Superfund — Let’s keep our eyes open | Sr. Mary Jo McDonald and Evan Barrett

The media in Butte have dubbed us Superfund "watchdogs," a tag we wear with pride, as Butte must keep a sharp eye on what is being done with Superfund. Are decisions being based on what's best for Butte and its citizens or based on what's best for British Petroleum's bottom line?

We come to this effort with a history of healthy skepticism and activity. In Sister Mary Jo's case it goes back decades to fighting the powers that be (public and private) over control of Butte's drinking water and also making sure that the first mile of Silver Bow Creek was returned to being a creek, not a "Metro Storm Drain."

In Evan's case, it goes back decades to the creation of the Natural Resource Damage Advisory Council, the initial efforts at a Greenway, participating in restoring Silver Bow Creek, and battling British Petroleum for years over its "Dirty Dirt" efforts.

We write after reading the Oct. 8 column by CTEC Board members Karen Sullivan and Al Kesselheim (Evan happens to also be a member of the CTEC Board). In their informative column, Karen and Al discussed many Superfund things being done in Butte — from Grove Gulch today to Streamside Tailings (decades back but ongoing); from the RMAP program to the Greenway (still not complete); and hopefulness regarding a new lead level.

We hope the people of Butte can appreciate the good that is being done without giving up their healthy skepticism and questioning eyes. As watchdogs, there are some ongoing things that we question and want the people to know about. Hard and challenging questions lead to a better cleanup.

What's on our minds today? What concerns our watchdog eyes? Much, but here's two.

First is Grove Gulch, the primary source of zinc flowing into the Silver Bow Creek drainage. We are concerned that British Petroleum, with the acquiescence of EPA, DEQ and the local government, is moving dirt in the area without removing the waste in the target area. This action is contrary to the CD adopted by all parties after nearly a decade of federal court settlement negotiations. The CD says that there can be no waste in a floodplain. The Grove Gulch area is 100% floodplain. We have repeatedly raised this issue with British Petroleum and the EPA, as has the Natural Resource Damage Program. Both of us have been continuously ignored.

Second is where to deposit the waste coming from the Silver Bow Creek corridor in the center of Butte.

Much of that planning was done for years in secret meetings kowtowing to British Petroleum's needs. When BP finally spoke to the public, it took the people to lead them to the Berkeley Pit solution. The Shields Avenue site on mining property, and not near homes, seems fine. But BP seems to be choosing sites near Centerville for possible waste repositories, a clear violation of EPA's Environmental Justice requirement. Since when can waste be dumped near low-to-moderate homes in Centerville but not near newer and more expensive homes near Timber Butte? Timber Butte residents were listened to while Centerville residents were ignored. This is a textbook Environmental Justice violation.

That waste needs to be taken far away from people, away from Butte's urban corridor. The best site is the Opportunity Ponds near Anaconda, owned by BP and previous recipient of over 6 million cubic yards of waste from Butte's streamside tailings. Opportunity Ponds was never presented by BP as an option to that secret committee.

So, we're concerned. Our watchdog eyes are wide open. We'll continue to let you know what we find.

Sr. Mary Jo McDonald is a longtime Butte/Anaconda social and environmental activist and a retired member of Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.

Evan Barrett is a retired activist after nearly 50 years at the top levels of Montana politics, government, education and economic development. He is an award-winning Montana history filmmaker, his most recent series was "Last Best Constitution."