Join us 9/18--Hear Why the CFAC Cleanup Plan Can.... Public Comment from Citizens for a Better Flathead Aimee Brunckhorst
From: Flathead Citizens <citizens@flatheadcitizens.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2024 7:26 PM
To: becker.kc@epa.gov; Balliew, Carolina;Jenkins, Katherine;John Muhlfeld; Michelle
Howke; Mark Johnson; Kalispell Meetings Public Comment;
Brad.Abell@flathead.mt.gov; Randy Brodehl; Pam.Holmquist@flathead.mt.gov;
cocontactus@flathead.mt.gov; richjanssen@cskt.org; info@cskt.org; Chelsea Colwyn;
Chauncey Means; Erik_Nylund@tester.senate.gov; Chad_Campbell@tester.senate.gov;
Devlin, Katie (Daines); Dick Sloan; Dorrington, Matthew;jrankosky@flathead.mt.gov;
Tom.bansak@umontana.edu;jim.elser@flbs.umt.edu; Mike Koopal;
casey.lewis@mt.gov; samantha@flatheadcd.org; dougmartin@mt.gov;
KHausrath@mt.gov; Van-Otten, Charles; nolan.lister@mt.gov;
Barnicoat.Dana@epa.gov; Watkins, Kelly
Cc: Citizens; Mayre Flowers; Shirley Folkwein; Del Phipps; Peter Metcalf; Laura Damon; Phil
Matson
Subject: EXTERNAL Fwd:Join us 9/18--Hear Why the CFAC Cleanup Plan Can and Should Be
Made More Protective of our Water, our Health, & our Economy
Begin forwarded message:
From: Citizens For A Better Flathead <citizens(a-)flathead citizens.org>
Subject: Join us 9/18--Hear Why the CFAC Cleanup Plan Can and Should Be Made
More Protective of our Water, our Health, & our Economy
Date: September 14, 2024 at 6.46.14 PM MDT
To: citizens(a-)flatheadcitizens.org
Reply-To: citizens(a-)flathead citizens.org
Join Us!
For Deep i
Mark, OUIr calendar & please ShOW up Wednesday Septernbe, 1 th
m to 8:30pm
Cedar Creelk. ILod e Convention Center Ballroom, 930 2nd venue West., Colllumbiiia Falls
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
ProtectiveHear How Glencore's and EPA's Proposed Clean Up Plan
for the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company (CFAC)
Can and Should Be Made More
119'rewidatim b%the Coalition,for a Clem CFNC
The September "Deep Dive" presentation wiii make a cioser iook at ion -t rm major -toxic waste
contamination issues and which of the DroDosed six aiternative cie rtu - carts best address the cieanup
of -the existingontamuru t d piume of groundwater i th site, impacts on -the Fiathead River's waiver
qu iity, fisheries, and aquatic iuf . We wiii begun with a brief recap of August's Deep Dive -findings. The
presentation wiii feature rout independent research and be interactive with the opportunity for
community members -to raise and discuss questions and identify addifionai concerns. In October w
are considering a deeper dive into a iook at pot ruti i ion -t rice heaith effects and pot ruti i -future uses
of the site Your voice reallis matters in the final decision Mat EPA will make on Mis Cleanup Plan.
Please , lrow tiro EPA you care by attending Mis presentation. It is really important! T17ankk, .......�� llllt
,ef :t send us c rr meats r t i t us Ikin w you pi ru t attend any f these events. Thank you s
much@
,I'll o,o���, ryM.o�ao.e ..F..........
The Columbia Falls Aluminum Company facility sits on the banks of the Flathead River phoW from hdt s://www.rouxinc.com/ ro ecds/aluminum-smel8er-su erfund-si8e/
Other Opportunities to learn r
• Th2rs
td , Sm erl%i firoom w — -00 a.m. Drop In Conversationswith
Karmen King an independent expert and consultant n Superfund site cleanup
projects and with Coalition Board Members at United Methodist huulrch, 117 2nd to
W.,
CF
• Th2rs
td ay. Sm e r t�� fir ur w � rm� �� t drop iu� luulu�c��t�ur ill be
available l in Columbia Falls for invited business in nd community muu pity leaders to meet
some Coalition board members and Ms. King and have questionsand concerns
heard at the Uptown Hearth Because space is limited, please RSVP by calling
-1 u
"This i5 an exciting rtunity for re5idents in the Flathead Valley to be
heard"' 5aid aShirley Folkwein, a Boardmember of the Coalition. "'We all live
neat to or down tream from the Flathead River and making 5ure the toxic
icR
ga to at the CFA C Site i5 gleaned up i5 vital to u5 all and to future
aeneratin . xr
Update on the Coalition r a Cleanivfindings on the
proposedl -up plan for the ColumbiaIIAluminum Company
(CFAC).
