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Superfund Program
Libby Ground Water
Libby, Montana, Lincoln County, Congressional District - At Large
CERCLIS ID-MTD980502736
Site Description
Twenty-three years of wood treating operations contaminated soil and ground water off the site in Libby, Montana. Private wells showed unacceptable levels of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the late 1970s. Approximately 11,000 people live in Libby and the surrounding areas. The site is bordered by Flower Creek, Libby Creek and the Kootenai River.The Potentially Responsible Party, International Paper, paid to connect residential well users to the municipal water supply, and paid well owners for metered water. In the past few years, International Paper has arranged closure of the wells and settled final payments with the majority of property owners. International Paper has completed construction of land treatment units and facilities to treat soil and ground water. EPA conducted a second five-year review for the site in March 2000 and determined that the remedy continues to be protective of human health and the environment.
Site Risk
Between 1946 and 1969, wood treating fluids were disposed of and spilled at several different locations on the grounds of the former Champion lumber and plywood mill in Libby. Waste water and tank bottom sludges from the wood-treating fluid tanks periodically were removed and hauled to waste pits.
In 1979, shortly after private wells were installed, some area homeowners smelled a creosote odor in their water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found contaminated ground water and soil. The contaminated soil is within the confines of the facility; however, groundwater contamination extends into Libby.
Ground water is contaminated with PCP, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. Soils contain PCP, PAHs and, to a lesser extent, dioxins. People who touch or accidentally swallow the soil or water from private wells may be exposed to contamination and health risks.
EPA added the Libby Ground Water Contamination Site to its National Priorities List in September 1983. Two Records of Decision (RODs) direct three stages of work agreed to by Champion: an initial action and two long-term phases. The latter phases focus on cleanup of the ground water, and cleanup of the soil, lower aquifer and source control.
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| Ground water, sediment, surface water, soils | PCP, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals | Wood and Paper Industry |
Cleanup Progress
THE CLEANUP PROCESS
In 1985, Champion began a water distribution plan under which residents with contaminated ground water wells agreed to cease using their wells and to use water from the public water system operated by the City of Libby instead. The source of the public water supply is uncontaminated water from a reservoir upstream of Flower Creek.
In 1986, EPA selected a remedy to reduce human exposure to groundwater contamination by expanding the water distribution plan sponsored by Champion. A city ordinance prohibits the installation of new wells for drinking water or irrigation, but allows well installation for use in closed systems. Champion completed all actions selected in the remedy in late 1986.
SECOND ROD ADDRESSES SOIL AND GROUND WATER
In 1988, EPA selected a remedy to clean up the soil and to contain the source of the contamination by the following methods:
•Excavating and consolidating 45,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris in the waste pit area, treating it by an enhanced natural chemical breakdown process using microorganisms, and disposing of it in two lined treatment cells that will be capped;
•Collecting highly contaminated ground water in the upper aquifer system and treating it by bioremediation using microorganisms;
•Treating the remaining contamination by adding oxygen and nutrients to the ground water through injection wells;
•Initiating pilot tests and studies to evaluate technologies that may be used to clean up the lower aquifer; and
•Monitoring the site for five years to ensure the cleanup has been effective.
Excavation of all contaminated soil is now complete, additional monitoring and injection wells are being installed and treatment of soils and upper aquifer ground water is under way.
In 1989, EPA and Champion signed a Consent Decree, in which the company agreed to pay the U.S. Government past and future oversight costs and to complete implementation of the cleanup action. The Stimson Lumber Company purchased the Libby Mill from Champion in December 1993. International Paper purchased Champion in December 2000. International Paper is currently responsible for site-clean-up.
Community Involvement
Documents
Note: the documents below are Adobe PDF documents (About PDF files)
Latest documents:
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Five-Year Review-March
31, 2005 (71 pp, 5.6 MB)
Best way to open the very large file above: right-click and save it to a folder.
Five-Year Review Annual Update-December 2007 (3 pp, 39K)
Contacts
EPAKathy HernandezEPA Project Manager U.S. EPA Region 8 1595 Wynkoop Street Denver, CO 80202 - 1129 303-312-6101 hernandez.kathryn@epa.gov Ted Linnert |
Montana Department of Environmental QualityLisa Dewitt, Project Officer
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View Documents at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Lincoln County Department of Environmental Health
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