Superior Technical Assistance Committee environmental consultant Steve Ackerlund reported last week that he had met with Department of Environmental Quality Project Manager Joel Chavez and U.S. Forest Service representative Bob Wintergerst regarding how plans were coming for this spring regarding the Flat Creek/Iron Mountain Mine and Mill Site Superfund site located north of Superior.

He was concerned about getting the information out to the Technical Assistance Committee before the possible federal government shutdown, which was looming on Jan. 19. The shutdown would also include the Technical Assistance Grant until Congress reinstates funding.

Chavez reported that DEQ will be moving forward with some additional regrading and reseeding in limited areas not completed last fall as part of the Flat Creek removal action. Money is secured through the trust settlement for long-term operation and maintenance of the repository. There is also a deadline for the construction report on work completed last year due at the end of February.

A pilot test conducted by the US Forest Service last fall led to an increase in the estimated amount of tailings remaining on forest service land from 1,300 yards to about 10,000 yards. This excludes what DEQ removed from forest service land last year.

“At this time, there is not sufficient money to conduct all of the removal,” the report stated. “Additional funding is available through the Trust; however, any funding received would need to compete with ongoing needs at the Mike Horse mine cleanup, located at the headwaters of the Blackfoot River.”

Wintergerst said that his intentions are to conduct the removal over a two-year period, starting with a smaller scale remove of “discrete tailings” not requiring tree removal this summer. A new cell to receive the tailings is planned at the current repository site. Additional sampling was also conducted on private property just downstream of the forest service land. Interpretation of the findings in terms of any additional cleanup needs is in early stage of consideration.

Superior’s Five-year Review is ongoing through an EPA contractor with the public release report expected sometime this year. Also, Wintergerst has contracted with a local driller to seek an alternative source of drinking water in the area above the repository once it’s accessible.

Anita Bailey, who is a member of the Technical Assistance Committe, is hoping to set up a date with Chavez and Allie Archer with the EPA, to do a presentation to local schools on the history of the mine, its legacy and the Superfund site. She is also hoping to get students involved by having them make no-trespassing signs to protect revegetation and stream bed and banks, and get involved with spring plantings. Ackerlund also asked that if anyone notices vehicles accessing reclaimed areas or crossing the stream, to report it the committee.