Gunderson appears to carry dirty water for Teck's mining operations

To the editor:

In a recent meeting regarding the health of the Kootenai watershed, I was shocked to hear Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Libby) use his position to protect his Lincoln County constituents and Montana from clean water.

At issue was whether Montana should implement limits on polluted water flowing into Lake Koocanusa from Teck’s five (and growing) Elk Valley, British Columbia, mountaintop removal coalmines. Teck’s mines release selenium in vast quantities. Selenium is an essential nutrient but also very toxic when in excess. While the B.C. government seems to accept the pollution, collapsing fish populations and contaminated public drinking water, selenium has been accumulating in Lake Koocanusa and will continue to do so.

Teck’s water pollution control technology has not “stabilized and reversed” the pollution trends as required by their operating permits. With or without pollution technology, Montana will be on the receiving end of the pollution for centuries.

To address this concern, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has recommended a limit for selenium at the border in order to protect water quality, fish and other aquatic life, and, ultimately, human health.

Gunderson would have none of that.

During a Sept. 11 public Zoom meeting of the Montana Waters Pollution Control

Advisory Council, Gunderson argued against setting a selenium standard this year. His remarks seemed to come straight from Teck. In fact, the Teck representative said nothing during the two-hour meeting, letting Gunderson carry Teck’s polluted water, so to speak.

What does Gunderson want? Similar to Teck, he wants more time to study the issue. He wants a lower (more polluting) standard. He wants to see if Teck’s pollution technology will reduce the pollution before Montana protects Koocanusa from further degradation. He wants B.C.’s weak mining rules to protect Montana’s water. He wants delay in protecting Koocanusa and the Kootenai River.

As Gunderson fights against clean water, the selenium pollution loading mounts. As the

Canadian pollution increases, Lincoln County’s ability to bring in new industry decreases. Montana must reserve some capacity for its own industry.

I would like to think the W.R. Grace clean-up efforts and ongoing health effects in Lincoln County would have taught us that unchecked industry contamination is not our best move, not for our community or ecological health and certainly not for our economy. Let’s do better this time around.

Please call Rep. Gunderson and let him know you support both clean water and Montana jobs.

Shawna Kelsey

Troy

The author is a member of the Troy City Council