Region 8
Superfund Program
National Information
Regional Information
Site Information
National Priorities List (NPL) History
Proposed Date
12/1/2000
Final Date
9/13/2001
Carpenter Snow Creek
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Site Type: Final NPL |
What's New?
Updated April 2012
We are hosting an open house on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Monarch/Neihart Senior Center, 200 South Main Street (US Highway 89), in Neihart. Representatives from the EPA, the State of Montana and the United States Forest Service will be present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to answer questions and discuss the site's current and future activities. Information will also be available regarding the Barker Hughesville Mining District Superfund Site. There will be a brief presentation by the agencies at 6:30 p.m. A postcard containing information about the meeting has been sent to interested parties.
The open house will provide the community an important opportunity to learn more and ask questions about:
- Superfund basics.
- Results of the 2011 investigations and construction.
- Plans to begin preliminary sampling of residential yards and groundwater wells in Monarch.
- The delay of full-scale cleanup in Neihart.
- Sampling and cleanup plans for 2012.
Also, a new Site Update Fact Sheet was mailed to residents and other stakeholders and has been posted in the Site Documents section below.
To finish designing the final remedy for the town of Neihart, sampling of groundwater, surface water and sediment areas in wetlands will continue in and around Neihart. The sampling areas include the Neihart slope and Belt Creek from above the town of Neihart to the confluence with Carpenter Creek. This sampling will support the larger remediation effort to come. It is known that elevated levels of lead and arsenic are found in both surface (0-6 inches) and subsurface (12-18 inches) soils in and around the community of Neihart.
There are also several important aspects to the sampling efforts in 2012 within the watershed. These aspects may take multiple sampling efforts to complete. One of the aspects is to determine the types and amount of metals in the creek side mine waste. Another important part of sampling will be performed to better understand the actual volume and chemical composition of mine tailings and waste rock in the Carpenter Creek, Snow Creek and Neihart slope drainage areas. EPA plans to sample approximately 20 abandoned mines in the watershed during 2012 and to begin to collect additional biotic samples for the ecological risk assessment. Other activities that will be completed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks include surveying fish populations in Belt Creek and tributaries; studying genetic analyses of westslope cutthroat populations and movement; and measuring stream flow and temperature in Belt Creek and tributaries. Additionally, groundwater and surface water will be collected and sampled to better understand, and eventually minimize, mine waste contact with water. Response actions of these areas may be necessary if concentrations of contaminants in tailings, soil, sediment and water pose unacceptable risks to human health or ecological receptors. Response actions may include, but are not limited to, mine waste removal and reclamation-in-place actions.
In order to determine a suitable location for all of the waste, geotechnical characterization data will be collected. This means that scientists will collect geological and geographic information to find the most appropriate area to hold the amount and type of waste that will be removed from Neihart and the mining district. It is estimated that over 600,000 cubic yards of mining waste may need to be removed and placed in a repository.
Site Description
Fort Benton/Denton/Stanford area
James Neihart, a local prospector, was the namesake for the small mining town of Neihart. Mining began in the area in the 1880s when silver deposits were discovered near the future Neihart town site. Mines yielded primarily silver, lead and zinc ores. During the 1920s, lead and zinc were produced in large quantities. The mining district has been largely inactive since the 1940s, although some mines have reported mine development work and some sporadic production.
The Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District Superfund Site (CSCMD) lies in the Little Belt Mountains of southern Cascade County. The site encompasses approximately 9,000 acres with mine tailings, waste rock and acid mine drainage present throughout the site, due to the many inactive and abandoned mines. The State of Montana's Abandoned Mine Bureau identified, inventoried and sampled these inactive mines in the Carpenter-Snow Creek area in the early 1990s. Sampling showed the presence of a variety of metals in the area surface water and soil that are found in concentrations known to produce risk to human health and the environment. The CSCMD site was listed on the Superfund National Priorities List in 2001.
Since 2001, several investigations have been conducted of waste rock, tailings, sediment, surface water and groundwater, from historic mines in the area and residential and commercial properties and roadways in Neihart, to understand as much as possible about the location and extent of contamination. This ongoing sampling effort supports the most effective cleanup decisions.
View a map of site and operable unit boundaries, April 11, 2012 (PDF, 1 pg, 1.8MB, about PDF)
Site Risk
Approximately 96 abandoned mines have been identified in the Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District, and at least 21 of these have been identified as probable sources of contamination to surface water. There are documented impacts from mining waste to soil, surface water and stream sediments in Carpenter Creek, Snow Creek and Belt Creek.
