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Record of Proceedings

Butte Silver Bow Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - October 22, 2025

Council of Commissioners & Committees — Thursday, October 23, 2025
BodyButte Silver Bow, Montana
SessionCouncil of Commissioners & Committees
DateThursday, October 23, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:15:26

Transcript — Verbatim
1:02

Why is everybody so quiet today?

1:12

See how it works, huh?

1:17

I'll bring the Butte Silver Bow Council Commissioners Committee of the Whole Meeting to order for Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025.

1:25

Can we please have a roll call?

1:28

One presiding, nine present, two absent.

1:31

Okay, thank you.

1:32

Please let the record reflect that Commissioner Mankins and Walker are excused for for tonight.

1:37

Uh Commissioner Thatcher, would you lead us in the prayer and the pledge?

1:44

Almighty God, we implore you.

1:46

Look upon us and guide us this night as we make decisions which so greatly affect our community of Butte Silverbow.

1:53

Director thoughts, words, and deeds so that we please you and best serve our fellow citizens.

1:58

Amen.

2:40

Uh my name is Joe Griffin, and uh excuse me.

2:44

I live at one one two one West Diamond.

2:48

Um I'm here to speak to the presentation from DEQ tonight.

2:53

I know uh this council has consistently asked for updates and information on Superfund.

3:01

Superfund is a very important part of this community.

3:06

Um I also wanted to say that um I'm also president of Citizens Technical Environmental Committee.

3:16

Um it's another way um for people to get information on Superfund.

3:22

Uh we try to invite various speakers um including DEQ for various parts, or we'll get RCO or we'll get MR up there.

3:32

So um I just wanted to bring that out and uh you guys are always invited.

3:37

I think you should be getting um our emails.

3:41

So um hope to see some of you there.

3:44

Thanks.

3:46

Thank you.

3:47

Any other member of the public that would like to speak on any item that's on tonight's agenda.

3:56

I'll move on to the report of the chair.

3:59

Just a couple things to report.

4:01

Uh Chief Executive Gallagher asked me to mention that it is Red Ribbon Week.

4:06

Um this week, right, Chief Executive Gallagher.

4:09

And so we would ask that you observe that if if you choose to.

4:12

And then um we don't have a council meeting next Wednesday, the twenty-ninth, because it's the fifth Wednesday of the month.

4:20

So our next meeting will be on November 5th.

4:24

Um I'll move on to section one bid openings, public hearings and or presentations.

4:30

Uh bid opening.

4:31

We do have one that's communication twenty twenty-five-four seven one.

4:36

This bid opening is is not going to happen because it was replaced with communication twenty-five-five hundred last week meeting, moving it to the fifth of November.

4:49

So this communication or this bid opening will not happen tonight.

4:54

I'll move right into presentation, which is number two, communication twenty twenty-five-four seven two.

5:01

Amy Steinmitz, DEQ Waste Management and Remediation Division Manager Administrator requesting Council of Commissioners' authorization to schedule a presentation on October 22nd, 2025 for updates on the Blacktail Creek project located in the Brew Priority Soils Operable Unit, BIPSU and the Montana Pole Superfund site.

5:24

We did receive an email from Miss Steinman stating that she was unable to make tonight's meeting because there's some things going on that she needed to address, but she assured me that we have capable colleagues of hers to give us the report and in her side.

5:40

So please come up to the podium and uh I believe it's Alex and Jake up, right?

5:46

Yep.

5:46

Welcome to the Council of Commissioners meeting.

5:48

Thank you.

5:49

Um thank you, Chair and Commissioners.

5:52

My name is Jacob Wheeling.

5:54

I am the project manager for the Montana Pole uh Superfund site here in Butte uh with DEQ.

6:00

So to kind of start things off, I would like to um just kind of give you some background on what's going on at the pole plant right now.

6:07

So to point a few things out on the map, we have the CAMU, which is a corrective action management unit, and that is a RICRA compliant hazardous waste repository.

6:18

That is where all the soils went that um after they were treated in the in the land treatment unit, they were put in the in the repository because they didn't meet requirements for dioxins.

6:29

So all the soils um that were treated on site that didn't meet requirements for dioxins are now in the Camu.

6:36

To the north of I-15 I-90, we have the water treatment plant, um, which is currently active, and we have two capture trenches, the near creek and the near highway capture trench.

