Residents tell commissioners Steamboat Landing environmental testing and liquefaction risk need fuller review

Two Summers Road residents urged the Flathead County commissioners to require fuller environmental and geotechnical review of the Steamboat Landing development during public comment at the Jan. 8 meeting.

Sandy Graham, who identified herself as living at 559 Summers Road, told commissioners she submitted AECOM surface-water testing results from 2017 through 2023 and said those results show contamination in the slough south of the subject property. Graham quoted prior statements by others saying that “EPA and DEQ are not aware of any contaminants identified on the Steamboat Landing property,” and said the monitoring and test-well records she provided show otherwise.

Graham said monitoring data and the BN Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report identify 2,4-dimethylphenol and benzene at several monitoring wells (for example, wells labeled S-16 and S-15 in the referenced reports). She also questioned comparisons made in the public record between shallow open-pit tests and deeper AECOM monitoring wells, saying AECOM’s S-16-1 well initially measured water depth at about 5.15 feet before purging and was then sampled at roughly 18 feet, and that other monitoring wells were not sampled at the shallow depths used in the open-pit tests. “So these wells…were never tested at 5 feet as the shallow open pits were tested…and therefore, there can be no comparison,” Graham said.

“Per the EPA website, on 05/08/2024, the EPA finalized a rule which banned methylene chloride for consumer use,” Graham added, and said methylene chloride appeared in prior test-well data despite that regulatory action. She said she would submit her supporting documents into the public record.

Joanne DeLong, who identified herself as living at 637 Summers Road, urged commissioners to address soil stability, liquefaction and seismic risk for phases of Steamboat Landing that plan multistory condominium buildings. DeLong cited two nearby, real-world examples where builders installed 40–50 foot stone columns to stabilize foundations after tests found instability: Summers Middle School and the Summers Volunteer Fire Department. “Thus, the possibility of unstable soil in the area of the proposed multistory condos is a serious concern based on actual…close proximity examples,” she said. DeLong also said a low-elevation phase that borders the Superfund site was not tested during the phase 2 environmental assessment and that its higher water table increases concern.

Neither Graham nor DeLong asked for a specific action to be recorded as a formal motion; both submitted records and asked the commission to ensure the issues are addressed by the applicant and reviewing agencies.

Why it matters

If contaminants exist in surface or groundwater near development areas, they can affect project design, regulatory review and required mitigation. Likewise, the presence of unstable soils or liquefaction risk can materially affect foundation design, project costs and public safety if multistory structures are proposed without appropriate geotechnical mitigations.

What was not decided

No county action or planning decision occurred at the meeting on Steamboat Landing. Commissioners closed public comment and moved on to agenda items; staff and regulatory bodies (for example, DEQ, EPA or county planning) are the responsible authorities for environmental and health-risk review.

Ending

Both residents said they would submit testing records and monitoring reports to the public record for county consideration. Commissioners did not take action at this meeting on those submissions.