State officials warn that harmful mine material may have been released during the catastrophic floods that washed through parts of Lincoln County in early December.  

While most of the flooding affected areas south of Libby and Troy, waters overlapped the southern area of the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site along the U.S. 2 corridor and Libby Creek.  

“Given the mining history and known contamination within the Libby Asbestos Superfund boundary, the release of contaminated mine materials due to flooding has been a concern,” said Nolan Lister, spokesperson for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, in an email to the Inter Lake. 

A representative of the state agency told Lincoln County commissioners last week the floods could have released mine materials on private property, roadways or creek banks.  

Initial inspections of creek banks are expected to occur in the spring, she said. So far, there have been no reports of spotted vermiculite since the flooding. 

Libby was designated a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2002 after investigators uncovered traces of Libby amphibole asbestos in groundwater, surface water, sediment, outdoor air, porewater, tree bark and the forest floor. The asbestos was linked to vermiculite mined in an operation northeast of town, last owned by W.R. Grace, which closed in 1990.  

The federal agency launched clean-up operations throughout the site by removing contaminated surface soils and buildings, cleaning contaminated attics and interior spaces, and sealing off contaminated building materials and creek banks. 

By November 2018, it cleaned up more than 2,600 homes and businesses in Libby and Troy and removed more than one million cubic yards of contaminated dirt from major source areas and buildings.  

But small traces of contaminants have been detected in certain areas, including subsurface soil of the former export plant, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. 

A RIPRAP built on Libby Creek that washed out during the floods is a point of concern for state and local officials. The man-made bank was installed in August 2009 by the Environmental Protection Agency to replace rock and soil contaminated with Libby amphibole asbestos. State officials believe the mine waste has eroded and been exposed by the flooding, Lister said.  

“Given the extent of the flood-related damage, it may take a while to understand the full impact,” Lister said. “The recovery effort is still in its early stages, and [the state Department of Environmental Quality] is working with local, state and federal partners to continue to assess the extent of flood-related contamination and damage in Lincoln County.” 

This includes the Montana Disaster and Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency said it did not plan on conducting any tests for asbestos, since the affected areas are within the jurisdiction of the state of Montana. However, the federal agency will remain available to support state and local agencies. 

The failed levee on Libby Creek also increases the risk of flooding on Fifth Street, adjacent residential properties and neighboring farms on the east side of Libby in the coming spring months.  

“It’s cut right down to the water line,” said County Commissioner Brent Teske during a special meeting on Dec. 31. “I don’t know how we expedite a repair of that.” 

Additionally, there’s concern with trees uprooted from major wind gusts during the early December storms. Officials plan to investigate and make sure no vermiculite was buried underneath and potentially exposed.  

Residents are advised to avoid flood debris, abide by local road closures and contact the Lincoln County Asbestos Resource Program with any concerns regarding suspect materials on private property, Lister said. Flood affected property owners will be contacted directly once assessment is complete and a plan is ready to implement.   

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].