DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

To report a spill or suspected spill click on "Report Pollution, Spills, and Leaks."

Call the DEQ abandoned mine reclamation program offices in Helena at (406) 841-5026, or call the Governor's Office of the Citizens' Advocate at 800-332-2272 or, in Helena at (406) 444-3468. The Citizens' Advocate will be able to arrange for someone to call you back who can address your concerns.

The DEQ Abandoned Mine Bureau in Helena houses files, maps, photographs, test results, and other information about abandoned mine sites in Montana. This information is available for public inspection and copies may be made at the DEQ office.

The DEQ Brownfields Section manages the Brownfields program for Montana. You can obtain more information about Brownfields by accessing their website.

The DEQ Federal Superfund Bureau (FSB) oversees the investigation and cleanup activities at Federal Superfund Sites in Montana. You can obtain more information about the Federal Superfund by accessing the FSB website.

The DEQ Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST)/Brownfields Section oversees the investigation and cleanup activities at Federal Superfund Sites in Montana. You can obtain more information about LUST sites by accessing the following website.

You can obtain more information about Pipeline Leaks by accessing the DEQ Site Response Section (SRS), Groundwater Remediation/Water Quality Act (WQA) Program website.

The DEQ Site Response Section (SRS) oversees Voluntary Cleanup cleanup activities at State Superfund and Groundwater Remediation Sites. You can obtain more information about the State Superfund by accessing the SRS website.

You can obtain more information about truck rollovers by accessing the DEQ Site Response Section (SRS), Groundwater Remediation/Water Quality Act (WQA) Program website.

The DEQ Site Response Section (SRS) oversees the investigation and cleanup activities within the State. You can obtain more information about Voluntary Cleanup by accessing the SRS, Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Program website.

You can obtain more information about the Water Quality Act (WQA) cleanup activities by accessing the DEQ Site Response Section (SRS), Groundwater Remediation/WQA Program website.

Different programs may have different requirements. Please consult with the specific program that oversees the cleanup of your project.

Initial environmental assessment information can be found via the NRIS Digital Atlas interactive mapper and Online Query Service for sites overseen by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s

• Remediation Division
• Permitting and Compliance Division (Waste and Underground Tank Management Bureau)
• Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board (PTRCB)

Data layers for these sites are available for query, display, and reporting purposes include:

• Underground Storage Tank sites
• Abandoned/Inactive Mine sites
• State and Federal Superfund sites including:
  • CERCLA
  • CECRA
  • CALA
  • VCRA
• Other Remediation response sites including:
  • Groundwater Remediation/Water Quality Act (WQA)
  • Brownfields sites
• Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board site

Instructions for use of the query tools are available at the following location. Should a person find sites in or near their area of interest, DEQ can then be contacted for more specific site information or the interested party can visit our office location to view hard copy files.

Please remember that not all sites addressed by the Department have spatial coordinates that allow them to be plotted on a map and that there are sites with coordinates that were derived by methods that may not achieve the level of accuracy desired. In addition, there may be sites, unknown to the Department that could also impact your project. Always conduct a thorough on-site inspection and contact this Department if you find evidence of a site not in our records or identify inaccuracies in our data.

A description of Remediation Division hard copy and electronic records available for review can be found at: http://deq.mt.gov/rem/InformationSystems.mcpx. Other Divisions within the Montana DEQ maintain separate hard copy files and electronic information systems. For other DEQ program information/records, you will need to contact other DEQ divisions, such as the Enforcement Division at (406) 444-0379, Permitting and Compliance Division at (406) 444-4323, and the Planning, Prevention and Assistance Division at (406) 444-6697 or visit the DEQ’s website.

You may use any reputable laboratory that follows appropriate EPA analytical methods to analyze samples. If you are analyzing samples for extractable petroleum hydrocarbons (EPH) and volatile petroleum hydrocarbons (VPH), these labs can conduct the analyses.

DEQ's procurement process is described on the DEQ Bids and Quotes page.

The DEQ Petroleum Technical Services and Site Response Sections have compiled list of Environmental Consultants that are available throughout the state.

Please note: These lists do not encompass every available consultant within the State.

This is discouraged by DEQ since it could lead to serious tax consequences to the landowner. Also, bidders are required to carry substantial insurance and they must assure the DEQ that they are qualified to perform the necessary work and that the specialized equipment needed will be available to get the job done within the short project time frames.

DEQ locates owners and keeps them involved and informed about the planned reclamation activities throughout the process. Sometimes, landowners have specific requests concerning the design of reclamation projects which can be accommodated. Every effort is made to incorporate landowner requests if they are compatible with the project and are economically feasible.

No. Eligible abandoned mine reclamation projects are paid for out of a national trust fund that is paid for by coal mining companies’ payment of a fee assessed for each ton of coal that is mined in the United States.

The qualified professionals who are hired to design and carry out reclamation projects are required to have private insurance with high policy limits, and landowners as well as the State of Montana must be listed as other insured parties on contractors insurance.

DEQ must do all things necessary to restore the land and prevent further adverse effects from past mining practices. If it finds that land or water resources have been adversely affected by past mining practices and it is in the public interest to take action, the DEQ has the authority to reclaim private land without owner consent. However, DEQ prefers to obtain the consent of landowners for its reclamation activities and makes considerable efforts to do so.

No. The funds allocated to DEQ for abandoned mine reclamation under Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) are to be used for the restoration of lands, water, and public facilities that were adversely affected by past mining activities. Structure repair would be the responsibility of your insurance carrier. If your home or other property is damaged by an active mine, contact DEQ's regulatory branch for appropriate action.