Make your voice heard on the EPA’s Butte cleanup

Generations of mining activity has taken its toll on the natural environment of Butte and the surrounding areas.  You need only look north to see the edge of the Berkeley Pit and the adjacent wasteland that surrounds many of Butte's remaining mine headframes to get a visual of what hard rock mining can do to a countryside.  Almost all of Butte's early mining ventures were unregulated and even as the last underground mines closed in the 1970s, industrial pollution was rampant.

Many of us weren't around then and to others, the memory of Butte's mine activity has almost faded into obscurity.  Yet the cleanup efforts continue to this day and according to the EPA, they will continue decades into the future. But right now, some important decisions are being made and your opinion matters.  The EPA wants to lower the local action level for lead in soils and dust in the affected area and they want to expand the areas boundary to include more residences.  This will have a significant impact on the project's timeline.

Is this in our community's best interest?  What do you think?  More information on the proposed plan can be found here.  Do you have concerns with the plan?  You have an opportunity to make your voice heard.

Butte-Silver Bow local government is encouraging our community to submit comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on their recently released “Proposed Plan to Amend the Remedial Action for the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit”.

The community can submit comments to the EPA by mailing written comments to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

ATTN: Butte Superfund Site Team

10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200

Helena, MT  59626

You may also email comments to EPAButtePPcomments@epa.gov

Comments must be submitted on or before February 14, 2025.