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DEQ denies county petition; sets selenium standard 20% lower than current reservoir level
Summary
Lincoln County officials were told the Department of Environmental Quality denied the county's petition and set a selenium standard 20% lower than the current level in the reservoir (noted in the briefing as '8'), a decision county officials said finalizes representation on the matter.
County officials told the board on Sept. 3 that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality denied the county’s petition seeking to apply the same selenium standard as used elsewhere. According to the briefing, DEQ will set a new standard 20% lower than current selenium levels in the reservoir.
An official summarized the agency’s action: "They denied the petition... the standard is going to be 20% lower than the existing water in the lake…" The briefing referenced a numeric standard described as "8." Officials said DEQ’s decision effectively finalizes the county’s legal representation on the matter.
Why it matters: changes to selenium water‑quality standards can affect permitting, remediation obligations and the compliance costs of projects that discharge to or otherwise affect the reservoir. County leaders noted the decision when discussing related legal representation and next steps.
Next steps: county staff will track any downstream administrative or legal steps and adjust representation and strategy as needed.
