Norris Lab is located in a residential area at the center of town in Norris, Montana (Madison County). It is along the banks of Hot Springs Creek just upstream of its confluence with the Madison River. The facility performed assay tests and other chemical analyses for the mining industry until recently when it was closed after an inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

There are hundreds of improperly stored and abandoned containers of hazardous substances at the facility. Many of these containers contain highly volatile compounds and several are exposed to the elements. The soil around the facility is contaminated with byproducts from the laboratory and a storm drain from the facility leads directly to the creek. There are also reports that liquid wastes were flushed down the drain into an un-permitted septic system that is on the property near the creek.

State, Local and Other Federal Agency Actions

The Norris Volunteer Fire Department has placed a “Do Not Respond” order on the property of the Site and the Madison County Office of Emergency Management is concerned about the state of the facility located on the property. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MtDEQ) worked with the property owner to explore clean-up options but the owner is financially unable to fund the effort. MtDEQ subsequently requested USEPA’s urgent assistance to clean-up the Site. 

EPA Actions

USEPA deployed a Response Team to the site on June 21, 2018 and initiated response activities.

1. Coordinate with local officials to develop tactics for the assessment and eventual removal of hazardous substances.

2. Create safe working zones and access to the facility.

3. Inventory and characterize all hazardous substances on the property.

USEPA’s Response Team met on-site with the property owner, the property owner’s consultant and officials from both Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality, Madison County Office of Emergency Management and Norris Volunteer Fire Department to coordinate response activities. USEPA cleared debris at the facility to  establish access to the facility and create safe working zones. USEPA then inventoried and characterized containers of hazardous substances to facilitate their eventual disposal.

USEPA plans to mobilize a Response Team to the site on July 9, 2018 to remove and dispose of the following categories of hazardous substances:

1. Hi-hazard items that are highly volatile and/or exposed to the elements. These items may require on-site incineration using controlled explosives.

2. Laboratory hazardous waste that has accumulated on-site and is exposed to the elements.

3. Improperly stored and abandoned containers of hazardous substances found in the laboratory.

4. Electronic waste and circuitry that has accumulated on-site and is exposed to the elements.

5. Soil around the facility that is contaminated with byproducts from the laboratory.

6. Un-analyzed portions of soil samples found at the facility.

1. Remove and dispose of the remnant soil samples found in the historic dance hall.

2. Categorize the chemicals found in the lab for eventual bulking and disposal.

3. Remove and temporarily store the hazardous substances found the lab and homestead that do not pose an explosive risk.

4. Begin bulking of the hazardous substances removed from the lab and homestead.

5. Coordinate with an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Team as well as local and state stakeholders to develop a plan that addresses the highly volatile chemicals found in the lab and homestead.

USEPA and MT DEQ deployed a Response Team to the Site on July 9, 2018. The Team removed and disposed of the remnant samples found in the historic dance hall. The hazardous chemicals in the lab were categorized and moved to a nearby workshop for temporary storage. The Team started bulking these chemicals into drums for transport and disposal.

The Response Team met on-site with an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Team and developed a plan to address the highly volatile chemicals in the lab and homestead. The plan involves collecting these chemicals, placing them in a trailer designed to withstand an inadvertent explosion and transporting them to a location 2-miles outside of town for detonation. The Madison County Sheriff plans to evacuate nearby residents and businesses throughout the operation and the Montana Department of Transportation will be periodically closing nearby roads in support.

At the request of the EOD Team, USEPA excavated two holes at the detonation site to support controlled detonations and constructed a precautionary blast berm between the lab/homestead and several nearby structures.

1. USEPA and MT DEQ will enter into a Unified Command with the Madison County Office of Emergency Management on July 17, 2018 to support the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team and address the highly volatile chemicals found in the lab and the homestead.

2. Finish bulking the hazardous substances removed from the laboratory and homestead for eventual disposal.

3. Remove and dispose of the electronic waste and circuitry that has accumulated on-site and is exposed to the elements.

4. Excavate and dispose of the soil around the facility that is contaminated with byproducts from the laboratory.

5. Clean the laboratory of dust and remnant hazardous substances.

1. Enter into Unified Command with MT DEQ and the Madison County Office of Emergency Management on July 17, 2018 to support the Missoula County Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team and address the highly volatile chemicals found in the lab and the homestead.

1. Finish bulking the hazardous substances removed from the laboratory and homestead for eventual disposal.

2. Remove and dispose of the electronic waste and circuitry that has accumulated on-site and is exposed to the elements.

3. Excavate and dispose of the soil around the facility that is contaminated with byproducts from the laboratory.

4. Clean the laboratory of dust and remnant hazardous substances.

1. Scrape soils impacted by residuals from detonations at the detonation site and return the detonation site to pre-work condition. 

2. Finish bulking the hazardous substances removed from the laboratory and homestead and stage for eventual disposal.

3. Remove and dispose of the electronic waste and circuitry that has accumulated on-site and is exposed to the elements.

4. Excavate and dispose of the soil around the facility that is contaminated with byproducts from the laboratory.

5. Clean the laboratory of dust and remnant hazardous substances to allow the Volunteer Fire Department to lift the Do Not Respond Order.

The USEPA, MTDEQ and Madison County entered into Unified Command on July 17, 2018 and detonated those containers that presented an explosive risk with the assistance of the Missoula County Bomb Squad. From July 18-21, 2018, the Response Team also:

1. Scraped soils from the surface of the detonation site, transported them for off-site disposal, and regraded the detonation site for landowner to reseed in springtime.

2. Finished bulking the waste removed from the lab and homestead into larger containers for proper disposal, and secured the waste until it can be transported for off-site disposal.

3. Gathered discarded e-waste from around the Site and packaged it for disposal.

4. Removed visibly contaminated soils from the areas immediately around the lab, using an XRF to confirm appropriate extent of soil removal.

5. Wet wiped and HEPA vacuumed all surfaces of the lab buildings and removed all remaining hazardous substances preventing the fire department from responding to the property. 

1. Ship the chemicals that were collected and prepared for transport to an off-site disposal facility.