east helena site

S OF E HELENA

The East Helena Superfund Site includes a lead smelter that operated from 1888 until 2001, the town of East Helena, several residential subdivisions, and surrounding rural agricultural lands. For more than 100 years, lead and zinc smelting operations deposited lead, arsenic, copper, zinc, cadmium and some 15 other hazardous substances into the soil, surface water and groundwater of the Helena Valley. ASARCO shut the plant down on April 4, 2001. The shutdown has been characterized by ASARCO as temporary. Public access to the smelter is restricted . About 1,800 to 2,000 people live within one and one half miles of the smelter complex and most of the residential properties within that area were, until a yard cleanup began in 1991, contaminated with lead above health-based concentrations. Approximately 180-200 residential yards and several hundred acres of undeveloped lands remain contaminated with lead to this day. Most of the area's residences are hooked up to a municipal or community water supply system. ASARCO, the principal potentially responsible party, has cooperated with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in cleanups both on the plant site and in the adjoining community of East Helena. Map of the East Helena Site

• Natick Laboratory Army Research, Development, And Engineering Center (Natick, MA)
• Iron Horse Park (Billerica, MA)
• Schmalz Dump (Harrison, WI)
• Summitville Mine (Rio Grande County, CO)
• Eagle Mine (Minturn, CO)

• Standard Mine (Gunnison National Forest, CO)
• Acm Smelter And Refinery (Black Eagle, MT)
• Madison County Mines (Fredericktown, MO)
• Koppers Co., Inc. (charleston Plant) (Charleston, SC)