Making the Program Faster, Fairer, and More Efficient (Continued)

How Superfund "Works" at Anaconda

Old Works Golf Course at former Anaconda Smelter site in Montana

In 1997, golfing-legend Jack Nicklaus opened the Old Works Golf Course, which he designed. Praised by Golf Journal as "world class...with 18 fascinating holes," the Old Works course was built over the cleaned up Anaconda Company Smelter site in Montana.

Building a world class golf course over a shut-down copper mine was the result of a successful partnership between Nicklaus, EPA, the State of Montana, the Anaconda community, the local government, and the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), the potentially responsible party.

EPA entered into a consent decree with ARCO to implement the cleanup remedy. Concerned citizens of Anaconda used a TAG to review EPA studies and relay their findings to the rest of the community. EPA, the State, the community, and ARCO worked together to develop a cost-effective re-vegetation plan to prevent contamination from spreading. EPA also helped orchestrate an agreement that transferred ownership of the golf course from ARCO to the County government, including a condition that required revenues be used for the continued economic growth of the Anaconda area.

At Anaconda, the Superfund reforms came together, not only to clean up the site, but to transform it for the community's economic betterment. When the smelter shut down, the community was worried that Anaconda would turn into a ghost town. Now tourists come from miles around to play golf -- and many come back when they discover that the area also offers excellent skiing, fishing, hiking, and hunting.