6:49

Um, and then obviously the the site is split in half by the freeway by I-15I-90.

6:56

And yeah, that's like to point out on that one.

7:01

So give a little more background on the Montana Pole site.

7:05

Um the the site operated as a wood treatment plant from 1946 to 1984, and they treated generally post poles and bridge timbers.

7:13

They didn't treat very much for the mine.

7:16

Uh they used a petroleum carrier like diesel, typically diesel, with a 5% pentachlorophenol solution um to treat the posts and poles.

7:25

Uh, generally in pressure treating units and pressure treating retorts.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████████████████████████████80%
Procedural█████9%
Public Engagement███6%
Historic Preservation█2%
Zoning And Land Use█2%
Parks and Recreation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Butte Silver Bow Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - October 22, 2025

The Butte Silver Bow Council of Commissioners held a Committee of the Whole meeting on October 22, 2025, to receive updates on the Montana Pole Superfund site and the Blacktail Creek Remedial Design, address bid scheduling, and review land purchase requests. The meeting featured presentations from DEQ representatives Jacob Wheeling and Alex Ruzovich, who discussed the status, future scope, and challenges of ongoing environmental remediation projects within the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BIPSU).

Consent Calendar

  • Bid Opening (Comm 25-471): The bid opening for the "Silver Lake Industrial Water System Improvement" was removed from tonight's agenda and rescheduled. A motion to place Communication 25-471 on file and cross-reference it with Communication 25-500 passed unanimously (10 yay, 0 nay).
  • Presentation Authorization (Comm 25-472): The communication requesting authorization for the Montana Pole and Blacktail Creek presentations was addressed after the fact; a motion to place Communication 25-472 on file passed unanimously (10 yay, 0 nay).
  • Deferred Items: Communications regarding land sales (Patty and Chris Salmanson; Marlowe and Nicole Carroll; Thomas Kanicke; Steve Maloney) and future public hearings (Fire Department budget, Sulzer parts sole sourcing, Skyland Park trees) were all placed in abeyance pending recommendations from the Land Sales Committee or scheduled hearings on November 5th.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Joe Griffin (Citizens Technical Environmental Committee President): Expressed full support for the DEQ's efforts and the council's request for Superfund updates. He invited commissioners to attend CTEC meetings for more information but did not state an opposition or specific stance against current progress.
  • Commissioner Thatcher: Expressed deep respect and well wishes to the family of the late David Bauer, acknowledging his legacy and service to the community regarding these environmental subjects.
  • Commissioner Fisher: Shared historical context and personal observations regarding the site's degradation (dead animals, dust) versus current remediation efforts. He voiced a concern regarding the perceived public priority of smaller, more scenic projects versus larger, more critical contamination zones (like Digging East), suggesting public perception drives project sequencing.

Discussion Items

  • Montana Pole Superfund Site (Presented by Jacob Wheeling, DEQ Project Manager):

    • CAMU Status: The Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU) is complete; DEQ will retain control of the CAMU and red parcels in perpetuity. The rest of the site is clean for recreational and light industrial use.
    • Vegetation Concerns: Commissioner Callahan expressed concern regarding vegetation washout risks following the 2023 storm. Mr. Wheeling responded that while vegetation has only had one growing season, they are confident it will improve, and plans are in place to water or hand-seed bare spots.
    • Groundwater & Water Treatment: The water treatment plant is projected to run in perpetuity unless Phase 5 (chemical oxidation of source areas under the freeway) is highly effective. Mr. Wheeling noted the settlement fund has $19 million, with operations funded by interest.
    • Future Redevelopment: Discussions touched on potential land transfer to Butte Silver Bow after CAMU closure and the impact of a new high-pressure gas pipeline on remediation opportunities for the abandoned gas line corridor.
    • Wildlife: Mr. Wheeling confirmed a herd of mule deer now inhabits the site, noting the recovery of wildlife compared to the "moonscape" of the 1980s.

