The Montana superfund cleanup of the BNSF Railway Company rail yard toxic plume continues. After almost three decades, it’s easy to forget that this difficult and contested project isn’t completed. That’s why the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will update the status of the project at a public meeting March 11, 2015 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the Public Meeting Room of the City-County Complex (414 East Callender Street in Livingston). It’s a chance for involved and interested citizens of Livingston and Park County to hear about the cleanup progress to-date and discuss the issues.
Aimee Reynolds, Department of Environmental Quality Risk Assessment and Quality Coordinator and Project Manager of the Livingston cleanup since 2006 will conduct the meeting. Also present will be various federal, state and city officials familiar with the project.
For many decades diesel fuel (more than a million gallons) and hydrocarbon solvents drained from the Livingston railroad yard directly into the soil, eventually reaching ground water and percolating eastward in a massive plume of toxic chemicals. The plume spread underneath parts of Livingston causing health problems and loss of property value. The contamination was identified in the late 1980’s and legal maneuvering persisted without much action until 2006, when then Governor Brian Schweitzer ordered the state DEQ to begin an official Montana Superfund cleanup project.
Since then, wells were drilled, pumping facilities installed, contaminated groundwater removed, and legal battles continued including a major 2012 settlement for $36 million with the city of Livingston and affected citizens. The cleanup effort continues today.
