U.S. SENATE – Just a day after U.S. Senator Steve Daines urged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to lift a court gag order on the Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund site cleanup plan, Daines announced today that the Department of Justice in conjunction with the EPA and the Atlantic Richfield Company filed a motion to lift the confidentiality order.
During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies hearing, Daines secured Administrator Pruitt’s commitment that EPA staff would quickly go to Butte to hear the community’s input once the details of the plan are released.
“This progress and transparency have been a long time coming,” said Daines. “I applaud the EPA’s major step toward removing the gag order and urge them to seek the Butte community’s input as they move forward with the cleanup process.”
Background:
- On May 16, 2018, during a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, U.S. Senator Steve Daines secured Administrator Pruitt’s commitment to seek community input at the Anaconda Co. Smelter and Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund sites.
- On March 19, 2018, Daines sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging them to take into account Lincoln County’s concerns regarding cleanup of the Libby Asbestos Superfund site.
- On April 14, 2018, Daines met with Lincoln County leaders to hear their concerns on the cleanup of the Libby Asbestos Superfund site.
- On January 17, 2018, the EPA met Daines’ request to include the Libby Asbestos and Libby Groundwater Superfund sites in Libby in its list of sites that Administrator Pruitt is targeting for immediate and intense attention.
- On December 8, 2017, the EPA met Daines’ request to include both Montana’s Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area and Anaconda Co. Smelter Superfund sites in its list of sites that Administrator Pruitt targeted for immediate and intense attention.
- On December 4, 2017, Daines sent a letter to Administrator Pruitt urging him to ensure Montana is represented in the Administrator’s new list of Superfund sites to receive the Administrator’s utmost attention.
- On July 25, 2017, the EPA met Daines’ requests in its Superfund Task Force report, incorporating his recommendations.
- On June 27, 2017, Daines sent a letter to Administrator Pruitt that included recommendations for improvements to the Superfund program.
- On February 17, 2017, after Administrator Pruitt’s confirmation, Daines sent him a letter, underscoring the EPA’s responsibility in the environmental cleanup for National Priority List Superfund sites and invited Pruitt to tour a Montana Superfund site and assess the challenges and needs associated with cleanup.
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