EPA deletes portion of Libby, Montana Superfund site from National Priorities List

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA deletes portion of Libby, Montana Superfund site from National Priorities List 

Deletion reflects continued cleanup progress at site 

Libby, Mont. (September 14, 2021) -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the deletion of a portion of the Libby Asbestos Superfund site in Libby, Mont. from EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL).  EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality have determined that all cleanup activities required for deletion are complete at Operable Unit 8 (OU8) of the site.  

“This is the third operable unit deletion at the Libby Asbestos Superfund site in three years, a milestone that demonstrates the progress EPA and our partners have made in the cleanup and restoration of properties in Libby,” said Betsy Smidinger, Director of EPA Region 8’s Superfund and Emergency Management Division.  

The Libby Asbestos Superfund site was placed on EPA’s NPL in 2002 due to high levels of Libby Amphibole asbestos in and around the communities of Libby and Troy. The site is divided into eight Operable Units. Operable Unit 8 of the site is comprised of roadways and highways in and between the towns of Libby and Troy, including U.S. Highway 2, MT Highway 37 and country roads.  

EPA is deleting OU8 based on a determination that no further remediation action is needed to protect human health and the environment. The area will continue to be subject to operation and maintenance activities, including regular reviews to ensure protectiveness of the remedy. EPA will continue to address contamination concerns at the remaining Operable Units of the Libby Asbestos site, including the former mine site.    

 

For more information about the Libby Superfund site, visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/libby-asbestos