The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released its Proposed Plan for cleanup of the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company Superfund site. This document presents the EPA’s preferred approach for addressing contamination from decades of aluminum production and opens a 60-day public comment period for community input.
What’s in the Proposed Plan?
The EPA’s preferred remedy includes:
- Containment of contaminated materials through capping and a slurry wall system
- Excavation and on-site consolidation of contaminated soils
- Long-term groundwater and surface water monitoring
- Land use and groundwater use restrictions
The Proposed Plan summarizes years of site investigation, evaluates different cleanup alternatives, and explains the EPA’s rationale for selecting this approach.
Public Comment Period
The public comment period ran through July 31, 2023, with a public meeting scheduled in Columbia Falls to present the plan and gather community feedback. All comments received were reviewed by the EPA before issuing a final Record of Decision.