Montana Department of Environmental Quality About Us Permitting & Operator Assistance Public Participation

DEQ Seeks Comment on Draft Plans to Maintain Protections at the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site

  • Kevin Stone
  • March 24 2023

HELENA—The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting public comment on a draft sitewide Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plan and Institutional Control Implementation and Assurance Plan (ICIAP) for the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site in Lincoln County. DEQ is responsible for the implementation of O&M activities, ensuring that the controls in place across the site remain protective of human health and the environment following the completion of cleanup work.

The Libby Asbestos Superfund Site was added to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List in 2002 due to asbestos contamination that resulted from the vermiculite mine and associated facilities operated by W.R Grace from 1963 to 1990. The site consists of eight distinct areas called operable units (OUs).

The O&M Plan and ICIAP consolidate existing documents drafted and implemented by EPA and DEQ for six of the OUs.  The intent of the sitewide plans is to ensure consistency of O&M implementation in OUs 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8, and to make information about O&M activities more accessible. These operable units include the cities of Libby and Troy, the former screening and export plants, and the former Stimpson Lumber Mill. The operable units that include the former Libby Mine site (OU3) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (OU6), are not included in the sitewide O&M Plan or ICIAP. EPA remains the lead agency for those operable units with DEQ providing a supporting agency role.

DEQ will accept public comment on the draft documents until April 23, 2023. Comments may be submitted electronically or by mail. To view the documents or learn more about submitting comment visit: https://deq.mt.gov/News/publiccomment-folder/news-article6 

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