The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on July 9, 2026, that the owner of a long-shuttered aluminum plant in Columbia Falls, Montana, has agreed to pay $57.6 million to address pollution from decades of operations. The settlement covers cleanup costs for hazardous substances at the site, which operated from the 1950s until 2015.
The plant, formerly owned by Alcoa and later by Glencore, produced aluminum and left behind contamination including fluoride, cyanide, and heavy metals in soil and groundwater. The EPA had listed the site as a Superfund priority in 2022 after finding elevated levels of pollutants.
Under the consent decree filed in U.S. District Court, the responsible party will fund remediation activities, including excavation of contaminated soil and treatment of groundwater. The EPA estimates the total cleanup cost could exceed $100 million, with the $57.6 million covering the first phase.
Local residents and environmental groups have long pressed for action, citing health concerns from nearby wells. The EPA said the agreement ensures the company, not taxpayers, pays for the cleanup. Public comments on the settlement will be accepted for 30 days.
