Helena National Forest

Mike Horse Repository Study

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Repository Siting Study for the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex

Members of the public are encouraged to submit comments on the alternatives considered in the Repository Siting Study for the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex which was prepared by Pioneer Technical Services, Inc., an independent engineering firm, contracted to research, analyze and recommend the most suitable and cost-effective repository site for the mine waste currently located at the Mike Horse Dam and Impoundment site east of Lincoln, Montana.

All comments need to be received no later than Friday, October 21, 2011. For more information, members of the public are invited to a field visit on Saturday, October 1st from 1:00-5:00 p.m. (meet at and carpool from the Lincoln Ranger District Office) and/or to an open house/public hearing at the Lincoln Ranger District on Tuesday, October 4th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. The public hearing starts at 7:00 p.m. and it provides the opportunity for verbal comments to be recorded on the alternatives in the Repository Siting Study.

The Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex, of which the Mike Horse Dam is part, is an historical, inactive mining district. In 1975, the Mike Horse Dam, holding a large tailings impoundment, breached and released tailings into the Blackfoot River causing fish kills and environmental damage for miles downstream. In a settlement with ASARCO, about $39 million was obtained to address the cleanup actions by the U.S. Forest Service, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Montana Department of Justice’s Natural Resource Damages Program (NRDP). Although temporary mitigation actions have been implemented to reduce contamination of the Blackfoot River, it is important to reach a final decision and begin to implement a response action.

"The Blackfoot River is a special place to many of us and we need to take care of those special places for future generations,‖ Helena National Forest Supervisor Kevin Riordan said. ―At this point, every spring we are at risk of contaminating the Blackfoot River, so we need to be efficient in our approach to selecting a site that will allow us to move forward in cleaning up the River."

The 2007 Action Memorandum for the Removal Action for the Mike Horse Dam and Impounded Tailings originally stated that the Paymaster site would be a suitable repository site; however, further research and data collection indicates that other areas may be more suitable and cost-effective to use as a repository site for the large volume of mine waste from the Mike Horse Dam and impoundment. Based on the analysis prepared by Pioneer Technical Services, Inc. and applicable public comments receivedduring this open comment period, the Forest Service may develop an amendment to its 2007 Action Memorandum for signature by the U.S. Forest Service Northern Regional Forester Leslie Weldon.

Public comments will also provide information to decision-makers before a final Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) decision is made. The DEQ will implement the site cleanup actions under an agreement between the Forest Service, Montana DEQ and the Montana NRDP. The Forest Service and State will coordinate closely on any modification of the 2007 Action Memorandum and implementation of the cleanup. The CERCLA decision will identify the repository site and authorize the Montana DEQ to move forward in its implementation of response actions at the Upper Blackfoot Mine Complex site.

"We encourage public involvement in the repository selection and we appreciate the opportunity to work together with the US Forest Service,‖ said DEQ Director Richard Opper. ―The site selection will allow us to move forward with the ultimate goal that I believe we all share, which is to clean up our beloved Blackfoot River."

A copy of the Executive Summary and the entire Repository Siting Study for the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex is located at the following locations: www.deq.mt.gov, www.fs.fed.us/r1/helena/, Lincoln Ranger District office at 1569 Highway 200, Lincoln Library 102 9th Street, Lewis & Clark Library at 120 South Last Chance in Helena, Helena National Forest office at 2880 Skyway Drive, and the Montana DEQ office at 1100 North Last Chance Gulch in Helena.

All comments need to be received no later than Friday, October 21, 2011. Members of the public can submit their comments through regular mail to Helena National Forest, ATTN: Kathy Bushnell, 2880 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT 59602; or by email with ―Mike Horse‖ in the subject line to comments-northern-helena@fs.fed.us. If you would like a hard copy of the Executive Summary, have questions or want more information, contact one of the following individuals: Beth Ihle, Helena National Forest at 406-439-0453; Shellie Haaland, Montana DEQ at 406-431-1401; Amber Kamps at the Lincoln Ranger District 406-362-7000; Mary Ann Dunwell DEQ at 406-461-5358; or Kathy Bushnell at the Helena Forest Supervisors’ Office at 406-495–3747.

The agencies will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in the public process. If you require an accommodation, please contact either of the individuals above.