ten Mile Creek Mining Area in Lewis and Clark County; the Basin Mining Area, in Jefferson County and the Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District in Cascade County.

EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker on Tuesday said the announcement ensures these Superfund mining sites and watersheds will continue to receive funding to address long-standing contamination.

“Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering much-needed resources to improve the environment, public health, and quality of life in Montana communities,” Becker said in a news release.

The infrastructure law, signed in 2021 by President Joe Biden, provided a “historic investment” of $3.5 billion for Superfund cleanup work. The investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites across the state for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said Montanans shouldn’t have to worry about whether their communities are clean, safe places to live and work.

“It’s past time we get these cleanups done, and make the affected communities in Jefferson, Cascade, and Lewis and Clark counties whole. I’m proud to have secured this funding through my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and am working closely with EPA to ensure these dollars get where they need to go as soon as possible.”

DEQ Director Chris Dorrington said his agency is committed to championing a healthy environment and the funding would help make “significant progress” at the three sites.

The EPA is finalizing cleanup plans and preparing funding mechanisms to get construction work started as soon as possible.

Helena-area projects to benefit from $65M tagged for 3 Montana Superfund sites (helenair.com)