50 years later, the work continues

KELLOGG –– Five decades of progress were celebrated on Wednesday night during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the health and environmental work within the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. 

The event, hosted by the EPA and the Basin Commission at Noah's Loft, featured several keynote speakers, a panel discussion, and a video package of the various projects completed over the years. 

Panhandle Health District’s Mary Rehnborg gave a detailed history of the area – including the infamous 1973 fire at the Bunker Hill Mine Smelter’s baghouse, which led to the greatest single incident of lead pollution in recorded history. 

A year after this fire, when an abnormal amount of children were hospitalized and treated for lead poisoning, prompting the first rounds of blood-lead testing.

In the 50 years since that time, groups like Panhandle Health, EPA, and the Basin Commission, have partnered with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and many others to complete work in the region.

This work included remediating thousands of lawns, cleaning up old abandoned mine sites, paving more than 100 miles of residential roads throughout the entire Silver Valley, and rehabilitating the surrounding hillsides and waterways which restored wildlife and fish habitats. 

In 1974, after testing 175 children living within a mile of the smelter, 173 (99%) of them reported blood lead levels of 40 micrograms per deciliter or greater and the average was 67.4. 

50 years later, PHD reports that the average is 2 micrograms per deciliter.

“We’ve made a lot of progress and blood-lead levels are going down,” Rehnborg said. “But the problem is ongoing.” 

Originally contained in a small area surrounding Bunker Hill known as ‘the box,’ it became clear that while the box had the highest concentration of contamination, centuries of mining throughout the region had also contributed to the situation.

Because of this, the work was expanded throughout the Coeur d’Alene Basin – which features upper and lower sections. 

Jacob Garringer, an aide to Idaho Gov. Brad Little read a statement from the governor before the speakers took the stage. 

“To all who have contributed to the Coeur d’Alene Basin cleanup over the past 50 years and to all who continue this work today, thank you. The State of Idaho’s Success comes from the leadership and collaboration of our many partners. Your efforts have meaningfully improved the health of generations of Idahoans, as well as the environment and economy of our great state.” 

The event’s key speakers included IDEQ Director Jess Byrne, Ed Kowalski, a retired EPA attorney, and Ernie Stensgar, representing the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 

Stensgar spoke of his people’s connection to the land and how the pollution affected them, but he also spoke highly of the efforts being made in the cleanup and how he is proud of his people for staying involved. 

Byrne, who has been in his position as IDEQ director for the past four years, spoke of his agency’s continued goals and mission in the basin – including protecting human health, improving water quality, and continuing the collaboration with other agencies. 

“You’d be hard-pressed to find another project that’s seen the level of success that we’ve seen here,” Byrne said. “I’m 100% convinced it’s because of the local involvement.” 

Local involvement was a common theme throughout the night. Much like Stensgar’s discussion about his people’s dedication to the project, the people of the Silver Valley have played a key part in the ongoing success of the cleanup efforts. 

Unlike many other figures throughout the project’s history, Kowalski operated from a different perspective. He wasn’t the project manager on one of the mine cleanups, or leading the tours through the work. He was fighting the legal battle with the mining companies, to ensure that they contributed to the work being completed. 

Kowalski explored the challenges that came with being an EPA lawyer prior to the passing of several pieces of environmental legislation. 

“At first, we used a creative mix of authorities to undertaker the cleanup activities, it really was a patchwork quilt to use the legal authorities that we had to start the work and start addressing the contamination,” Kowalski said.  

But after the Superfund Act was passed and the Clean Air and Water Acts gained momentum, so did the project in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. 

Kowalski recalled that as the project expanded in the 80s and 90s, locals grew frustrated, and the heat got turned way up for the people working behind the scenes, particularly by the mining companies, local and state governments, and the residents.

“In the halls of Boise and especially here, there was a lot of pushback and fear on the economic impact of that undertaking,” Kowalski said. 

As concerns over a potential economic downturn spread and the community grew more resentful of the EPA and other agencies’ presence, Kowalski recalled members of the community stepping up to show their support. 

Duane Little, Jerry Cobb, and the late Ron Garitone were three that he specifically named but acknowledged others over the years have helped bridge the gap between the government and the community. 

“Even though the EPA at the Federal level has had significant involvement out here, the work on the ground is being done by the people who are local,” Kowalski said. “That’s just tremendous.”