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Montana Environmental Trust Group

The American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) declared bankruptcy in 2005, and under a 2009 court-approved settlement, three custodial trusts were created to address environmental cleanup at former ASARCO sites across 13 states. The Montana Environmental Custodial Trust took title to the 4 Montana sites, which together contain ±4,353 acres, and received nearly $138 million to pay for their cleanup, restoration, and revitalization.

Greenfield Environmental Trust Group, Inc. was chosen as Trustee of the Montana Environmental Custodial Trust, and Greenfield’s East Helena, Montana-based subsidiary Montana Environmental Trust Group (METG) was appointed as the Federal District Court Trustee. METG’s primary role is to protect human health and the environment in partnership with beneficiaries—the United States and State of Montana—as well as community stakeholders.

Latest Information

Presentation & Recording: Nov. 6, 2024 Public Meeting

METG cohosted a public meeting on Wednesday, November 6, as well as a drop-in availability session on Thursday November 7, to provide 2024 updates about the former ASARCO Smelter Site in East Helena. The meeting included presentations from the METG project team and project partners such as the City of East Helena, Prickly Pear Land […]

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East Helena, Montana

METG received EPA’s Excellence in Site Reuse Award in 2019 for successful efforts to advance the cleanup and revitalization of the East Helena Superfund site. Read about the EPA Region 8 award here.

METG’s environmental cleanup actions in East Helena focus on soil, sediment, and groundwater contamination caused by more than a century of smelting lead, zinc, and other metals at the former ASARCO facility.

Learn more about site operations and conditions, regulatory history, and redevelopment plans.

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Other Sites

Mike Horse

METG is operating the water treatment plant at the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex (UBMC)/Mike Horse Site, which is situated at the headwaters of the Blackfoot River.

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Black Pine

In consultation with the US Forest Service, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality is remediating contamination from silver and lead mining at the Black Pine Mine site.

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Iron Mountain

The Iron Mountain Site is part of the larger Flat Creek/Iron Mountain & Mill federal Superfund Site that was added to the EPA’s National Priorities List in 2009.

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