KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Judge approves ASARCO cleanup deal
Member Center:
Associated Press - June 6, 2009 1:05 AM ET
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A federal judge hearing ASARCO's bankruptcy case in Texas has approved environmental settlements that include major money for industrial cleanup in Montana.
A settlement will pump $138 million into a trust for environmental cleanup of ASARCO property in Montana.
Included is $100 million for cleanup of East Helena groundwater and soil contaminated by lead from the smelting operations ASARCO conducted for decades.
The settlement also provides $17.5 million for work near Philipsburg, $10 million for cleanup in the upper Blackfoot River area and $1.9 million for work at Iron Mountain near Superior. The trust will receive $8.9 million to cover administrative costs.
ASARCO-owned land involved in the cleanup will be transferred to the trust. State officials say that once the properties are clean, they can be sold to obtain further cleanup money or put to public use.
The custodial trust agreement is in addition to earlier settlements with ASARCO.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