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| groundwater, sediment, surface water, soils | lead, arsenic, copper, cadmium, zinc | mining activity |
Since 2001, EPA has and is continuing to collect soil/mine waste, surface water, sediment and groundwater samples throughout the entire site, with expanded efforts in and around the town of Neihart. Concentrations of lead and arsenic in soil have been identified above the action levels in the Record of Decision in residential yards and alleys throughout Neihart. Preliminary sampling did not identify contaminant levels in the surface water of Belt Creek as it flows through Neihart above drinking water standards or levels that EPA considers unhealthy for aquatic life. Similarly, contaminant levels in the sediment of Belt Creek as it flows through Neihart did not exceed levels considered safe for recreational use. Recent sampling in the Carpenter Creek and Snow Creek drainages revealed elevated levels of lead in sediments containing lead and zinc along Carpenter Creek and throughout the various tailings piles present in the watersheds. In addition, several adits that are discharging from abandoned mines continue to contribute to the degradation of the water quality throughout the mining district.
Cleanup Progress
In 2004, a Removal Action was completed for select properties in Neihart where areas of higher contamination were prioritized to be removed and/or stabilized. Although this was successful for the areas of high contamination, larger remediation efforts are still being planned pursuant to the Record of Decision issued in 2009 for the Neihart community soils. Field efforts in 2011 almost completed the Remedial Design for the properties and roads in and around Neihart. In addition, metals concentration in tailings, soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater throughout the mining district are being characterized to identify the extent of material that may require a response action.
An appropriate repository for the waste from the entire CSCMD is still being determined, so the planned remediation schedule for Neihart is delayed. The Evening Star Mine and Mill Site, located just outside Neihart on Highway 87, was evaluated as a potential repository. The site was determined to be not feasible because of the cost to develop the property as a repository and insufficient size to handle all of the waste.
Without a place to move the waste from the entire CSCMD, the EPA will not be able to begin the Remedial Action, as planned, in 2012. There are additional repository locations in the Carpenter Creek watershed currently being evaluated.
The EPA can't confidently state what the new schedule will be for the Remedial Action for Neihart until a potential repository within the mining district has been identified to accept all the waste that will require some action to address threats to public health and the environment.
Community Involvement
Community involvement plays an important role in the Superfund process. EPA uses a number of different tools and resources to promote effective, on-going, meaningful community involvement. The goals of the Superfund community involvement program are to:
- Keep communities affected by sites informed throughout the cleanup process.
- Provide opportunities for communities to comment and offer their input about site cleanup plans.
- Facilitate the resolution of community issues tied to a site.
A Community Involvement Plan was prepared in 2011 for the Neihart Residential Soils area and is currently being updated to include the entire site. The plan provides a history of the site, a brief background and description of the community of Neihart, and identifies issues of concern to the local community regarding the site. The EPA interviewed home and business owners and local government officials in the preparation of the Community Involvement Plan. The interviews provided community members and officials the opportunity to voice concerns and issues related to the Superfund site. In the Community Involvement Plan, EPA specifies objectives and future plans for community involvement and communication at the Carpenter site. For the Carpenter site, EPA plans fact sheets, news releases and focused meetings for community members. In addition, EPA will maintain an accurate mailing list for those interested in information about the site. If you would like to be on the mailing list, please contact the EPA Remedial Project Manager listed below. The 2011 Community Involvement Plan is available in the Site Documents section below, as will the 2012 version when available.
We are hosting an open house on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Monarch/Neihart Senior Center, 200 South Main Street (US Highway 89), Neihart. Representatives from the EPA, the State of Montana and the United States Forest Service will be present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to answer questions and discuss the site's current and future activities. Information will also be available regarding the Barker Hughesville Mining District Superfund Site. There will be a brief presentation by the agencies at 6:30 p.m. A postcard containing information about the meeting has been sent to interested parties.
The open house will provide the community an important opportunity to learn more and ask questions about:
- Superfund basics.
- Results of the 2011 investigations and construction.
- Plans to begin preliminary sampling of residential yards and ground water wells in Monarch.
- The delay of full-scale cleanup in Neihart.
- Sampling and cleanup plans for 2012.
Also, a new Site Update Fact Sheet was mailed to residents and other stakeholders and has been posted in the Site Documents section below.
Reuse
EPA places a high priority on land reuse as part of its Superfund response program mission. The agency tries to select cleanup options that encourage and support future use of a site. EPA uses two fundamental methods to facilitate reuse of Superfund sites:
- Exploring future uses before the cleanup remedy is implemented, an approach that gives the Agency the best chance of designing cleanup remedies to support the likely future use of a site.
