Public input welcome on proposed plan

Guest commentary:

We are pleased to inform you that the risk assessment released in December is allowing the Environmental Protection Agency to proceed with the final steps for selecting a remedy for the asbestos cleanup project. There will be numerous opportunities for citizens to be involved during the next couple of months.  

The agency will announce a proposed plan for the Libby Asbestos Site in early May. The proposed plan is important because it will identify EPA’s proposed cleanup and long-term management plan for all remaining portions of the site, with the exception of the former Libby vermiculite mine and forested areas. While the agency expects construction to continue for three to five more years, long-term management tools will be needed to make sure the remedy remains protective and to minimize exposure to Libby Amphibole asbestos in the future.  

EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality recognize that long-term management tools will be most effective if the community is closely involved in their development. In an effort to strengthen development of these tools, we will ask for public comment on the proposed plan for 60 days.

We will host public meetings in both Libby and Troy about the proposed plan in May, and a third meeting is being planned for late June so citizens can provide additional input and review comments received. Additionally, representatives of the county’s Asbestos Resource Program and Technical Advisory Group will be conducting interviews with citizens and local organizations to collect the community’s ideas and opinions on the proposed remedy and specific combination of long-term management tools. 

Details about these opportunities and how to submit comments will be provided in the forthcoming proposed plan. If you have questions, please call or email me at the contact information provided below, or call the Libby information center at 406-293-6194. You can also contact Lincoln County’s Asbestos Resource Program at 406-291-5335.

You may have noticed that construction season is underway. Investigations began in April and removal work begins in early May. The risk assessment has shown that our cleanups are protective. If you haven’t already done so, please call us at 406-293-6194 to request a property investigation or to learn more about the cleanup program.

- Rebecca Thomas is the EPA Region 8 Project Manager