Montana wants $5 million to remove PCBs, other toxins at Bonner mill site

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer called the contaminated sediment left at a recently closed lumber mill site in Bonner a “ticking time bomb.”

The sediment, 87,000 cubic yards, is located in a cooling pond and its earthen berm along the Blackfoot River; it is tainted with PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, and other toxic compounds.

Schweitzer believes it is just a matter of time before they move into the river unless they are excavated.

The situation is so serious that the state is seeking $5 million from Stimson lumber, the culprit, to remove it.

Stimson’s officials were surprised to hear of the development because they have not talked to state officials in over a year. They further stated that they intend to do their own cleanup at the site.

Schweitzer said the mill site should be cleaned up to avoid recontaminating the Milltown Superfund site, where $120 million is being spent to remove Miltown Dam and toxic mining wastes just downstream from the Stimson plant.

BONNER – State officials announced Tuesday they are seeking at least $5 million from the Stimson Lumber Co. to remove contaminated sediment at the company’s recently closed mill site.

Under the state’s proposed cleanup plan, 87,000 cubic yards of sediment tainted by PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, and other toxic compounds are to be removed from a cooling pond and its earthen berm along the Blackfoot River.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer called the toxins a “ticking time bomb,” but he said the cooling pond berm has been reinforced and poses no hazard to human health and the environment unless a severe flood destroys the berm and releases the chemicals all at once.

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