PETITIONED PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

KINGS CREEK
(a/k/a FORT BELKNAP INDIAN RESERVATION/ZORTMAN MINING INCORPORATED)
LODGEPOLE, BALINE COUNTY, MONTANA
EPA FACILITY ID: MTD986069920

May 14, 1999

Prepared by:

Petition Response Section
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Atlanta, Georgia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY

I. PURPOSE

II. BACKGROUND

A. Historical Setting
B. Creation of King Creek tailings
C. Migration of tailings in King Creek drainage
D. Modern cyanide heap leach gold mining
E. Releases from the Zortman and Landusky mines
F. Legal actions
G. Mine Expansion
H. Past ATSDR Activities
I. Petition
J. Site Visit
K. Public Availability Sessions
L. Demographics
M. Statement of issues

III. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND PATHWAY ANALYSIS

A. Environmental Data and Exposure Pathways
TABLE 1
TABLE 2
TABLE 3
TABLE 4
TABLE 5
B. Environmental Concerns
WATER QUALITY
WATER QUANTITY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
AIR QUALITY

IV. PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

A. Community Health Concerns
B. Health Outcome Data
C. Toxicologic Evaluation

V. CONCLUSIONS

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS

VII. DOCUMENTS REVIEWED

APPENDIX A: ACRONYMS/SYMBOLS AND MAPS

Acronyms/Symbols
Maps

APPENDIX B: PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTATIONS

Health Consultation: Fort Belknap Reservation (8#MT)
Health Consultation: Little Peoples Creek Drainage Basin (8#MT)
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (A178)

APPENDIX C: DATA SETS

Groundwater Data
Surface Water Data
Rock/Tailings/Sediment Data

APPENDIX D: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DATA SOURCES

Sampling Point Differences
Analytical Method Differences
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)
Detection Level Differences
Detection Levels for Groundwater Data
Detection Levels for Surface Water Data

APPENDIX E: COMPARISON VALUES

APPENDIX F: ATSDR'S RESPONSE TO COMMENTS

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