7he proposed EP,4 ('the T ederal Environmental protection Agencay) Cleanup Planfir the (31AC;"
site identified, evaluated, and ranked 6 Possible alternatives f r the cleanup oJ'the toxic rite at
the (31AC;"site. In late Tune oJ'2 23, the EP'A and C FAC,",which is owned by Glencore who has
been celled out fir r�r by some fir r�r their environmental record announced that they were
recommendin their choice oJ'Alternative #4 and opened a public comment period on this
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recommendation in the summer ref"2023. ER4 is tasked with ma kin the f nail decision on which
Alternative is chosen. That decision is still pending,.
Tlie Coalition for a CJe an FA, .howe r r, .h a.s come to a different conclusion on the
. roposrc a.lternat.zves° basrd on our first `29eep I. . ve"in A ug-us , Tlie Coalition iss
instead tentatively-recommending-Alternative 6. Tlie benefits ofAlternative
the building-ofanon--site repository-or new azar us landfill meetiagr su ,stantry
RCRA Subtitle C requirementsare any—.
Our Septe nber f th Deep Dive ( o n.rminity Presentation will cover:
1. A more in-de ti-i look at our re commenda :ion for Alternative fi 6 wliicli calls for
building an on-site certified and liia lily regulated 1ta.zardous waste facility within
1:1te 1,340 acre Superfund site as a. solution l:hat we believe would be more long-
term and pernianent and protective of water quality vs 1:1te EPA Alternative #4
wliicli calls for essentially leaving 1:1te waste in place and cons tructing a. 100 to 125
fool. deep sherry wall ground two of 1:1te F 's seven existing landfills to contain
some of 1:1te ltia hest levels of toxic wastes, including chemicals life cyanide and.
fluoride, will-tin 1:1te sherry wall boundaries.
. A look at 1-tow Alternative fi 6 can be amended to be even more protective of water
quality and 1:1te river.
. A review of wlty alternative #4 fails to provide sound research si-towing l:hat it. will
in a. timely manner address and cleanup I:he existing contaminated plume
moving toward the river, and 1.1-ta : impacts to the river and the fisliery food
chain leave been inadequately or incorrectly analyzed in 1:1te Baseline Ecological
Assessment done for 1:1tis site. (Scroll down on 1:1tis link to Sampling and Monitoring
Site Reassessment (p f )
4. An update on additional flaws found in 1:1te ranking criteria. cased by
FAC/Glencore to rangy ti-teir recommended cleanup Alternatives.
couldn'tThank you for your support.
We really m m
Kar,men King, as an independent Ilp r't and consultant
n Sulperfund site cleanulp 1pr,ojects ar,ound the country,
ill be avallablefor, questions. She is a compliance and
ecological mislk expert with many year's of experience in community cleanups of hazardous
Este Superfund sites. Her, 1pr,esence and suppoftfor, the community is thr,our
unique (Feder,al E nvi r,on m nt l Pr,otection Agency) 1pr,ogr,am that suppor,ts
independent analysis of llp r' fund cleanulp plans led by affected
communities. Please not th t her, mole is to help ups find information and to understand
hat it means. She does not and will not malke or, recommend actions th t should be
t lken,--any conclusions or, recommendations that we m lk to EPA will be -the positions
generated nd adopted Icy the Coalitionfor, a Clean CFAC,
3
PublicParticipation (that mean ) an feedback are crucial forthe , who
_ i the
finaldecision-maker, to get the cleanup accomplished with the communitsy's best interest
in rind.
ryMo�aoe Thee pubHc meetings are designed -to be interactive and
to assist -the pubHc in getting -the information -they need -to
both understand what is being proposed and what could be
possiNe. "This is an exciting ollpllpor°fu nif for° residents in the Flathead Mlle to be
heard", said ShirleyFolllk ein, a Boardmember, of the Coalition. "We all live next to
or, downstreamfrom the Flathead River, and malking sure the toxic waste at the
CFAC site is cleaned ulp is vital to us all and to future ture ener° Pion ."
The next interactive community meet/rig will be held October 9-10, location and time to
be determined. For, more information, (please eirnail coalition 0-cleancfac.org
e ....M............F...a�,.Fom...........
More finks 'Information...
.III lllk iiir for -the Top 10 Quesfions -to Ask When Buying a Superfund &-te. . III,
V iiir for -the list of questions sue Landed out at -the Ipril rneetin . (Note -that l� has
IpmubHshed -their answers to our questions, but we have respectfully told -them -that we can
not support or endorse -their answers as we donut feel in many ways -they have answered
-the question we asked. III .....IIIV ipr -to send us comment or -to let us (know you (plan -to
attend any of-these events. Thank you so much!
............ ...........
Ih ow U P fo u
ir a
Birliqlhteir Future
Show up 0 0 r Ilh e wolldk of tIlhe Coal 11"t'li In for
e In QIIIFAC
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The Coalition for a Clean CFAC &Citizens for a Better Flathead
PO Box 2198, Kalispell, MT 59903
406.756.8993 or 755-4521
htt s-Hcleancfac.orcl/ and www.Flatheadcitizens.org
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