- Working with landowners and communities to remove barriers not considered necessary for the protection of human health or the environment at those sites where remedies are already in place.
One option for reuse is the siting of clean and renewable energy projects on contaminated (or formerly contaminated) lands. As part of this effort, EPA is evaluating the potential for energy projects on these properties and working with landowners and communities to identify ways to remove barriers to such projects.
The reasonably anticipated future land use is determined during the RI/FS process. This information is considered during the development and selection of the remedy for the site. Many properties in Neihart are already in continued use as residential or commercial properties.
Land Use Controls and Other Institutional Controls
Land use controls are the most common type of institutional control (IC). ICs are administrative or legal controls that help reduce the likelihood for human exposure to contamination. ICs can also help protect the integrity of the remedy. Examples of ICs are:
- Zoning ordinances.
- Environmental covenants.
- Deed notices.
- Well-drilling restrictions.
- Building permits.
- Informational advisories.
Options for institutional controls are developed as needed during the RI/FS process and selected in the Record of Decision as a part of the remedy. The EPA will determine the specific ICs later in the cleanup process, following the remedial action.
Five-Year Reviews
EPA or the lead agency conducts five-year reviews following the start of a Superfund cleanup when contamination is left on the site. These reviews are repeated every five years. We use these reviews to determine:
- How the remedy is working.
- If the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment.
Remedial action has not begun, therefore five-year reviews are not yet required at this site.
Site Documents
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
Note: Best way to open a very large file: right-click and save it to a folder.
Presentation from May 3, 2012 public meeting (PDF, 51 pp, 11.8MB)
Map of site and operable unit boundaries, April 11, 2012 (PDF, 1 pg, 1.8MB)
2011 Sampling Activities Report, March 2012 (PDF, 273 pp, 106MB)
2010 Sampling Activities Report (SAR), February 2011 (PDF, 171 pp, 253MB, located on the FTP site)
Record of Decision (ROD) text, appendices and figures, March 2009 (PDFs located on the FTP site; see individual files)
Revised Proposed Plan for Neihart Community Soils, December 2008 (PDF, 11 pp, 1.4MB)
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Public Comments on the Revised Proposed Plan
(PDF, 6 pp, 36K)
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Transcript of the Public Hearing for the Revised Proposed Plan, January 13, 2009 (PDF, 6 pp, 1.3MB)
Public Comments on the original Proposed Plan for Neihart Community Soils
(PDF, 13 pp, 126K)
- Transcript of the Public Hearing for the original Proposed Plan, November 30, 2008 (PDF, 3 pp, 14K)
- Transcript of the Public Hearing for the original Proposed Plan, October 25, 2008 (PDF, 13 pp, 64K)
Fact Sheets
Site Update Fact Sheet, April 2012 (PDF, 2 pp, 568K)
EPA Issues A Revised Proposed Plan for Cleanup of Soils in Neihart, MT, December 2008 (PDF, 4 pp, 189K)
EPA Issues Its Proposed Plan for Cleanup of Soils in Neihart, MT, October 2006 (PDF, 2 pp, 264K)
EPA Project Update for Neihart, Montana, March 2005 (PDF, 2 pp, 307K)
Site Update: Carpenter Snow Creek Superfund Site, August 2004 (PDF, 2 pp, 123K)
EPA to Interview Neihart Residents and Property Owners in February, February 2004 (PDF, 2 pp, 80K)
Remedial Investigation Begins in Neihart in September 2003, August 2003 (PDF, 2 pp, 224K)
Additional Sampling Begins in Neihart in June 2003, June 2003 (PDF, 2 pp, 129K)
Soil Sampling Results and Plans for Additional Work in Neihart, March 2003 (PDF, 2 pp, 136K)
EPA to Conduct Sampling in Neihart, September 2002 (PDF, 2 pp, 102K)
Contacts
EPA
Roger Hoogerheide
Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
Montana Office
Federal Building
10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200
Helena, MT 59626
406-457-5031
866-457-2690 (toll free)
hoogerheide.roger@epa.gov
Montana DEQ
Keith Large
State Project Officer
Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Remediation Division
1100 N. Last Chance Gulch
PO Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620-0901
406-841-5039
klarge@mt.gov
View Documents at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
Montana Office
Federal Building
10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200
Helena, MT 59626
406-457-5000
866-457-2690 (toll free)
Cascade County Health Department
115 4th Street South
Great Falls, MT 59401
406-454-6950
Belt Creek Ranger Station
c/o Neihart, Montana 59465
406-236-5309
Photo/Video Gallery
Links
Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Remediation Division
