Region 8
Serving Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 27 Tribal Nations
Superfund Program
National Information
Regional Information
Site Information
National Priorities List (NPL) History
Proposed Date
12/30/1982
Final Date
9/8/1983
Anaconda Co. Smelter Site
Site Type: Active NPL City: Anaconda Zip code: 59711 EPA ID#: MTD093291656 Congressional District: At Large |
WHAT'S NEW?
A January 2009 fact sheet containing basic information about the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site provides an overview of this very large Superfund Site. The fact sheet outlines the Superfund process; describes the complexity of the Anaconda Smelter Site; the Site's organization; the cleanup that has been completed and upcoming activity on the site. It is a good review of the site or an introduction to those who may new to the area or newly interested in the cleanup. You are welcome to contact the site's Community Involvement Coordinator, Wendy Thomi, with questions about the site.
The 2008 Annual Site Update describes work completed in 2007; work planned for 2008, recently started work, ongoing cleanup and documents released in 2007. The 2009 Annual Update is coming soon!
Activities for 2008 included:
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Anaconda Regional Waste Water and Soil OU
Opportunity Ponds. Continue placement of Milltown sediments, placement of Streamside Tailings materials, and development of borrow areas into constructed wetlands. Initiate shakedown of Groundwater/Surface Water Management system.
West Galen. Continue soil treatment on approximately 1,000 additional acres.
South Opportunity. Land reclamation will be performed on 130 acres of MT Highway 1 and Mill Creek Road. These areas have been a source of fugitive dust emissions during extreme wind conditions.
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Old Works OU
Sewage Treatment Plant Parcel. Initiate cleanup of the Anaconda-Deer Lodge property.
Arbiter Industrial Complex. Work continues
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Community Soils OU
Residential Soil Cleanup. Complete cleanups including vacant lots in Anaconda and surrounding areas. Residents who would like to have their yards or attic dust sampled may call Luke Pokorny at Atlantic Richfield in Butte at 723-1832.
Adjacent to Railroads. Complete cleanup of undeveloped lots.
Railroads. Initiate placement of engineered cover on railroad grade through Anaconda.
In August 2005, EPA completed the third five year review of the Anaconda Smelter site. Reviews address portions of the site where remedial construction has been completed and where EPA has determined the remedy is operational and functional.
The results indicate the remedies are protective of human health and the environment, cleanup areas are generally functioning as designed, and were managed and maintained appropriately. A few deficiencies that do not immediately impact the protectiveness of the remedy were noted. The entire five year review document is available on this page under Site Documents.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The site is located at the southern end of the Deer Lodge Valley, at and near the location of the former Anaconda Minerals Company (AMC) ore processing facilities. In September 1983, the EPA placed the area surrounding the smelter on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). Consulting with the State of Montana and coordinating with ARCO, EPA began investigations into the extent of contamination. Since then, removals and cleanup actions have reduced human health risks at the site. ARCO merged with AMC in 1977 and is the Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) at the site. ARCO's liability and EPA's costs are the subject of ongoing litigation.
The site covers an area of approximately 300 square miles. It has a temperate climate and includes a variety of terrain - from steep slope uplands to level valley floors. There are also a variety of creeks and drainages. Major mining-related features at the site include two very large tailings ponds (the Anaconda Ponds and the Opportunity Ponds) and the former Anaconda smelter stack. At 585 feet tall, the stack is a local landmark and is the largest freestanding brick chimney in the world. There are also two communities (Anaconda and Opportunity within the site footprint. US Interstate 90 and the Clark Fork River border the site. The site is divided into a number of Operable Units OUs (see Cleanup Progress). Two of the OUs (Anaconda Regional Waste Water & Soil (ARWW&S) and the Old Works/East Anaconda Development Area) are further divided into smaller units.
