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  • Do settlement communications, such as past “agreements in principle,” impact the implementation of the final Consent Decrees?

    The parties are bound by the terms of the various final, publicly available consent decrees. These consent decrees were made available for public comment before they were finalized and entered by the Court. Past settlement communications and documents created in the course of settlement discussions have been incorporated (or not)…

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  • What is the Confidentiality Order?

    The Confidentiality Order (Order) is a court order entered by the Federal District Court for the District of Montana (Court) on August 8, 2002, and amended by the Court on December 31, 2003, that applies to Superfund settlement negotiations in the Clark Fork River Basin, including the following sites: Silver…

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  • How does EPA ensure that the potentially responsible parties complete their work?

    All cleanup activities performed by the PRPs are subject to enforcement instruments (i.e., consent decrees or administrative orders) that provide for EPA approval of all deliverables and oversight of all work performed by the PRPs.

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  • Tier2 Submit software and confidential chemical location information

    When using EPA’s Tier2 Submit software to comply with the annual Hazardous Chemical Inventory reporting requirement under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) §312, how can a person withhold confidential chemical location information from disclosure to the public? In order to fulfill the proper reporting under EPCRA, a…

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  • Do states require extra Tier II information?

    Do states require additional information on the Tier II report? How can I find out about the state data requirements? Some states do want additional Tier II information; contact your state Tier II administrator to learn specific details. Tier2 Submit includes fields for the additional information requested or required by…

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  • No Street Address Availability Tier II Reporting

    Pursuant to 40 CFR 370.42(d) , Tier II chemical inventory information must include the complete name and address of the location of the facility (including the full street address or state road, city, county, State and zip code), latitude and longitude. If a facility does not have a street address…

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  • Can you explain who has authority over the active mine vs the Superfund site?

    The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has regulatory authority over the active mine. EPA is the lead agency for the Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site and works in consultation with MDEQ to ensure the cleanup of the Site.

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  • Where can I go to learn more?

    PitWatch.org is the online home of the Berkeley Pit Public Education Committee. This volunteer committee educates residents, students, and the public about the environmental management of the Berkeley Pit.  Information includes the geology, hydrology, current events, and ongoing academic research associated with the Berkeley Pit. This committee frequently shares their…

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  • When will construction begin in the Silver-Bow Creek Corridor?

    Construction in the Silver Bow Creek corridor began in 2024 with the Grove Gulch Project.

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  • Why is the Confidentiality Order important?

    The Confidentiality Order (Order) has been, and continues to be, effective in assisting the parties in reaching settlements under the framework established by the Court in US v. ARCO and still pending in court – six consent decrees to date have been entered since the Order was issued. There are…

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  • What projects has EPA been involved with in Butte related to the Superfund site?

    A variety of actions and activities have been implemented to address the contamination in Butte, including: Assessments of risk have been conducted to quantify actual and potential human health risks due to potential exposure to tailings, waste rock, yard soils, indoor dust, attic dust, mercury vapor, surface water, and ground…

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  • Why were the consent decree negotiations under a confidentiality order?

    The confidentiality order was issued by the federal district court in 2002 to encourage and facilitate settlement negotiations. The court determined that the confidentially order was appropriate to ensure that the parties were afforded the opportunity to engage in frank, open discussion so that litigation could be settled promptly and…

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  • Entering Alternative Storage Types and Pressure and Temperature Conditions on Tier II Form

    EPA provides a list of storage types and conditions for pressure and temperature in the instructions for the paper Tier II form and as dropdown menus in Tier2 Submit. Are facilities required to use the storage types and conditions that EPA provides, or can facilities provide different values? Facilities are…

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  • Attaching Site Plan Using Tier2 Submit

    Tier2 Submit does allow a user to attach and submit a site plan with the Tier II inventory information. However, before using Tier2 Submit to submit a site plan, the facility should check with the relevant State or Tribal Emergency Response Commission ( SERC or TERC ) and/or their state…

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  • Range Code or Specific Weight for Maximum Amount and Average Daily Amount on Tier II Form

    When submitting Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Section 312 Tier II reports, does the owner or operator of the facility need to enter a specific weight in pounds for the maximum amount and the average daily amount of a certain hazardous chemical present at the facility, or should…

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