State natural-resources agency outlines $18.5 million Libby asbestos restoration plan, awards early projects

Brian Bartoyak, a representative of the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program, and Sydney Stewart, the program's Libby project manager, briefed the Libby City Council on the program's role and an interim restoration plan tied to the W.R. Grace settlement.

The Natural Resource Damage Program, which Bartoyak said is "a very small program," recovers money for injuries to natural resources under federal and state cleanup laws and uses those funds to restore, replace or acquire equivalent resources and services. Stewart said the state's Libby asbestos portion of the settlement totals $18.5 million to be paid over 10 years; about $7.1 million has been received to date.

The program has set aside $2 million for early restoration projects that can begin while final cleanup plans are completed, Stewart said. Early projects must be located in Lincoln County, be time-sensitive (worth doing now rather than later), be completable with available funds and not interfere with the EPA/DEQ remedial work in Operable Unit 3.

Stewart outlined seven early-restoration projects selected from public proposals: installing a fish screen and assessing base-season water savings on a ditch on Carpenter Creek; a feasibility study for restoration work on Libby Creek; additional fish stocking development; a Kootenai River Recreation Management Plan; improvements and a connection from the Norgard Trailhead to DNRC land; funding a Lincoln County park manager position; and a city-led investigation into removal of the Flower Creek waste-gravel pile. Stewart said the state expects to receive additional payments and anticipates $10 million to $12 million in the fund by 2026'27, and that roughly half of available funds at that time could be targeted to early restoration.

Council members and residents asked questions about what counts as a natural resource and how damages may be spent. Bartoyak and Stewart explained "resources" include land, water, fish and wildlife held in public trust, and "services" include recreation and other uses those resources provide. Stewart said the program cannot shift groundwater or fish damages to unrelated projects such as building an arena; funds must restore or replace injured resources or their services.

Several speakers urged attention to the Flower Creek gravel pile. Resident D.C. Orr said he would contact NRDP about that specific site and said the pile had been a long-standing local concern. Parks representative Tony Petrucha asked for further definition of "resources," and Stewart reiterated that examples include fish, in-stream and riparian habitat, groundwater and terrestrial wildlife.

The program said it will solicit ideas for additional early-restoration projects every three years and that final funding decisions rest with the governor. Bartoyak encouraged local participation in identifying and implementing projects.

What happens next: NRDP will continue outreach, finalize eligibility and project evaluation criteria, and invite local project proposals during periodic scoping windows. Council members and residents were told NRDP staff can be contacted for project ideas and to request materials already shared with the public.