The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be hosting an open house on the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company Plant Superfund site investigation on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
The event is from 7-8:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers at the Columbia Falls City Hall, 130 6th St., West.
EPA staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss current site activities, the Superfund program and how the public can be involved in decision-making related to the site investigation. This will be an informal discussion, and participants may drop in any time during the session.
The plant, located just north of Columbia Falls, has been proposed for listing by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the federal Superfund program’s National Priorities List. EPA is in the process of responding to the comments received during the public comment period.
CFAC officials announced the plant had permanently closed in March after years of failed efforts to reopen the aluminum reduction facility.
The site operated as a primary aluminum reduction facility between 1955 and 2009. Contaminants detected at the site include cyanide, fluoride, and metals, such as arsenic, chromium, lead, and selenium. These contaminants are present in soils, surface ponds and groundwater and, if not addressed, could pose a risk to nearby wells and the Flathead River.
EPA and the State of Montana have determined that a comprehensive investigation of the site is necessary to develop effective cleanup actions to address these risks.
Congress established the Superfund program in 1980.