State officials will be in Libby soon to finalize plans for natural resources work and present their plans to city and county officials.

In November, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the Libby Asbestos Operable Unit 3 (OU3) Interim Restoration Plan. The Interim Restoration Plan describes how the state will use natural resource damage settlement funds obtained in the W.R. Grace bankruptcy for injuries to natural resources resulting from the operations at the vermiculite mine site (OU3). 

The state of Montana and the bankrupt company agreed to an $18.5 million settlement for cleanup of the mine site and for natural resource damage claims in 2023.

The settlement between Grace and the state was negotiated by both the Natural Resource Damage Program (NRDP) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). There were many components in the settlement agreement, but the $18.5 million in natural resource damages was negotiated by NRDP and use of the funds will be overseen by NRDP.

Sydney Stewart, a project manager with Natural Resource Damage Program (NRDP) and Brian Bartkowiak, the Program's Environmental Program Manager, will be visiting Libby Jan. 6 through Jan. 8, to get contracts in place with the project leads, present updates to the Libby City Council (7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6) and the Lincoln County Commissioners (9:45 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8) and meet with project stakeholders.

The funding for seven early restoration projects in Lincoln County includes:

- Parmenter Creek fish screen and ditch efficiency evaluation, Project Lead: Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP);

- A preliminary investigation into the feasibility of restoring Libby Creek, Project Lead: Natural Resource Damage Program (NRDP);

- Development of additional raceways for redband trout broodstock development, Project Lead: FWP;

- Development of the Kootenai River Recreation Management Plan, Project Lead: Lincoln County;

- Funding to hire a Park Manager for the Libby Park District, Project Lead(s): Libby Park District and Lincoln County;

- Improvements to the Norgard Trailhead, Project Lead: Lincoln County; and

- Investigation into and removal of the spoils pile created during construction of the Flower Creek Dam, Project Lead: City of Libby.

In the coming years, the Natural Resource Damage Program will be looking for more restoration project ideas in Lincoln County. 

Officials encourage area residents to attend city council or county commission meetings for more information or visit the links below to find the Interim Restoration Plan (which includes the above project proposals, how proposals were evaluated by NRDP and applicable environmental assessments of selected projects) and more information about NRDP and its work in Lincoln County and Libby. 

Those who would like to meet with state officials in Libby are asked to contact Sydney Stewart at [email protected] or (406) 465-6638.

More information is available at:

- NRDP’s Libby Website: https://dojmt.gov/NRDP-sites/libby-asbestos/

- Interim Restoration Plan: https://dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024.11.04-Final-Interim-Restoration-Plan-signed.pdf

- Natural Resource Damage Background and Definitions: https://dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Libby-NRD-Fact-Sheet.pdf

- Sign up for NRDP’s Mailing List: https://dojmt.gov/nrdp/mail-sign-up/

- Select Libby Asbestos to make sure you receive information about Libby Asbestos OU3 restoration projects

- NRDP is also beginning a new claim at Libby Groundwater. Join the Libby Groundwater mailing list to stay updated on the work at that site.