Who We Are

The Coalition for a Clean CFAC formed in February 2024 when a small group of Columbia Falls residents had great concerns that the EPA and Glencore’s cleanup plan wasn’t good enough. We’re neighbors, parents, business owners, workers, and other stakeholders who believe our community deserves a healthy and clean environment.

We’re a registered Montana nonprofit managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Our work is funded by community donations and EPA technical assistance grants.

Our Mission

To secure the comprehensive cleanup of the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company (CFAC) Superfund site for the health, enjoyment, and economic benefit of the local community and the protection of the Flathead watershed.

What We’ve Accomplished

  • Mobilized the community through petition drives and three well-attended public meeting

  • Researched extensively through hundreds of EPA Superfund documents

  • Secured an EPA Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) to hire an independent technical advisor who represents community interests in meetings with EPA, DEQ, and Glencore

  • Built partnerships with environmental nonprofits, tribal leaders, and government agencies

  • Amplified community voices that were being ignored in the cleanup process

  • Looking ahead: Our technical advisor began work in early 2026, giving us professional expertise to understand documents and designs, provide suggestions to EPA, facilitate meetings with EPA and Glencore, and provide clear communication about the remediation process to the public.

    In addition, we plan to have public meetings in the future to keep our stakeholders informed.

CFAC

site history

  • 1955

Plant opens under Anaconda Company

  • 1999

Glencore purchases CFAC

  • 2015

Glencore permanently closes the plant

  • 2016

EPA declares CFAC a Superfund site

  • Jan 2025

EPA issues Record of Decision (ROD) approving containment plan

  • 2027

Construction estimated to begin

The Current Plan

  • Contaminated groundwater will be blocked by a slurry wall, not removed

  • Polluted surface soil will be dug up and consolidated in existing landfills—also on-site

  • Long-term monitoring will track whether containment systems fail

  • Future generations inherit the risk and maintenance burden

We believe Columbia Falls deserves an effective, long term solution.

We Work Closely With:

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • Montana Natural Resource Damage Program

  • Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe

  • Local environmental advocacy groups