MTLRS439.xml Guide to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Remediation Division Records 1983-1997 Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Remediation Division records Finding aid prepared by Rachel Lilley; Updated by Lindsey Mick Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) Montana Historical Society 2012; 2024 Finding aid encoded by Matt Kruse; Updated by Lindsey Mick2012; 2024 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition). Montana Historical Society Library & Archives RS 439_RS 494 Montana. Department of Environmental Quality Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Remediation Division records 1983-1997 2.2 linear feet This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality records. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Environmental Quality records. These records (1983-1997) include correspondence, reports, and subjects files, and mostly pertain to the cleanup of Silver Bow Creek near Butte, Montana. 43: 4-3 English

Created as part of the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences in 1973, the Environmental Sciences Division remained part of DHES from 1974 to 1990, during which time they were responsible for monitoring air quality and water quality, solid waste management, administering the Subdivision Bureau, and ensuring food and consumer safety, and occupational health. In 1991, though still a part of the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, the role of the Environmental Sciences Division was considerably expanded to include: Natural Resource Damage Assessment, a Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board, a Superfund Section, and an Underground Storage Tanks Section.

In 1991, several of the functions of what would become the Remediation Division (i.e. petroleum tank release compensation, superfund site clean-up, underground storage tank oversight) were overseen by the Environmental Sciences Division of the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences. The Environmental Sciences Division became its own separate department, renamed the Department of Environmental Quality, in 1995; by 1996 the Environmental Remediation Division was formed, managing federal and state superfund sites, and LUSTs (leaking underground storage tanks). In 1997, the Environmental Remediation Division became simply the Remediation Division. By 1998, the Environmental Remediation Division had been renamed the Remediation Division, and was comprised of three bureaus: the Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Bureau, responsible primarily for superfund cleanup, and LUSTs); the Mine Waste Cleanup Bureau, responsible for abandoned mine reclamation and mine-related superfund sites; and the Technical Services Bureau, which was responsible for underground storage tank permitting and installer licensing. In 2000, two new bureaus were added to the Remediation Division: the Information Services section, which took over underground storage tank installer licensing; and the Petroleum Fund Services Section, which processed petroleum clean-up claims.

At present, the Remediation Division is responsible for: Overseeing investigation and cleanup activities at state and federal Superfund sites; reclaiming abandoned mine lands; implementing corrective actions at sites with leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs); overseeing groundwater remediation at sites where agricultural and industrial chemical spills have caused groundwater contamination; petroleum tank release compensation; and Comprehensive Environmental Response. The Remediation Division is contains the Federal Superfund Bureau, the Abandoned Mine Lands Bureau, and the Hazardous Waste Cleanup Bureau. As of 2024, the Division's title is Waste Management and Remediation Division.

This collection is composed of correspondence, reports, and subject files, nearly all of which deal with clean-up operations (remedial investigations) at Silver Bow Creek near Butte.

This collection is arranged by series.

Collection open for research.

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 494, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Environmental Quality's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 494. Rather than reprocessing over 150 linear feet of DEQ materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.

Acquisition information is available upon request.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.

Environmental Remediation – United States Silver Bow County (Mont.) Montana Environmental Activism Pollution Detailed Description of the Collection Correspondence 1 / 1-8 General Correspondence 1984-1989 Reports 1 / 9 “Air Quality/Health Investigation, Abandoned Hard Rock Mine, Butte/Silver Bow County” 1984 1 / 10 Anaconda Minerals Company, “Summit and Deer Lodge Valleys Long-term Environmental Rehab Study, Butte – Anaconda” 1983 1 / 11 “Aquatic Biological Survey of Silver Bow Creek and Upper Clark Fork River” 1982 March- 1983 October 1 / 12 ARCO, “Draft Final Comprehensive Remedial Design Work Plan” 1989-1997 2 / 1-3 EPA, Maintenance Administrative Records[Anaconda, Mill Town, and Silver Bow Creek] 1990-1991 2 / 4 Silver Bow Creek Remedial Investigation (RI), “Butte Addition – Data Review/Recommendations” undated 2 / 5 Silver Bow Creek RI, “CERCLA Phase II RI Work Plan” 1989 2 / 6 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Community Relations Plan” 1986, 1989 2 / 7 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Comparison of Silver Bow Creek Waste with Anaconda Smelter and Butte Hill Wastes” 1987 2 / 8 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Cooperative Agreement” 1983 2 / 9 Silver Bow Creek RI, EPA Data Summary Report 1987 2 / 10 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Flood Modeling Study” 1988 2 / 11 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Groundwater Report” undated 2 / 12 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Warm Springs Pond Investigation, Parts I-II” 1987 2 / 13 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Waterfowl Investigation” undated 2 / 14 Silver Bow Creek RI, Review Comments 1987 2 / 15 Silver Bow Creek RI, “Technical Memorandum” 1989 2 / 16 Silver Bow Creek and Upper Clark’s Fork, Water Quality 1982-1983 Subject Files 2 / 17 CECRA [Comprehensive Environmental Clean-up And Responsibility Act] 1989 2 / 18 “EPA Guidance Documents” 1989 2 / 19 “Grove Creek Project Water Quality Briefing” undated 2 / 20 Silver Bow Creek, “Fact Sheets” [EPA, DHES] 1986-1989 2 / 21 Silver Bow Creek, “General Matters” [Miscellany] 1983-1989 3 / 1 Silver Bow Creek, Health and Safety Plan 1984 3 / 2 Silver Bow Creek, “Remedial Action Documents” 1983 3 / 3 Silver Bow Creek, “Response to AMC Comments On the Silver Bow Creek Phase I RI” 1989