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Citizens' Guide to Air Quality in Montana

Montana Air Quality Events and Trends

At the turn of the century, air pollution was not regulated in Montana—knowledge of pollution control technology and the effect pollution had on people's health was limited. Big businesses put profits before prevention. In 1909, C. F. Kelley, secretary of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, publicly stated:

"There is no legal objection to a pollution of the atmosphere until it results
in damage to somebody, which gives him the right to formulate a cause of action or to complain. We have a perfect right to carry on a legitimate business, and if incidentally we should pollute the atmosphere nobody has the right to complain until specific damage gives him a cause of action."
(Inter Mountain, May 19, 1909)
(photo courtesy of the Montana Historical Society)

Over time, Montanans' attitudes toward air pollution have changed. In addition to the federal regulations, Montana has adopted provisions to help prevent air pollution problems—before they arise—by controlling pollution at its source and establishing air quality standards to protect the health and welfare of all Montanans.

Timeline of Significant Montana Air Quality Legislation and Events

1967
Montana State Board of Health and Environmental Sciences adopts air quality standards for several common pollutants.

1968
Clean Air Act of Montana is adopted, requiring new sources of air pollution to obtain air permits.

1972
Montana State Board of Health and Environmental Sciences establishes emission
limitations for fuel burning equipment, industrial processes, incinerators, wood waste burners, pulp mills, smelters, petroleum refineries, motor vehicles, and other pollution sources.

1976
The East Helena lead smelter begins installing an acid plant, which ultimately eliminates about 85 to 90 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions in the community.

1977
An SO2 nonattainment area is defined around Laurel after monitors find violations of the NAAQS. The state and Billings/Laurel area industries sign an EPA-approved stipulation to correct the problem.

1979
Montana Ambient Air Quality Study leads to enforceable standards. Standards apply to carbon monoxide, fluorides, lead, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide, photochemical oxidants, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and visibility.

1980
Montana State Board of Health and Environmental Sciences adopts new, enforceable air quality standards. The Anaconda copper smelter closes, virtually eliminating sulfur dioxide emissions in the Anaconda area.

1987
After numerous attempts to attain Montana air quality standards for sulfur dioxide in the Billings/Laurel area, the Montana Legislature passes the Hannah Bill to lower area standards to the national level and gives industries time to develop air pollution control plans.

1995
Reorganization of the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences into what is known today as the Department of Environmental Quality. The Board of Health and Environmental Sciences becomes known as the Board of Environmental Review.

1996
A Montana Rail Link train derails near Alberton, Montana, on April 11, 1996, spilling hundreds of thousands of pounds of chlorine gas, potassium cresylate (refinery waste), and sodium chlorate.  The spill, which is the largest mixed chemical spill in American railroad history, creates a toxic cloud that forces the evacuation of 1,000 people.

1997
Montana Legislature repeals the Hannah Bill, which results in uniform statewide sulfur dioxide standards.

The Federal Clean Air Act requirements provided the framework for Montana's air quality program. However, the state has exceeded the federal requirements in many areas by:

• adopting tougher ambient air quality standards for certain pollutants;
• requiring a permitting program for smaller sources of pollution;
• providing emission control analyses to the regulated public to ensure that smaller sources of air pollution have the best emission control technology available;
• developing local air quality programs to regulate residential wood burning and road dust (the primary sources of particulate air pollution in Montana), as well as smaller sources of air pollution; and
• developing the Montana Smoke Management Plan and Open Burning Program to control the amount of harmful particulate matter that is released with smoke from prescribed burnings.

The State of Montana, through the Department of Environmental Quality and local governments, continues to actively address air quality problems throughout the state. At present, urban development is more of a threat to Montana's air quality than industrial activities.

Montana Ambient Air Quality Study

The Montana Ambient Air Quality Study evaluated the impacts of air pollution across the state. From 1978 through 1982, the study assessed:

• the effects of air pollution on children and normal adults who suffered from lung disease;
• cancer-causing substances in the Butte/Anaconda area; and
• the number of deaths that could be tied to air pollution between 1970-1975.

The lung-function study showed that adults and children who were exposed to high levels of particulate matter or sulfur dioxide had worse lung problems than people from urban areas with less air pollution. These results established a clear connection between air pollution and decreased lung function in Montana citizens.

The study also evaluated cancer-causing particulate matter in 10 cities. Surprisingly, the study showed that residential wood burning was responsible for higher levels of cancer-causing particulate matter than light industrial sources.

Although there were strong indications that exposure to air pollution contributed to high death rates, the study could not tie air pollution directly to death rates because of other unquantified factors such as cigarette smoking.

Local Air Quality Programs

Montana allows any city or county to establish its own local air pollution control program. Seven counties currently operate local air pollution control programs that encompass the following communities: Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, the northern Flathead Valley, Libby, and Missoula. These local air pollution control programs have jurisdiction over most pollution sources within their boundaries. The state government retains jurisdiction over larger pollution sources that have the potential to emit more than 250 tons per year of any regulated air pollutant or any facility that requires environmental impact statements(EIS).

Local air pollution control programs are responsible for ensuring good air quality in their communities and have proven themselves highly successful. Control strategies adopted by the local programs reflect the unique characteristics of their citizens and environment. Some of the roles assumed by local air programs include:

• developing local air quality rules that cannot be less stringent than state rules;
• permitting, regulating, and enforcing state and local air quality rules;
• conducting inspections of pollution sources;
• regulating open burning;
• regulating wood burning devices and issuing local air quality burning advisories;
• controlling the use and disposal of material on roads and in parking lots;
• controlling construction and demolition activities;
• assisting in the development of local State Implementation Plans; and
• responding to local complaints.

If a local air pollution control program is found to be inadequate, DEQ identifies the problems and asks the local program authorities to develop solutions. If county authorities are unable to resolve the issues, the federal government requires the state to assume authority over the program.

Many of Montana's local air quality programs play an important role in working with industries and residents to develop pollution control strategies for State Implementation Plans in their areas that have exceeded pollution standards. These programs have been particularly successful in reducing particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions.

Local air pollution control programs in Montana are highly effective in part because they reflect the unique social and environmental characteristics of the communities they serve.