The Columbia Falls Aluminum Company has developed a plan to better understand the contamination at its former smelter site near the Flathead River and engineer a strategy for cleaning it up.
Haley Beaudry, the former external affairs manager at CFAC, announced the Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan June 5. The RI/FS Work Plan was developed by private environmental contractor Roux Associates, and according to Beaudry complies with federal and state requirements.
“It presents a roadmap and schedule for performing a comprehensive assessment of existing site conditions and an evaluation of alternatives to address those conditions,” Beaudry said in a written statement.
Under the draft RI/FS Work Plan, Roux will conduct field investigations in 2016, and produce a summary report the first part of 2017. The entire RI/FS evaluation is expected to take approximately four-and-a-half years. After receiving public and regulatory input, CFAC will finalize and implement the RI/FS Work Plan.
“This is a comprehensive plan for assessing the environmental conditions at CFAC and developing the data we need to evaluate potential remedial solutions,” Steve Wright, CFAC environmental manager, said. “I am looking forward to receiving input from the public and regulators on the draft RI/FS Work Plan so we can finalize it and move forward.”
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed placing the CFAC site on the federal Superfund program’s National Priorities List.
And while the city of Columbia Falls, Gov. Steve Bullock, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and a host of local organizations support the move, CFAC and the company’s owner, Glencore, oppose listing.
Instead, CFAC hired Roux Associates to develop its own work plan for the site.
CFAC is asking the public, regulators and other interested parties to review and comment on the document. A comment form is included on the draft RI/FS Work Plan’s Web site. Comments also may be e-mailed to [email protected] or mailed to CFAC RI/FS Comments, Roux Associates, c/o Columbia Falls Aluminum Company, 2000 Aluminum Drive, Columbia Falls MT 59912.