MISSOULA — Missoula County on Thursday officially opened its public hearing over a range of alternatives intended to rid Marshall Mountain and its facilities of contaminants identified in an environmental assessment.
The county conducted due diligence on the property in two phases in 2023 before purchasing the former ski hill the following March. That site assessment identified a range of hazardous materials within the structures at the base of the mountain, including lead-based paint and asbestos.
Newfields, a Missoula-based consultant who conducted the cleanup analysis, said the property remains safe for recreational use while cleanup is pending.
“Regular recreational use of Marshall Mountain will not put the public at risk of coming into contact with these hazardous building materials,” Newfields wrote in a memo to the county. “These materials are withing nearly every building constructed before 1979. The fact that we know exactly where the hazards are allows us to keep the public safe.”
Last week, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality released a site analysis and presented five cleanup alternatives. The options range from abatement only to the demolition of all buildings at the base of the mountain, along with soil removal around the rope tow.
On Thursday, grants administrator Sindie Kennedy said the fourth alternative has emerged as the county's preferred cleanup option.
“This alternative prepares the site for reuse by addressing all asbestos-containing building materials and universal waste, as well as moderated abatement of lead contamination,” Kennedy said. “It retains the base building for future renovation for public use.”
With cleanup pending, Missoula County applied for funding from the Department of Environmental Quality. The department estimated a cleanup cost at roughly $38,000, though that only includes the price of abating hazardous materials and soil cleanup.
“They will not cover the cost of demolition or deconstruction (of the buildings),” said Kennedy. “Additional funds would need to be identified to cover those costs.”
While DEQ won't cover the cost of demolition, it did reach out to the state's historic preservation office, which deemed the site as being eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
While the buildings have little historical value, the property and its recreational history do, Kennedy said.
“It's the position of DEQ that what makes the site significant under the criteria, and what conveys the setting and feeling of the area, is the landscape and slopes where the activity took place,” she said. “Destruction of the main lodge or any other existing structures would not have an adverse effect on the (historic) eligibility.”
Jackson Lee, who serves as the Marshall Mountain Park manager for the county, said DEQ's funding and support coincide well with future plans for the property. As cleanup options are explored, planning and fundraising for future infrastructure improvements will continue.
“We feel like we're on pretty good footing,” said Lee. “The history of Marshall as a ski area is something special to so many Missoula County residents. We know a lot of good memories were made in these spaces. We want to make sure we're good stewards of this legacy as we move forward.”
