Pondera County, along with advocacy groups, has taken legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to halt an energy company from discharging wastewater into a nearby aquifer, raising concerns about water contamination. Montana Renewables, a biofuels company based in Great Falls, plans to dispose of wastewater into old oil wells near Valier that connect to the Madison aquifer. This aquifer extends across eight states and provinces in the U.S. and Canada. The EPA permit allows for the disposal of over 300 million gallons of water per well, with Montana Renewables estimating a daily discharge of around 230,000 gallons.
Local politicians and advocacy groups have voiced concerns about potential health hazards from the wastewater, despite the company’s assurances that it is “non-hazardous wash water” derived from cleaning agricultural feedstocks. However, the wastewater is reportedly too contaminated for acceptance by Great Falls’ water treatment facilities. Montana Renewables has emphasized that it possesses necessary permits to handle non-hazardous water but has refrained from commenting on specific business dealings.
Long-standing drought conditions have added to the tension among agricultural and natural resource groups, prompting the filing of a petition against the EPA’s decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Although the EPA granted an aquifer exemption in May, allowing wastewater discharge, this decision is now under scrutiny. Montalban Oil and Gas, the well owner, holds the contested permit.
Local officials have struggled to have their concerns addressed, as Pondera County commissioners express frustration over the lack of a hydrological study and the stagnant progress of a road usage agreement necessary for transporting the water. Efforts to seek support from the Governor’s Office have also yielded no results. The Blackfeet Nation has submitted public comments to the EPA, highlighting the need for transparency regarding the wells’ history and waste management practices.
The EPA’s public sessions and assessments suggest that the water will move slowly from the deep wells, with the affected portion of the Madison Aquifer not serving as a drinking water source. However, local farmers, like Lisa Schmidt of the Madison Aquifer Coalition, fear the injection of industrial wastewater could jeopardize water resources vital for agriculture. Despite EPA’s assurances that the water will not be used for consumption and alternative water sources exist, community concerns about the aquifer’s long-term safety persist.
