David Brooks Milltown Dam Oral History Project, 2009-2011

William Woessner, Professor of Hydrology in the Geosciences Department at the University of Montana, discusses the geochemical and hydraulic study of the reservoir, wells, and the groundwater system in and around Milltown, Montana, prior to the Milltown Dam removal and the Milltown Reservoir Sediments’ designation as a Superfund site. Most of the discussion is focused on arsenic contamination of drinking water in the area.

Diane Hammer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Project Manager for the Milltown site, explains her interest in the environment leading to her work for the EPA. She describes EPA funding and their prioritization systems which lead into the role of Milltown’s drinking water contamination and its vocal community in establishing it as a Superfund site in Montana. She tracks the project evolution through dam removal, clean-up and redevelopment resulting in Milltown as a Superfund success story.

Tracy Stone-Manning, Executive Director of the Clark Fork Coalition, explains the interest in the environment and Missoula, Montana, that led to her position as the Executive Director of the Clark Fork Coalition. She briefly explains the history of the Coalition and outlines the environmental problems at the Milltown Dam. She offers extensive description of the story of dam removal, highlighting key factors in the Coalition’s campaign for removal, as well as the many people involved on all sides of the issue of removal. Stone-Manning talks about the aftermath of removal, the future of the Coalition, and the legacy of the Milltown Dam removal campaign.

Bruce Farling, Organizer for Trout Unlimited, discusses his role in the Montana Milltown Dam removal, especially his involvement as a writer for the Clark Fork Coalition. Farling discusses the negative environmental impacts of the dam which lead him to be among the first to propose the removal of the dam. He recounts the evolution of the project and some of the challenges it faced due to various perspectives on the impact of the dam and/or dam removal. Foremost, he discusses ARCO’s views and the debate and dealings with them.

Sean Benton, partner in Partners Creative, discusses the advertising campaign which Benton and his company ran in favor of the removal of the Milltown Dam in Montana. Benton describes a number of different strategies they employed throughout the campaign such as billboards, bumper stickers, and TV ads. Benton also details the activities of the Clark Fork Coalition, the organization that approached Partners Creative to launch the advertising campaign. The interview offers insight into how people and organizations on both sides of the Milltown Dam issue fought for public sentiment.

David Schmetterling, Fisheries biologist for the Montana State Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, discusses his work with fish habitats and fish passage issues for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, and how his work influenced the removal of the Milltown Dam. Schmetterling particularly talks about native species such as the cutthroat trout and the bull trout, but also non-native species such as the northern pike. He also discusses the fish habitat created by the Milltown Reservoir and how the dam impeded upstream and downstream movement of the fish, as well as public awareness campaigns highlighting contemporary impacts of the dam on the fish in Northwest Montana.

Russ Forba, Environmental Protection Agency Project Manager, discusses his specific role in the removal of the Milltown Dam as well as, more generally, the various stages that a Superfund project must go through. In his role as Project Manager, Forba describes how he mediated between the EPA, the state, and the responsible parties of ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company), British Petroleum, and Northwestern Energy. Forba touches on the legal, political, environmental, and economic factors that affected each of these groups’ actions throughout their involvement with the Superfund project. Forba also touches on the various factors - including the issue of human health, the support of Judy Martz, and the presence of endangered species - that influenced EPA’s decision to remove the dam.

Peter Nielsen discusses his initial interest in the drawdown process and water quality in the Milltown Reservoir in the 1980s. He explains the formation of the Clark Fork Coalition in 1985 and his work with that organization, as well as interactions with Trout Unlimited, the Montana Power Company, ARCO, and the Two Rivers Restoration Plan. Nielsen describes the unique public input, including Friends of the Two Rivers, into the Milltown Superfund clean-up, removal and restoration.