BUTTE - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promised to start being more transparent in its decision-making process over the Superfund cleanup following complaints from Butte officials and many citizens.
But some people are still skeptical.
“It’s a good first start, but people need to put the pressure on and continue to put the pressure on for openness and transparency,” said Butte concerned citizen Evan Barrett.
The EPA has been criticized for not keeping the public informed about its cleanup efforts outlined in a consent decree to clean up areas of Butte that have been contaminated by a century’s worth of mining.
Some allege the EPA has been friendly with the Atlantic Richfield Company and less concerned about what’s best for the public.
“Open meetings are not about meeting the needs of the governmental agency, they’re about meeting the needs of the public,” said Barrett.
The EPA released a statement on Aug. 23, 2023, promising to add more public meetings that include the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit, remedial action, and groundwater modeling.
The statement added: "Our first step to enhance transparency was bringing in more EPA staff so we could better share information and address questions and concerns from individuals across the community more effectively."
However, the EPA said it will do this over the next four months and then decide if it’s worth continuing the meetings or if they are only delaying the cleanup process.
“The only way we extend the length of the project is if they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing and the project’s already four years old and they haven't started yet, so I don’t think we’re going to lengthen the project by getting clarity and transparency,” said Butte resident Mick Ringsak.
The EPA will host a public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at the Butte Operations Center at 6 p.m. to discuss the use of on-site material, also known as gray dirt, in the cleanup.