SITE RISKS
The processing facilities at the site were developed to remove copper from ore mined in Butte from about 1884 through 1980. Milling and smelting produced wastes with high concentrations of arsenic, as well as copper, cadmium, lead and zinc. These contaminants pose potential risks to human health, to life in nearby streams, and to plants and animals in adjacent lands over some 300 square miles. In addition to the millions of cubic yards of tailings, furnace slag, flue dust, and square miles of soil contaminated by airborne wastes, millions of gallons of ground water have been polluted from wastes and soils. Arsenic is the primary COC and drives the remediation.
CLEANUP PROGRESS
Anaconda Smelter Demolition and Initial Stabilization Actions
From 1983-1986, EPA oversaw smelter demolition and initial stabilization efforts. In May 1986, EPA temporarily relocated families with small children. In 1987-1988, all Mill Creek residents were permanently relocated. The Mill Creek area was later cleaned up, graded and replanted in 1999.
Anaconda Yards Time Critical Removal Action
From 1991-1992, under an emergency removal action, arsenic contaminated soils were cleaned up in three Anaconda neighborhoods: Teresa Ann Terrace, Elkhorn Apartments and Cedar Park Homes.
Arbiter Non-Time Critical Removal Action
In 1994, approximately 275,000 cubic yards of waste material (including arsenic, cadmium, lead and zinc) from the Arbiter Plant were dug up, and moved to a repository on Smelter Hill.
Beryllium Non-Time Critical Removal Action
In 1994, excavation and disposal of previously disposed wastes and contaminated materials from a former beryllium flake metal pilot plant and a beryllium oxide pilot plant was completed. The wastes were sent to the Smelter Hill repository.
Old Works Stabilization Removal Action
In 1992, EPA and ARCO began to address immediate concerns about contaminants released into Warm Springs Creek by stabilizing the Red Sands adjacent to the Creek, repairing breaks in the levees and installing fencing to limit access.
Flue Dust Remedial Action
In 1991, EPA decided to stabilize the Flue dust (containing copper, arsenic and cadmium) with cement and lime, and then place treated materials in a repository. Treatment of over 500,000 cubic yards of flue dust was finished in December 1993.
Old Works/East Anaconda Development Area Remedial Action
EPA selected a remedy in 1994 for this OU which has been divided into sub-areas:
- Golf Course (construction completed in 1996, golf course opened to the public in 1997)
- Red Sands (construction completed in 1998)
- East Anaconda Yards and Aspen Hills (construction completed in 1998)
- Mill Creek (construction completed in 1999)
- Drag Strip (construction completed in 1999)
- Industrial Area (initiated in 2003). Remedial action will include removal, cover, and/or revegetation of remaining waste and contaminated soils. Construction is underway and should be finished by 2010.
Community Soils Remedial Action
EPA selected a remedial action for addressing remaining residential yards and railroads/commercial properties in 1996. This OU has been divided into sub-areas:
2. Historic Railroad Beds and Commercial and Industrial areas (Adjacent to Railroad Areas)
3. Interior/Attic Dust
EPA selected a final remedy. Remedial action was initiated in 2003 and is ongoing. To date AR has sampled more than 1500 yards, cleaned up about 300 yards in Anaconda, and cleaned up about 50 in the adjacent areas. Future residential areas will be monitored and cleaned up, if necessary, to ensure development is protective. EPA is currently re-evaluating the remedy and may proposed changes to the remedy to address additional areas of contamination.
Remedial action within commercial areas adjacent to the railroad will include removal, cover, and/or revegetation of waste and contaminated soils.
