Author: Samson Paulotti
Title: The Restoration Of The Clark Fork River Of Montana

Article: In the early eighties, the state of Montana filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO) for releasing toxic substances into the Clark Fork River during its many years of mining operations in the area of Anaconda and Butte. The mine tailings have affected the surface and ground water resources of the Clark Fork River.

ARCO has completed a series of settlements with the state of Montana. In 1999, the company settled with the state and was made to pay Montana $230 million. This was after the state, ARCO, the Salish and the Kootenai Tribes and the federal government reached an agreement. This amount covered $215 million in damages and $15 million in interest. $129 million was earmarked for the restoration of the Clark Fork Basin. The $86 million was meant to be the cleanup fund for the Silver Bow Creek Area and the remaining $15 million covers the costs of bringing the lawsuit to trial. The second part of the settlement which happened in 2005 involved the cost of restoring the Milltown Dam Reservoir. In 2008, a final settlement of $168 million was reached, $72.5 million of which has been earmarked for the restoration of the Butte Area One, the Smelter Hills Uplands and the Upper Clark Fork River

The Restoration of the Upper Clark Fork River dubbed the Superfund cleanup is set to be launched in 2010. The restoration and remediation of the site will follow the clean-up plan of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This remediation and restoration plan was agreed upon by EPA and the state of Montana in 2006. The plan involves removing all contaminated tailings from the river and the restoration of the water and the river banks. Not only has the mine tailings affected the surface and underground water of Clark Fork River, the aquatic resources of the river were also severely damaged following more than a century of waste dumping in the river. The River bands and river beds were also gravely damaged resulting in the degradation of plant and animal life in the river and along the river’s food plain. The damage has also resulted in the loss of use and enjoyment of tribes and other populations surrounding the river. The whole restoration of the Clark Fork River is expected to reach $300 million.

The Clark Fork Coalition is at the forefront of the Superfund cleanup. The coalition’s long-term goals are in line with the EPA’s Remediation program. The organization’s River Vision 2020 aims for an integrated restoration of the river covering various aspects of restoration including economic, environmental, cultural and social. The coalition also aims to maximize the gains from the clean-up project considering the big amount that will be spent on it. This means setting up the areas as working models and areas for scientific learning. This can have a positive domino effect on the surrounding areas in Montana.

The Superfund clean-up is divided into three major areas in Montana: the Clark Fork River, the Anaconda and the Butte areas. These three major areas are further divided into operable units so that remediation process can be easily managed. Samson Paulotti shares How-To tips and other information for Montana Restoration and Restoration Industry Resources

Syndication Source: ThoughtSearch.com

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