DEQ Releases Draft Environmental Assessment for Yellowstone County Proposed Landfill

Helena, Montana – The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on Friday in response to Pacific Steel and Recycling’s proposal to build a landfill in Yellowstone County for auto shredder residue.

Approximately 90 acres of 320 acres of private property are included in the proposal. The property is situated six miles west of Shepherd and seven miles north of Billings, near the intersection of US Highway 87 and Shepard Acton Road.

According to the application, Pacific Steel and Recycling intends to dump about 25,000 tons of car shredder waste annually from their recycling operation in Billings. DEQ evaluates applications in accordance with state administrative rule requirements, grants licenses to solid waste management facilities, and reviews the applications. These specifications cover stormwater controls, operating standards, and groundwater monitoring. The permission and application review procedures guarantee that projects safeguard the environment and public health.

In accordance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act, DEQ prepared the draft EA to examine possible effects of the proposal. Following the release of the draft EA, there is a 10-day public comment period. Following that, DEQ will consider the comments and decide whether to approve the proposal.

The deadline for public comments is October 30, 2023, and comments may be sent in by mail or electronically. Please visit the DEQ website at https://deq.mt.gov/public/publiccomment to examine the draft EA and application or to provide feedback.