Anaconda Regional Water, Waste and Soils Remedial Action This last OU addresses all remaining issues. EPA signed a Record of Decision in 1998. The OU has been divided into 15 Remedial Design Units (RDUs):
2. Lost Creek
3. Smelter Hill Uplands
4. Anaconda Ponds (construction completed)
5. Railroad/Blue Lagoon
6. South Opportunity
7. North Opportunity
8. Opportunity Ponds
9. Fluvial Tailings
10. Warm Springs Creek
11. Cashman Concentrate (construction completed)
12. Slag
13. Old Works Groundwater
14. Smelter Hill Facility
15. Mt. Haggin Uplands
The PRP is preparing remedial designs for the remaining RDUs. EPA will review the designs and provide site management and ongoing operations and management to verify that remedies are protective and achieve remedial action objectives. This includes: reviewing data, inspecting performance of past projects, and designing for improvements (as needed). EPA is also working with the community and local officials during the process. Construction is expected to be completed over the next 15 years.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Community involvement is integral to the cleanup process at Superfund sites.
In addition to outreach efforts (meetings, fact sheets, web sites, etc.), EPA awarded a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) to the Arrowhead Foundation in Anaconda. With these funds, the Arrowhead Foundation hires the Anaconda Environmental Education Institute (AEEI) to review EPA studies and cleanup work and provide a technical analysis. The Arrowhead Foundation Board relays information to the larger community. The TAG group is focusing on economic redevelopment and site reuse. Arrowhead welcomes new members and is interested in hearing about the public's concerns with regard to the Superfund cleanup.
The State of Montana and ARCO have settled some of the continuing natural resource damage lawsuit issues, and an advisory group appointed by Montana's governor is educating the public and reviewing proposals for restoring resources.
See the Site Documents section below for the fact sheet and the annual updates.
REDEVELOPMENT/REUSE
Smelter investigations and cleanups have been part of an economic rebirth in this former company town. All cleanups are focused on being protective, while still allowing (and fostering) redevelopment. This is accomplished, in large part, by the use of institutional controls (ICs) for development of land which has a remedy in place. These include a Development Permit System and Master Plan/Growth Policy for all of the properties within the Smelter Overlay Area.
Perhaps the greatest example of reuse and redevelopment is the construction of the Old Works Golf Course. This can be seen on EPA's in the Old Works/East Anaconda Development Area. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the course has been reborn on the site of Anaconda's historic century old copper smelter. The first course ever built on a Federal EPA Superfund site; it incorporates many historic relics in its design. Old Works is quickly building a reputation as one of the premiere, daily fee golf experiences in the Northwest region. The golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and a unique visual feature is the use of ground black smelter slag in place of sand in the sand traps.
It is featured as part of EPA's Superfund 20th Anniversary Report
The remedy calls for a fully-funded Institutional Controls program at the local government level. Anaconda Deer Lodge County (ADLC) is currently working with EPA to develop this program. The program will include a Geographic Information System (GIS); a Development Permit System (DPS) and a Community Protective Measures Program (CPMP). The comprehensive ICs program will ensure monitoring, protection of clean-up actions, public outreach and education and other administrative and/or legal tools to ensure that public health is protected and redevelopment is conducted in a protective manner.
SITE DOCUMENTS
Note: the following documents are Adobe PDF documents (about PDF files)
Fact Sheets
2009 Anaconda Basics (PDF, 2 pp, 4 MB)
2009 Update: Anaconda Smelter Contacts and Partners (PDF, 2 pp, 60K)
2008 Annual Site Update (PDF, 2 pp, 363K)
2007 Update: Focus on Opportunity Ponds (PDF, 2 pp, 602K)
2006 Annual Site Update (PDF, 4 pp, 463K)
2006 Dust Fact Sheet (PDF, 2 pp, 728 K)
2005 Annual Site Update (PDF, 4 pp, 656K)
2008 Update of the Five-Year Review (PDF, 4 pp, 51K)
Technical Documents
CONTACTS
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EPA Charles Coleman, Remedial Project Manager Wendy Thomi, Community Involvement Coordinator |
Montana Department of Environmental Quality Larry Scusa, Federal Superfund Section Supervisor John Brown, Project Manager Joe Griffin, Project Manager |
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Community Group Technical Assistance Grant Group |
View Documents at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Hearst Free Library |