Emergency management official: flood may have spread mine materials and asbestos; county to inspect creek banks

Melody, an emergency management official for Lincoln County, told commissioners on Dec. 31 that county staff, the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and FEMA are coordinating testing and mitigation after recent flooding to identify whether mine-related materials, including potential asbestos-containing vermiculite, were dispersed by high water.

"I don't have a huge amount to update, but I just want to make sure we had a conversation here," Melody said, adding that teams are working with DEQ and FEMA and that the county expects to begin initial creek-bank inspections in spring when sites are accessible. She said staff also will inspect private properties upon request to verify whether material remains or poses a hazard.

Why it matters: residents and infrastructure may face ongoing exposure or access disruptions if contaminated sediment or washed-out levees are not assessed and mitigated before spring runoff. Melody emphasized that the loss of rip-rap and a failed levee on Libby Creek are immediate concerns for flood-prone roads and properties.

County officials identified a pocket park and a walking path where benches and picnic areas were exposed or had debris piled up; those sites may be routed through FEMA recovery work depending on FEMA's scope and eligibility determinations. Melody said Rainy Creek monitoring equipment showed no immediate problems upstream, but uprooted trees and storm damage on private parcels raise the possibility that buried vermiculite or other mining-related materials could be disturbed.

On local reporting and public concern, Melody criticized a recent Beacon article that she called "a BS article," saying state and federal staff present were taking the situation seriously and conducting targeted monitoring. She asked residents to submit requests if they have property that may need inspection and said county staff will coordinate with FEMA and DEQ to prioritize work and testing.

Next steps: county staff will work with consultants and FEMA to evaluate the failed levee and other high-priority sites before spring floods, perform inspections of creek banks and respond to homeowner requests for property checks. Officials urged residents to report erosion or exposed material through the county's damage-reporting process so the county can document claims for reimbursement and remediation.

The board recessed to consider procurement and debris-contract items and returned to other business after the update.