Join us 9/18--Hear Why the CFAC Cleanup Plan Can.... Public Comment from Citizens for a Better FlatheadAimee 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-)flatheadcitizens. 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.orq
Reply -To: citizens(a-)flatheadcitizens. orq
L • '
Mark, YOUIr calendar & please ShOW Lip Wednesday Septernbeir,18th
. 0.
Columbia' -:ear How Glencore's and EPA's Proposed Clean Up Plar.
for the .
Can d Should Be Made More Protective of
119'rewidatim b%the Coalition, for aClem CFNC
The September "Deep Dive" presentation wuii take a cioser iook at ion -t rice major toxic waste
contamination issues and which of the DroDosed six aiternative cieanu-darts best address the cieanup
of the existing contaminated piume of groundwater at the site, impacts on the Flathead River's water
quiuty, fisheries, and aquatic iuf . We wuii begun with a brief recap of August's Deep Dive -findings. The
presentation wiH feature rout independent research and be interactive with the opportunity for
community members -to raise and discuss questions and identify addifionaV concerns. In October w
are considering a deeper dive into a iook at pot ntG i logo -t rice health effects and pot ntG 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, ....... �� llll
.:, `e: -to send pus comments r -to Vet pus know you pVan -to attend any of these events. Thank you s
mach@
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/
"This i5 an exciting rtunity for re5idents in the Flathead Valley to be
heard"' 5aid aShirley Folkwein, a Boardm be 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
Updateon the Coalition
proposed clean-up plan for the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company
7he proposed E4 ('the ll-'ederal Environmental protection Agencay) (7leanup Plan fir 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 ER4 and C FAC," , which, is owned by Glencore who has
been celled outfir r�r by somefir r�r their environmental record announced that they were
recommendin their choice oJ'Alternative #4 and opened a public comment period on this
recommendation in the summer oj'2023. ER4 is tasked with ma kinthe finail decision on which
Alternative is chosen. That decision is still pending,.
Tlie Coalition for a CJean CFAC,.however,.has come to a different conclusion on the
.proposrdalternatives� basrd on our first `29eep L)ive "in A ug-ust, Tlie Coalition A
instead tentatively- recommending -Alternative #6. Tlx benefits ofAlternative
the building- ofan ,site repository- or new hazardous landbi meetiagsubstan ve
,11
RCRA Subtitle C requirementsare manjz.
Our Se.ate rnber 1.8th Deep Dive Corn.rminity Presentation will cover:
1. A more in-depti-i look at our reconinienda:ion for Alternative #6 wl-ticti calls for
building an on -site certified and 1-tigi-ily regulated hazardous waste facility within
1.1-te 1,340 acre Superfund site as a. solution lfiat we believe would be more long-
term and pernianent and protective of water quality vs 1.1-te EPA Alternative #4
wl-ticti calls for essentially leaving 1.1-te waste in place and constructing a. 100 to 125
fool. deep slurry wall around two of 1.1-te CFAC's seven existing landfills to contain
some of 1.1-te 1-tigtiest levels of toxic wastes, including chemicals like cyanide and
fluoride, will -tin 1.1-te slurry wall boundaries.
2. A look at 1-tow Alternative #6 can be amended to be even more protective of water
quality and 1.1-te river.
3, A review of wl-ty alternative #4 fails to provide sound research stiowing lfiat it. will
in a. timely manner address and cleanup Ifie existing contaminated plume
moving toward the river, and 1.1-tal impacts to the river and the fisher y food
chain leavebeeninadequately or incorrectly analyzed in 1.1-te Baseline Ecological
Assessment done for 1.1-tis site. (Scroll down on 1.1-tis link to SampHng and Monitoring
A Site Reassessment (pdf)
4. An update on additional flaws found in 1.1-te ranking criteria. cased by
CFAC/Glencore to rank ti-teir recommended cleanup Alternatives.
Thank you for your support. I
We really couldn't do it without yoll
3
Public participation (that meatis YOU) aril feedback are crucial for the EPA, who is the
final decisioti-maker, to get the cleatiup accomplished with the commutiftys best ititerest
hi mitid.
The next interactive commutifty meethig will be held October 9-10, location alltime to
be determitied. For, more information, jplease eirnafl coalition O_cleancfac. org
E.. .... ........ ......... ........ . ... ......... ......... ........ ...... ....... ... ...........
"Cl,I,I,l,l'll,!III'll'Ic""Il,l,lllk""""lllk"liiii,r,,efor -the Top 10 Questions -to Ask When Buying a Superfund &-te. C c " k " for -the list of questions sue handed out at -the AprH meetings. (Note -that CFAC has
pubHshed -their answers to our questions, but we have respectfuHy 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. -to send us comments or -to let us know you plan -to
attend any of -these events. Thank you so much!
Show Up for a
Brighter Future
Show up to suppolirt tIlhe wolidk of tIlhe Coal '1t'lioln for a
Clealn QIIIFAC
The Coalition for a Clean CFAC & Citizens for a Better Flathead
PO Box 2198, Kalispell, MT 59903
406.756.8993 or 755-4521
httPs-HcIeancfac.on/ and www.Flatheadcitizens.org
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