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Superfund Program
Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area
Near Helena, Montana, Lewis and Clark County
Congressional District - At Large
EPA ID# MTD SFN7578012
Site Status and Update
NEW! EPA has just released the first Five Year Review of the Upper Tenmile Mining Area Superfund Site.
Since the cleanup is not yet finished, the review focused on "determining whether the remedy is being constructed in accordance with decision documents" (the ROD) and "if the remedy is expected to be protective when completed." The Five Year Review began last fall and was completed July 30, 2008.
The review was conducted using site specific sampling results, monitoring information, site inspection, and interviews with project personnel. Information from recent interviews with community members and local officials were also used in preparing this review. In addition, the public had an opportunity to provide information for use in this review.
The Five Year Review (PDF, 61 pp, 2.2 MB) found that the cleanup is being conducted in accordance
with the ROD and is expected to be protective when complete.
Major highlights of the Five Year Review:
- The remedy is protective of human health where residential yards soils were cleaned up (contamination removed/replaced with clean soils)
- Surface water quality is largely unchanged although metals levels have declined at the Poison Creek monitoring station
- No major concerns were identified
View the Five-Year Review Fact Sheet (PDF, 2 pp, 85K)
Copies of the Five Year Review are available at the Library and at the Rimini Community Center or by calling EPA at 457-5000.
In October 2007, EPA released a Revised Proposed Plan for the Rimini community.
The revised cleanup plan proposes to:
- Excavate contaminated yard soils near individual septic systems and replace systems, on a case-by-case basis
- Halt construction of community waste water system
- Construct community water system
- Excavate Rimini Road waste
The public comment period has closed. The ROD Amendment is being finalized and should be availalbe this fall (2008).
For more information about the cleanup plan, please contact Mike Bishop, EPA Project Manager, at (406) 457-5041.
In 2006, EPA cleaned up a total of 44 properties in Rimini. Working in difficult conditions (tight clearances, rocky soils, and inclement weather), EPA contractors removed about 29,000 cubic yards of contaminated soils. The contaminated soils were transported to the Luttrell Repository for disposal. The yards were back-filled with clean soil and revegetated. A total of approximately 73,000 square feet of sod was installed and an additional 220,000 square feet was seeded. More than 850 trees, shrubs and bushes were planted before winter conditions halted work for the season.
View pictures of reclaimed yards and laying sod below.
In 2007, EPA began excavating contaminated soils from the Lee Mountain staging area. Excavated soils are then hauled to the Luttrell Repository for disposal. After the soils are removed, clean soils will be brought in and the area re-landscaped. Landscaping work also continues on residential properties in Rimini.
Site Description
The Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area site is located in the Rimini Mining District, southwest of Helena, Montana, and it consists of numerous abandoned and inactive hard rock mine sites that produced gold, lead, zinc, and copper. Mining began in the Rimini Mining District before 1870 and continued through the 1920s. Little mining has been performed in the Rimini Mining District since the early 1930s.
The site boundary includes the drainage basin of Tenmile Creek upstream of the Helena Water Treatment Plant and includes tributaries that supply water to the plant's five intake pipelines. EPA identified 150 individual mine sites within the watershed boundary, of which 70 have been prioritized for clean-up. Many of these mine features are above the five City of Helena drinking water intakes which supply over 70 percent of the city's water.
The watershed has many stakeholders, including landowners, local communities, local and state government, special interest groups, and several federal agencies, including EPA. Collaboration among the stake holders is necessary to achieve a cleanup that will be expedient, efficient and long-lasting. EPA is committed to finding the necessary resources for response actions and addressing stakeholders' interests in the cleanup process.
EPA staff is coordinating with other state and federal agencies by addressing Clean Water Act problems related to mining wastes in the watershed that have been identified by the state. Tenmile Creek is the state's top priority for a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocation.
EPA added the Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area to the Superfund National Priorities List on October 22, 1999, due to mining waste problems in the 53 square mile watershed. The small historic mining community of Rimini is located within the Superfund Site boundaries. Contaminants of concern are heavy metals, primarily lead, copper and zinc, as well as arsenic. These contaminants pose potential risks to public health and the environment.
Cleanup Approach
The Upper Tenmile Site is being cleaned up using a collaborative, watershed approach. To date, EPA has been unable to identify a potentially responsible party so the cleanup is being paid for with Federal funds. Cooperating agencies have combined resources to expedite a watershed cleanup. The U.S. Forest Service has taken the lead role in cleaning up wastes on its property within the Superfund Site boundary (Beatrice, Justice and Armstrong Mines). Where individual mines involve both Federal and private lands (Upper Valley Forge Mine), cleanup expenses are shared by EPA and the Forest Service. EPA and the Forest Service also share construction and maintenance costs of a joint mine waste repository. Throughout the cleanup, EPA continues to work closely with the Forest Service, State and local community.
EPA staff are coordinating with other state and federal agencies by addressing Clean Water Act problems related to mining wastes in the watershed that have been identified by the State. Tenmile Creek is a priority for the State's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocation.
In addition to its own periodic meetings, site fact sheets, and other activities, EPA participates in monthly meetings of the Upper Tenmile Watershed Group in order to inform the affected communities and the appropriate agencies of EPA's progress.
Community Involvement
Throughout EPA's Superfund response action at the Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area Site, the Agency has provided information to the public through public meetings, the administrative record file for the site, fact sheets, and announcements published in local newspapers. EPA participates in monthly meetings of the Upper Tenmile Watershed Committee and routinely discusses the cleanup plans with area residents and property owners.
In addition, during the field season, EPA distributes periodic "construction updates" and maintains a project office in Rimini where residents are welcome to stop by with questions. Tours and briefings are offered to local officials.
EPA also provides funding to Rimini Community, Inc., to obtain independent technical assistance though a technical assistance grant (TAG). The grant was awarded in 2005.
EPA recently updated its Community Involvement Plan (PDF, 756K) for the Site. For more information or to request a copy, please call Diana Hammer at (406) 457-5040 or 1-866-457-2690..
Documents
Note: the following documents are Adobe PDF documents (about PDF files)
Five Year Review Report, July 2008 (PDF, 61 pp, 2.2 MB)
Community Involvement Plan (PDF, 756K)
EPA cleanup update July 31, 2008
EPA cleanup update September 30, 2007
Revised Proposed Plan, October 2007 (PDF, 14 pp, 6.5 MB)
Record of Decision Proposed Amendment, January 2007 (PDF, 2 pp, 256 kB)
Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area fact sheet, January 2007 (PDF, 2 pp, 437 kB)
Photos
Laying sod:
Reclaimed yard:
Contacts
U.S. EPA
Region 8, Montana Office
Federal Building
10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200
Helena, MT 59626
Mike Bishop, Project Manager
(406) 457-5041
Email: bishop.mike@epa.gov
Diana Hammer, Community Involvement
(406) 457-5040 Email: hammer.diana@epa.gov
Montana Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620
Larry Scusa, Project Officer
(406) 841-5036
Email: klarge@mt.gov
VIEW DOCUMENTS:
U.S. EPA
Montana Office
Region 8, Montana Office
Federal Building
10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200
Helena, MT 59626
(406) 457-5000
Toll Free #: 1-866-457-2690
