Site Response Section
The Department of Environmental Quality, Site Response Section (SRS) administers investigation and cleanup activities at sites addressed under the following acts:
- Agricultural Chemical Ground Water Protection Act (ACGWPA).
- Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (Brownfields)
- Controlled Allocation Liability Act (CALA)
- Comprehensive Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act (CECRA)
- Voluntary Cleanup Responsibility Act (VCRA)
- Water Quality Act (WQA)
The primary focus of the Site Response Section is to facilitate investigation and cleanup of releases of unregulated hazardous substances. In Montana, the majority of these releases occurred at sites where mining, smelting, wood treating, railroad fueling and maintenance, petroleum refining, landfilling, and chemical manufacturing/storage activities were conducted. Historical waste disposal activities at these sites caused contamination of air, surface water, groundwater, sediments, and/or soils with hazardous or deleterious substances. This contamination has caused, or may cause, public health impacts such as contaminated drinking water and ecological impacts such as loss of fisheries.
These release sites are ranked based on potential risks to public health and the environment. Site investigation and cleanup activities focus primarily on sites which have a maximum or high priority rank.
The Site Response Section Reports are available for review.
The Site Response Section consists of professional staff with knowledge and skills in fields which include: environmental engineering, geology, hydrogeology, environmental law, chemistry, biology, soil science, risk assessment, data management, cartography, and public relations.
SRS staff currently consists of 1 supervisor, 15 scientists, 2 attorneys, and 3 support staff.
