Butte and Anaconda will have to wait a bit longer for the finalized consent decree detailing Superfund cleanup.
The signed decree was expected to be released before the end of the year, but the Environmental Protection Agency needs more time to add recommendations and comments from several public meetings held in the two cities.
The reports detail several cleanup projects from more than a century’s worth of mining contamination in Butte and Anaconda.
Local Superfund officials say it will be worth the wait.
“It’s really good news. It’s disappointing that things take longer than we expect, but it’s just going to be that much more complete and thorough, and it’ll expedite our review of those documents,” said Butte Superfund Coordinator Jon Sesso.
Once released, the decree will be reviewed and the Butte Council of Commissioners will vote on whether to approve the final decree, which is expected to be released in early 2019.
