Montana Superfund Site Cleanup Underway

The owner of a shuttered aluminum plant in Columbia Falls, Montana, has agreed to pay $57.6 million to mitigate pollution from decades of smelting operations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the agreement with Columbia Falls Aluminum Company (CFAC) for the cleanup of toxins including arsenic, fluoride, and cyanide at the expansive industrial site.

This agreement follows the EPA's addition of the CFAC site to the National Priorities List nearly a decade ago. While much of the waste will be consolidated and capped on-site, a portion of the property is slated for a 421-unit residential development. The project developer plans to use city water due to contamination concerns with groundwater.

The 647-page agreement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court review. This cleanup effort is a long-term undertaking, characteristic of Superfund sites addressing legacy industrial contamination. The site borders the Flathead River and Cedar Creek Reservoir, making water contamination a significant concern for local residents.

Community groups are pushing for transparency and rigorous monitoring throughout the remediation process, which is expected to take approximately two to three years to complete. This represents a new phase focused on remediation and ensuring the area's long-term, sustainable reuse after years of industrial activity.