  • Blacktail Creek Riparian Actions (Presented by Alex Ruzovich, DEQ):

    • Project Scope: The project involves dewatering, excavating ~135,000 cubic yards of mine tailings and waste, and reconstructing the creek channel to restore a wetland ecosystem.
    • Sequencing: Construction of Blacktail Creek is dependent on the completion of upstream projects (Digging East, North Side Tailings, Buffalo Gulch) to prevent re-contamination.
    • Public Concerns: Commissioner O'Leary asked about visual screening for the drying pad near the interstate; DEQ confirmed traffic control and decontamination measures will be implemented.
    • Public Perception: Commissioner Fisher questioned why Blacktail Creek was prioritized over more visibly contaminated sites. Director Hassler explained it was chosen as a smaller, less technical project to test processes for larger, more complex future works.
    • Repository Selection: Director Hassler indicated the repository location is currently down to two options (Berkeley or Expanded Mine Waste Repository), with the citing committee finalizing the transport mechanism.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion Passed: Placed Communication 25-471 (Bid Opening for Silver Lake System) on file and cross-referenced with 25-500. Vote: 10-0.
  • Motion Passed: Placed Communication 25-472 (Authorization for Superfund Presentations) on file. Vote: 10-0.
  • Action Items:
    • DEQ will send plume maps for the Montana Pole site and the Blacktail Creek presentation materials to the commissioners.
    • DEQ will coordinate a site tour for the commissioners upon request.
    • Land sales communications (2025-249, 25-437, 25-460, etc.) remain in abeyance.
    • Bid opening for Silver Lake Industrial Water System is rescheduled for November 5, 2025.
    • Public hearings for Fire Budget, Sulzer parts, and Skyland Park trees are scheduled for November 5, 2025.
  • Meeting Adjourned: No further public comments were received, and the meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

Why is everybody so quiet today? See how it works, huh? I'll bring the Butte Silver Bow Council Commissioners Committee of the Whole Meeting to order for Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025. Can we please have a roll call? One presiding, nine present, two absent. Okay, thank you. Please let the record reflect that Commissioner Mankins and Walker are excused for for tonight. Uh Commissioner Thatcher, would you lead us in the prayer and the pledge? Almighty God, we implore you. Look upon us and guide us this night as we make decisions which so greatly affect our community of Butte Silverbow. Director thoughts, words, and deeds so that we please you and best serve our fellow citizens. Amen. Uh my name is Joe Griffin, and uh excuse me. I live at one one two one West Diamond. Um I'm here to speak to the presentation from DEQ tonight. I know uh this council has consistently asked for updates and information on Superfund. Superfund is a very important part of this community. Um I also wanted to say that um I'm also president of Citizens Technical Environmental Committee. Um it's another way um for people to get information on Superfund. Uh we try to invite various speakers um including DEQ for various parts, or we'll get RCO or we'll get MR up there. So um I just wanted to bring that out and uh you guys are always invited. I think you should be getting um our emails. So um hope to see some of you there. Thanks. Thank you. Any other member of the public that would like to speak on any item that's on tonight's agenda. I'll move on to the report of the chair. Just a couple things to report. Uh Chief Executive Gallagher asked me to mention that it is Red Ribbon Week. Um this week, right, Chief Executive Gallagher. And so we would ask that you observe that if if you choose to. And then um we don't have a council meeting next Wednesday, the twenty-ninth, because it's the fifth Wednesday of the month. So our next meeting will be on November 5th. Um I'll move on to section one bid openings, public hearings and or presentations. Uh bid opening. We do have one that's communication twenty twenty-five-four seven one. This bid opening is is not going to happen because it was replaced with communication twenty-five-five hundred last week meeting, moving it to the fifth of November. So this communication or this bid opening will not happen tonight. I'll move right into presentation, which is number two, communication twenty twenty-five-four seven two. Amy Steinmitz, DEQ Waste Management and Remediation Division Manager Administrator requesting Council of Commissioners' authorization to schedule a presentation on October 22nd, 2025 for updates on the Blacktail Creek project located in the Brew Priority Soils Operable Unit, BIPSU and the Montana Pole Superfund site. We did receive an email from Miss Steinman stating that she was unable to make tonight's meeting because there's some things going on that she needed to address, but she assured me that we have capable colleagues of hers to give us the report and in her side. So please come up to the podium and uh I believe it's Alex and Jake up, right? Yep. Welcome to the Council of Commissioners meeting. Thank you. Um thank you, Chair and Commissioners. My name is Jacob Wheeling. I am the project manager for the Montana Pole uh Superfund site here in Butte uh with DEQ. So to kind of start things off, I would like to um just kind of give you some background on what's going on at the pole plant right now. So to point a few things out on the map, we have the CAMU, which is a corrective action management unit, and that is a RICRA compliant hazardous waste repository.

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