EPA agrees to look at CFAC plant
The following is a letter sent by Howard Cantor, the acting regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, in Denver, to Sen. Jon Tester about his request to designate the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. smelter plant as a Superfund site.
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Dear Senator Tester,
Thank you for your letter of March 5, 2013, requesting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expedite a Superfund site assessment at the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company (CFAC) production facilities in Columbia Falls, Montana. I am pleased to report that, in response to your letter, the EPA Region 8 Site Assessment Program has started the planning necessary to conduct a site assessment at the CFAC production facilities.
Our office had previously conducted a Preliminary Assessment and a Site Inspection at this facility in 1986 and 1988, respectively. The EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MT DEQ) agree that site conditions have likely changed from 1988, and the appropriate next step will be for the EPA to conduct a Site Reassessment using current protocols. This work entails gathering existing information about the production facility, surrounding potentially impacted areas, and environmental data.
If an actual or potential threat to human health or the environment is identified, we will collect additional environmental data to verify the presence of hazardous substances or pollutants, determine if these substances are being released to the environment, and assess if these substances have reached populations or sensitive environments.
If environmental remediation is necessary, the information gathered and documented in a Site Reassessment report will inform a conversation amongst stakeholders on potential next steps. Due to the Smelter site’s complexity and its location, it is difficult to predict how long our site investigation activities might take. But, it will be a priority for the EPA, and we anticipate completing our assessment within one year, depending on available resources.
Throughout the Site Reassessment process, our Superfund Program staff will coordinate with MT DEQ, and collaborate with local government elected officials and other stakeholders. We look forward to working with the community to address environmental concerns at the CFAC site and will share the investigation results with the stakeholders, as well as lead discussions on options for site cleanup and redevelopment.
Again, we appreciate your inquiry on behalf of the Columbia Falls community. If the EPA may provide anything further regarding our work at this site for you and your staff, please contact me or our Regional Congressional Liaison.
Sincerely,
Howard M. Cantor
Acting Regional Administrator