Montana DEQ wins national award for abandoned mine program

HELENA — The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has been recognized for its work to clean up areas around abandoned mines.

The Independent Record reports that the Abandoned Mine Lands Program received the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award from the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for its work to restore reliable water to Sand Coulee in Cascade County.

Sand Coulee is surrounded by coal mines from the 1890s and the mining contaminated groundwater. Residents were forced to adhere to water restrictions and rationing often and had to haul water from other sources.

The DEQ drilled new wells, constructed a new water tank and replaced nearly two miles of problematic water lines with the help of federal and state grants.