Libby Environmental Health Update
EPA Region VIII
Emergency Response Program

March 28, 2001

Libby Asbestos Site Update

Libby’s Schools Investigation:

As a result of the investigation started the week of March 12, 2001, asbestos-contaminated tailings, which were transported from the mine, have been found in the subsurface of two capped running tracks, one from the Libby High School and another one from the Libby Middle School.  Because of additional information obtained from the local school officials, the scope of the investigation has now been expanded to other areas in Libby such as ball fields, three elementary schools, daycare centers, and several city parks.  A request from Mr. Kirby W. Maki, Superintendent of Libby Schools, regarding the asbestos-contaminated vermiculite fill that was used to build on both high school and middle school tracks in the early 70's, prompted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate all Libby schools and other affected areas.

II.  Phase II - Residential Sampling:

EPA started the Phase II sampling on March 5, 2001.  To date, 11 homes of 22 homes scheduled have been completed for Scenario 1.  For Scenario 2, three unoccupied homes (i.e. rental, barns) out of 22 homes have been completed.

Four scenarios selected for evaluation in this study and investigation with tentative schedules are:

  1. Routine household activities (excluding active cleaning) - 22 homes (March 5, 2001);
  2. Active house cleaning activities (dusting, sweeping, etc.) - 22 homes (April 2001);
  3. Simulated remodeling activities that involve direct contact or handling of vermiculite insulation - 4 homes (May 2001); and
  4. Rototilling a home garden containing vermiculite in the soil - 1 home (Summer 2001).

EPA will assess the need for any further response actions to mitigate current asbestos-related exposure threats at the residential properties after the residential sampling activities are completed and in conjunction with the completion of a risk assessment.  Interim evaluation for the first batch of the approximately 20 to 30 homes to determine the need for further mitigation action is scheduled to be completed by May 2001.

III.  Medical Screening Results Letters:

1,400 additional medical screening letters were sent during the week of March 16, 2001, bringing a total 5,500 letters.  The final batch of 500 letters is scheduled to be sent on the week of April 4.  Dan Strausbaugh from Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) stated that everyone should have received their letter by the middle of April of 2001.  A total of 6,144 participants have been screened since last year.  In addition, ATSDR has been compiling a contact list of people for another round of medical screening.  Approximately 2,000 people are now on the list.

Removal Activities

I.  Lincoln County Landfill:  As a result of a favorable ruling by the Missoula Federal Judge on the access to Kootenai Development Corporation (KDC) properties for removal and the mine for the repository, EPA has now informed the Lincoln County Landfill that the construction of an alternative repository is on hold.  90,000 cubic yards of asbestos-contaminated soil and debris currently stockpiled at the Screening Plant is scheduled to be transported to the Zonolite Mine sometime in May of 2001.

II.  Work anticipated for FY01:  The following items are anticipated to be performed or initiated for this year:

  1. To oversee the restoration of the Export Plant (April 2001);
  2. To truck 90,000 cubic yards of asbestos-contaminated soil and debris to the former mine site and restore the Screening Plant (May 2001);
  3. To conduct a removal action at the KDC properties (June 2001);
  4. To pave the asbestos-contaminated Rainy Creek Road (August 2001);
  5. To test the Libby High School, Middle Schools (2), Elementary Schools (3), daycare centers, city parks, and other affected areas for asbestos contamination (March 2001).  Based on the outcome of the initial investigation, time-critical removal action associated with those tested areas may be performed in this FY01;
  6. To finish Phase II - Residential Sampling (May 2001).  Based on the result of the Interim Evaluation of homes being sampled for asbestos contamination, additional time-critical residential removal actions for only those homes with high asbestos concentration on the outside (i.e. garden) and the inside (i.e. main living areas affected by airborne asbestos that cannot be linked to the Zonolite insulation) may be added for this FY01;
  7. To finalize the Libby-Site’s Risk Assessment and Performance Evaluation Study (Late Summer of 2001).  The updated Risk Assessment Methodology will be utilized to determine the risks from current exposure to asbestos in Libby, including residences, and to make decisions about possible cleanup actions.
  8. To conduct two residential removal activities - Seifke and Brown-Lee properties - (May 2001).

Contacts:
Duc Nguyen (OSC) at (303) 312-6509 or
Paul Peronard (OSC) at (303) 312-6808

Recent News Stories

Paving Rainy Creek Road considered for dust control
March 28, 2001
By Brent Shrum, Western News Reporter

With plans moving ahead for the disposal of asbestos-contaminated materials at the former W.R Grace vermiculite mine, the Environmental Protection Agency is looking into the possibility of paving Rainy Creek Road to control dust.

Testing has shown the presence of asbestos fibers in the road, which leads to the mine site. EPA officials met with Forest Service representatives recently to discuss paving the road, EPA on-scene coordinator Duc Nguyen said at last Thursday’s meeting of the Libby Community Advisory Group. Another meeting is planned for April 2.

“When we get all the parties together, hopefully we can reach some kind of agreement on what we want to do with that situation,” Nguyen said.

The lower portion of the road is maintained by the county. In the mine area, the road is owned by Kootenai Development Corp. – which bought the property after the mine closed, but which is now controlled by Grace – on a special use permit from the Forest Service.

“I don’t think that anyone has an answer as to what they want to do with it now,” said Grace representative Alan Stringer.

The road was built with material from gravel pits but mine tailings were used to sand the road in the winter, Stringer said. He suggested that contamination could probably be removed by scraping the top of the road.

“I personally think paving is not a good thing,” he said, because of potential maintenance problems.

Lincoln County Commissioner Rita Windom said she has had only “the briefest discussions” with the EPA on the road issue. Closing the road is not an option because access must be provided to private property, Windom said.

The EPA plans to use the mine site for the disposal of asbestos-contaminated soil excavated from the former screening plant site at the base of Rainy Creek Road. Those plans were put on hold last fall after Grace bought a controlling interest in Kootenai Development Corp. and locked out the EPA, but a federal judge in Missoula recently ordered the company to let the agency in.

In other business, the CAG:

  • Heard a report from Nguyen that testing is ongoing for asbestos contamination on school and other public properties in the Libby area. Samples have been taken at the high school and middle school tracks to test for contamination from vermiculite mine and mill tailings used in the 1970s.

    Additional samples will be taken from other school properties where tailings may have been used, Nguyen said. Sampling will also be conducted at city parks and daycare facilities, he said.

  • Received an update on health screenings from Dan Strausbaugh of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. To date, 5,680 result letters have been sent to people who participated in the screenings last summer and fall. The remaining 670 will be mailed the first week of April, Strausbaugh said.

    Due to recent publicity over results from the screenings, the agency is seeing a significant increase in the numbers of people qualifying for screening who are calling a toll-free information number, Strausbaugh said. About 2,000 people are on a list for another round of screening that will be scheduled when funding becomes available. Those people include those who were eligible for screening last year but didn’t make an appointment or didn’t show up as well as those who contacted ATSDR after the screening deadline passed.

    The number of people calling the toll-free number increased from one or two a week to 55 in one week two weeks ago, Strausbaugh said.

  • Accepted the resignation of the Lincoln County Commissioners as CAG members. Windom said the commissioners decided they needed to resign because they will be taking on a “quasi-judicial” role when a formal investigation of asbestos-related issues commences.

    The commissioners will continue to attend CAG meetings.