BNSF Railway, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality are looking to stabilize a short section of the north shore of Flathead Lake to ensure contaminants from the Somers Tie Plant Superfund site do not contaminate the largest natural freshwater lake in the West.
On Feb. 27, officials with BNSF, the EPA and DEQ gave an overview of the project to the Flathead County Commission in Kalispell. Because the project is taking place at a Superfund site, state and federal agencies don’t need permission from the county to move forward. EPA Project Manager Roger Hoogerheide said the presentation was a “courtesy” to let local officials know it was happening and that there would be increased truck traffic through Somers during construction.