River Conservation & Cleanup featuring the Clark Fork River.

Since 1985, the Clark Fork Coalition has worked to restore and
protect the Clark Fork River basin, a 22,000 square mile area
draining western Montana and northern Idaho. The Coalition's work
is science-based and results oriented, and the organization
strives to connect communities to the recovery of the Clark Fork
River and its tributaries. Get involved as a volunteer with the
Coalition at clarkfork.org.


Is superfund cleanup of mining wastes in the Clark Fork making a
difference? Yes! At least it is in terms of total amounts of
copper and arsenic. And that’s especially good news because both
are toxic: copper is extremely bad for fish, and arsenic is
poisonous for people.


It took decades of hard work by advocates for the river to make
cleanup happen. Today we’re seeing tangible benefits from that
unwavering commitment to a clean and healthy Clark Fork.


What is Superfund?


Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous
waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly
managed. These sites include manufacturing facilities, processing
plants, landfills and mining sites.


 


In the late 1970s, toxic waste dumps received national attention
when the public learned about the risks to human health and the
environment posed by contaminated sites. 


 


In response, Congress established the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) in
1980.  


 


CERCLA is informally called Superfund. It allows EPA to clean up
contaminated sites. It also forces the parties responsible for
the contamination to either perform cleanups or reimburse the
government for EPA-led cleanup work.


 


When there is no viable responsible party, Superfund gives EPA
the funds and authority to clean up contaminated sites.


 


Superfund’s goals are to:


 


Protect human health and the environment by cleaning up
contaminated sites;

Make responsible parties pay for cleanup work;

Involve communities in the Superfund process; and

Return Superfund sites to productive use.






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