Coalition announces meetings
The Coalition For A Clean CFAC will be hosting public meetings on Aug. 20 and 21. These meetings invite the public’s input regarding the proposed Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Superfund cleanup plan. The August presentation and discussion sessions will focus on the barriers and opportunities to removing some or all of the waste from the CFAC Superfund site. Karmen King, as an independent expert and consultant on Superfund site cleanup projects around the country, will be part of the presentation.
She is a compliance and ecological risk expert with many years of experience in community cleanups of hazardous waste Superfund sites. Her presence and support for the community is through a unique EPA (Federal Environmental Protection Agency) program that supports independent analysis of superfund cleanup plans led by affected communities. King and some of the Coalition members leading efforts to do a deep dive into the remedial investigations will present some tentative findings from their research and take questions. Public participation and feedback are crucial for the EPA, who is the final decision-maker, to get the cleanup accomplished with the community’s best interest in mind.
The Coalition commends the Columbia Falls and Flathead Valley community for participation these past few months in the CFAC/Glencore-sponsored community meetings where CFAC consultants presented their plan and arguments for primarily leaving the toxic waste in place. However, these August Coalition-hosted meetings are designed to be different as they will feature recent independent research and be interactive with the opportunity for community members to raise and discuss questions and identify additional concerns.
Coalition Board member, Phil Matson says, “EPA’s own research and survey of residents in 2022 demonstrated the public wanted assistance with having independent consultants review and help analyze some 10,000 pages of documents that are being used to justify Glencore’s recommendation not to move this highly toxic waste. This toxic waste sits next to the Flathead River on glacier till soils where large fluctuations in groundwater levels occur. This waste sits in unlined landfills, with a history of long-term seepage of unknown quantities of toxic chemicals moving slowly into the river, while the site lies along a fault zone prone to earthquakes and is subject to potential flood events. Does the cleanup plan satisfactorily address or mitigate these issues?” We think an independent look is needed to answer questions like this. Your voice is essential to help with this review.
On Aug, 20 from 7-9 p.m. at the Glacier Gateway Elementary School, a general community meeting will be held. There will be updates presented by Coalition members regarding information gleaned from the first set of questions they are focusing on regarding contaminated waste removal.
King will help lead the question and answer session.
On Aug. 21 from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. the public is welcome to drop by Glacier Gateway Elementary School to give King an opportunity to meet the community and provide an additional opportunity for the public to ask questions or share concerns.
In addition, on Aug. 21 from 11:30-1 p.m. a no-host drop in-lunch time will be available in Columbia Falls for invited business and community leaders to meet King and have questions and concerns heard. The location is yet to be determined.
Because space is limited, please RSVP by calling 406-890-1659.
These public meetings are designed to be interactive and to assist the public in getting the information they need to both understand what is being proposed and what could be possible.
“This is an exciting opportunity for residents in the Flathead Valley to be heard”, said Shirley Folkwein, a Board member of the Coalition. “We all live next to or downstream from the Flathead River and making sure the toxic waste at the CFAC site is cleaned up is vital to us all and to future generations.”
Additional interactive community meetings will be held in September and October