Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. has ended discussions with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality over the state’s pursuit of an environmental assessment of the defunct plant site.

In a press release issued late Tuesday, Haley Beaudry, former external affairs manager for CFAC, said the company is committed to assessing soil and groundwater impacts at the site but is no longer negotiating with the state regarding an administrative order on consent for the investigation.

A meeting planned by the state on Thursday in Columbia Falls will be held as scheduled to inform the public about the next steps in addressing contamination at the aluminum plant site.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Columbia Falls High School Little Theatre.

The end of negotiations also won’t prevent the state from pursuing a National Priorities Listing for Superfund cleanup of the site, said Bill Kirley, an attorney with the Department of Environmental Quality.

Kirley said when the meeting was scheduled several weeks ago, state officials weren’t optimistic that a settlement would be reached for the administrative order.

“We knew there was not likely to be an agreement, so this confirms what we thought was likely,” Kirley said.

Putting the site on the National Priorities List for Superfund cleanup gives federal authorities the muscle needed to require a site to be cleaned up, he added.

In April the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a report, finding that the plant might qualify as a Superfund site. The state Department of Environmental Quality assumed the role of lead agency, and state and federal officials met with CFAC representatives to discuss and set a course of action.

“Throughout this process, CFAC has been committed to assessing the environmental conditions at the site and has hired specialty environmental consultant Roux Associates to develop a site assessment plan,” Beaudry said. “In the early summer DEQ undertook the task of writing a ‘white paper,’ which remains undone. Instead, DEQ submitted an Administrative Order on Consent to CFAC and demanded immediate acceptance by CFAC.

“Under these conditions and after working diligently to establish a joint resolution with DEQ, CFAC is no longer negotiating with DEQ regarding the investigation,” he said.

Glencore, the Swiss-based parent company of CFAC, shut down the plant in October 2009. Montana’s congressional delegation and state leaders pushed for the reopening of the plant.

Last year Glencore officials met with the Flathead County commissioners, saying they needed to do a better job of communicating. At that point the company still held out hope the plant one day would reopen.

Acting on specific requests, the EPA agreed to evaluate the plant for a second time in 2012 to determine if conditions warrant classifying the property as a Superfund site. Based on its first evaluation, the federal agency decided the plant did not meet the Superfund criteria, Beaudry noted in the press release.

“CFAC understands and concurs that it is in the best interest of all to move forward with a thorough assessment of the site conditions and options for addressing any historical impacts,” he said. “CFAC has assembled a team of professionals to lead the efforts to define and resolve the outstanding issues at the Columbia Falls plant site and remains fully committed to completing the job in a timely and competent manner.”

Cleaning up the plant site could take at least a decade.

During a public meeting in April, EPA Site Assessment Manager Rob Parker said contaminants including metals, cyanide, fluoride and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found near landfills north of the plant and percolation ponds north and south of the plant, according to the Hungry Horse News.

Samples also were taken from five residential wells in Aluminum City southwest of CFAC. Two contained cyanide at levels well below the federal Safe Drinking Water Act’s allowable limits.

The plant opened in 1955 and operated nearly continuously until 2009 under various owners.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.