EPA, developer talk about business opportunities

When given a Superfund designation, one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s directives beyond cleanup is economic rejuvenation.

Once home to the largest lumber mill west of the Mississippi, the Libby Business Park-Industrial District is now the home of two Superfund sites – the International Paper creosote contamination of the Libby aquifer and W.R. Grace asbestos. 

According to the agency’s website, the “EPA is working with communities and other partners to consider future use opportunities and to integrate appropriate reuse options into the cleanup process.”

Last Wednesday, EPA officials met with Paul Rumelhart, executive director of Kootenai River Development Council and contractor hired to stimulate the district’s economy.

Rumelhart has been in talks with several businesses – most prominent is a deck joint company that builds bridge parts.

The proposed business venture requires a 300-by-500-foot building that is 50 feet tall. An additional 20 acres would be needed for material handling and storage as well as additional acreage for employee parking. An exact building site has not been determined within the district. 

The proposed facility could employ 50-150 skilled laborers at a time when closures are the norm.

Mike Hancock, a consultant hired by KRDC, said the uses at the district are compatible with the EPA remediation process and the goal is to establish a number of smaller businesses and create diverse streams of revenue.

The primary challenge is funding and the Montana Board of Investments, which has roughly $70 million set aside for projects like this, is reluctant to supply money because of the Superfund status and lack of EPA institutional controls at the site.

Rebecca Thomas, EPA remedial project manager for Region 8, said if there were water restrictions contained within the deed when Champion International sold the mill-site to Stimson Lumber that EPA institutional controls could be the deed restrictions.

Victor Ketellapper, EPA Libby team leader, said the more institutional controls in the deed the better.

Rumelhart said the district has water rights to 12 million gallons a day, which neutralizes the need for a well tapped into the contaminated aquifer.

 “We could phase EPA work with the developer in cooperation to fit future plans,” she said adding the EPA would consider partial delisting of the specified area to help speed along the process.

However, Thomas said there are some feasibility concerns with timeliness and data gathering. 

“This could be a huge benefit. We would love to see this happen soon,” Thomas said.

“There is no reason this should not go forward today,” Rumelhart said.

“No there isn’t,” Thomas replied. “It is a great idea. We would like to work quickly on this.”