EPA approves new selenium standards for Lake Koocanusa

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given its stamp of approval to new selenium standards for Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River.

Laura Jenkins, media officer for EPA Region 8, said in a press statement that the federal agency backed the levels proposed by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality on Feb. 25. Under the Clean Water Act, the EPA is responsible for evaluating water quality standards proposed by state environmental agencies.

In December, DEQ’s Board of Environmental Review voted in favor of reining in selenium levels for the lake and reservoir. Although significantly more restrictive than those applicable to most state waters, the levels correspond with federally advised standards and methods of approving standards for specific sites.

In a statement, EPA officials said Montana’s standards for the Kootenai River now match those in place for the river in Idaho.

More than six years of research conducted by federal, state, tribal and Canadian scientists determined that levels of selenium in Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River were putting local aquatic ecosystems at risk. While selenium is necessary in small concentrations for animals and some plants, it can compromise the reproductive systems of certain fish species at elevated levels.

The overwhelming majority of selenium found in local waterways comes from upstream Canadian mines operated by Teck Resources. While the levels approved by the state and federal agencies will not regulate the amount of selenium dumped into waters north of the border, officials said the standards would help the federal government in its negotiations with Canada over the issue.

Local elected officials have raised concerns that the new standards are unnecessarily restrictive and could hamper development in Lincoln County. While State Sen. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka, said he is in favor of protecting local waters, he opposed DEQ’s decision in December, saying the standards could create another hurdle for timber, mining and real estate projects.

Darcy O'Connor, water division director for EPA Region 8, said in December the levels could only be used to moderate activities that could add selenium to the lake and river. During a January Libby City Council meeting, Dave Hadden, director of Headwaters Montana, said commercial work in the county would be unlikely to add selenium to the waterways due to the geology of the area.

Lincoln County Commissioner Jerry Bennett worried in December that the strict selenium standards could lead the state to declare Lake Koocanusa an impaired body of water. If this were to happen, Bennett said fishing outfitters might have trouble attracting clients.

Local guides, however, have come out in support of the new standards. Tim Linehan, of Linehan Outfitting Co., said clients had asked him about selenium in the river and reservoir before the new standards were approved. Since guides release their catch, clients aren’t concerned about ingesting selenium. A steep decline in the fish populations in the river due to elevated selenium levels, however, would be a deterrent for anglers.

The Libby City Council voted down a resolution of support for the new standards during a Jan. 19 meeting. The following day, Troy City councilors expressed support for continued research.