A five-year review on how well Superfund remedies are holding up and the secondary part of a health study for the Butte area are in the works.
The last review, which cost $700,000, included interviews of 100 residents. The Environmental Protection Agency has elected to conduct 10 interviews this time.
“This is a whole new review,” said Sara Sparks, remedial project manager for the EPA. “We will look at the issues associated with the last five-year-review and make sure they’re addressed. We will see if new issues need to be addressed.”
The review findings will be published in September 2015. This is the fourth five-year Superfund review.
The EPA, in conjunction with the county health department and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, will also conduct the second phase of the health study. The last health study looked at blood lead levels collected in Butte as part of the residential metals abatement program.
That study concluded that blood lead levels in Butte residents are on par with the national average.
The working group for that study will begin meeting in January and will scope what Phase 2 of the health study will focus on.
People are asked to comment on what they believe should be included in the health study.
Details: Sara Sparks at 406-782-7415 or sparks.sara@epa.gov, or Karen Sullivan, director of the health department, at 406-497-5020 or ksullivan@bsb.mt.gov.