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Superfund Program
Montana Pole
Butte, Montana, Silver Bow County, Congressional District-At Large
EPA ID# MTD006230635
Site Description
The Montana Pole site is a former forty-acre wood treatment facility in Butte, Montana. During the time from 1946 to 1983, the facility used Pentachlorophenol (PCP) to preserve utility poles, posts and bridge timbers. Hazardous substances from the pole-treating operations were discharged into a ditch next to the plant. The substances then began to run towards Silver Bow Creek.
The Montana Pole site is in a residential and industrial area. The nearest private well is located one-fifth mile down gradient from the site. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality was designated as the lead agency for site clean-up through an agreement with EPA.
About 16,000 gallons of PCP-contaminated waste oil were sent to a licensed disposal facility in Utah for incineration in the 1980s. In spring 1998, forty drums of PCP contaminated sludge were shipped to Utah. Site clean-up phases 1-3 have been completed.
Site Risk
The ground water and soils at the Montana Pole site are contaminated with PCPs, dioxins, furans (flammable liquids from wood oils), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals. PCP has been detected in Silver Bow Creek.
Accidentally swallowing or having direct contact with ground water, surface water, soil or sludge can be hazardous to human health. Contaminants may enter the air naturally or during cleanup operations, presenting another potential source of exposure.
The site was proposed for addition to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1986. The final date of its addition to the NPL was July 1987.
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| Ground water, sediment, surface water, soils | PCPs, dioxins, furans (flammable liquids from wood oils), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals | Wood treatment activity |
Cleanup Progress
CLEANUP APPROACH
The site is being addressed in two stages: an immediate action and a long-term remedial phase.
EPA completed a cleanup action in late 1988 to halt the seepage of PCP and diesel oil into Silver Bow Creek. Contaminated soils were excavated and stored on the site, which has been fenced. Monitoring wells and oil recovery trenches have been installed. A temporary groundwater/ soil separation treatment system was put into operation to separate PCP-contaminated oil from the ground water. The treated water is pumped up gradient to infiltration galleries.
In January 1990, Special Notice Letters were sent to three Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs). A Consent Order to conduct an investigation of site contamination was negotiated with the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO). An additional notice letter was sent to Burlington Northern Railroad Company and Inland Properties in October 1991.
In early 1991, EPA conducted a cleanup of oil-contaminated soil, following the release of 3,000 gallons of contaminated oil from a holding tank. Approximately 21,000 gallons of polluted oil have been intercepted and are stored on the site. In the summer of 1992, EPA conducted another removal action. During this action, a plastic barrier was inserted into the ground to prevent PCP contaminated fuel in the ground water from entering Silver Bow Creek.
Groundwater recovery wells were installed to recover free phase PCP contaminated fuel from site ground water. A water treatment plant was built to clean contaminated ground water. After treatment, the water is discharged to Silver Bow Creek.
In 1993 ARCO, a responsible party, completed site studies to determine the nature and extent of contamination. A remedy was selected in the fall of 1993. The remedy includes:
- Bioremediation of the soil and ground water, including excavation of approximately 200,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil;
- Construction of a land treatment unit to biologically treat the soil;
- Construction of a carbon water treatment plant with extraction of the ground water, treatment of the ground water with nutrients; and
- Reinjection of the treated ground water.
The water treatment plant is operating, and excavation of the contaminated soil is under way.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
EPA sued ARCO for recovery of past removal costs in September 1991. ARCO counter-sued EPA contractors in October 1991. A settlement was reached in 1996. The PRPs are providing $35 million for a state led cleanup under a cash out, where the PRPs provide funding and the agencies conduct the cleanup.
Through its Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program, EPA funds a citizens' group to hire a technical expert to review EPA studies and cleanup work, and to convey the findings to the community.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS
EPA has taken measures to prevent further contamination of Silver Bow Creek. Additional actions were taken to remove the immediate sources of soil contamination, treat ground water and restrict access to the site. These measures have reduced the potential for exposure to hazardous substances while further cleanup activities are under way. Approximately 60,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil has been treated to cleanup levels since 1997.
Community Involvement
Community Group:Technical Assistance Grant Group Citizens Technical Environmental Committee
P.O. Box 593 Butte, MT 59703
(406) 723-6247
ctec@montana.com
Documents
Note: the following are Adobe PDF files (about PDF files)Five-Year
Review, June 2006 (89 pages, 6.8 MB)
Note: the best way to open this large PDF file is to right-click, select
Save Target As and save to a folder
Annual Update to the Five-Year Review, December 2007 (PDF, 41K, 2 pages)
Preliminary Site Closeout Report, September 2001 (PDF, 15 pages, 51 kB)
Contacts
EPARoger Hoogerheide, Remedial Project ManagerU.S. EPA, Montana Office 10 West 15th Street, Suite 320 Helena, MT 59626 (406) 457-5031 hoogerheide.roger@epa.gov Wendy Thomi |
Montana Department of Environmental QualityLisa DeWitt, Project Officer |
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View Documents at: Montana Tech Library
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