Nearly 30 concerned citizens showed up Tuesday night as the Lincoln County Board of Health and the EPA held a Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting at Flathead Valley Community College to discuss Institutional Controls and what effect those will have on the lives of those in Libby and Troy.

A TAG (Technical Advisory Group) meeting preceded the CAG.

Nick Raines, head of the new Asbestos Resource Program, described Institutional Controls (ICs) as administrative and legal tools that minimize potential for exposure to contamination and protect the integrity of the remedy.

“ICs are usually used at the end of a project to deal with any contamination left,” Raines said. “We want to reduce risk while still progressing through the risk-evaluation process.”

The meeting was held largely to dissuade fears people had about ICs controlling everyday life. The issues people had with them were still very real, however.

Mel Parker, a CAG member, raised serious concerns about the liability a property owner might have if they discovered vermiculite on their property, and whether deed restrictions might be placed on property – something that would greatly reduce the value of the property.

The EPA members in attendance were adamant that deed restrictions, while in their power, were not standard operating procedure at all.

Allan Payne, an attorney working with Lincoln County on the issue, summed up much of the issues.

“Even if the EPA wanted to remove every fiber of asbestos, they don’t know where they all are. There’s no magic wand to suck them all up,” Payne said. 

“If you find some on your property, hopefully we can take the EPA’s money so you aren’t left holding the bag to clean it up.” 

Even with the concerns about liability and government control, there were tempered reactions.

“We can’t be so worried about being afraid of ICs that we put blinders on and nothing gets done,” said Mike Cirian, onsite project manager for the EPA.