In 1983, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex in Northern Idaho as a Superfund site due to the high level of heavy metals that had been released into the environment by mining operations. The initial Bunker Hill remediation (clean-up) area was restricted to a 21 square mile area around Kellogg called “The Box.” In 2002, EPA released an Interim Record of Decision, officially expanding the scope of the clean-up to the entire Coeur d’Alene Basin outside of “The Box.” The Idaho State Legislature responded by creating the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission (BEIPC), commonly referred to as Basin Commission, to coordinate remediation, natural resource restoration, and related measures to address water quality and heavy metal contamination in the Basin.
The State of Idaho wanted to support involvement from local citizens in the clean-up process and insure governments worked together to clean up the environmental and human health issues. The BEIPC is made up of Commissioners appointed by the Governor to represent the State of Idaho and 3 local counties in the Basin. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Federal Government (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), and State of Washington chose to join the BEIPC through a memorandum of agreement, executed in August 2002.
The BEIPC includes an Executive Director (ED) that provides support to the commissioners and the public, which, from 2004 until now, has been Terry Harwood. There is now a changing of the guard under way, as Mr. Harwood moves into retirement. As he steps down as ED, Terry says, “The BEIPC is a fine example of government serving the public where seven governments and over 20 agencies work together to coordinate efforts for the good of the people, especially when they have differing positions on issues, different ideas on how to approach problems and differing responsibilities but still work together in a cooperative manner to get things done.”
Terry is passing the torch to Sharon Bosley, who has hit the ground running. Sharon has a diverse background that brings together engineering, water science, environmental advocacy, and public outreach. Sharon feels, “This job has brought together all the different areas of focus I have experienced in my professional career. So many things about this job excite me but what I think will be most satisfying is sharing the unique and technical work that is being done here through successful collaboration between all seven governments.”
It is estimated that the entire Basin cleanup could cost upwards of $2.3 billion. Currently the cleanup costs are at about $30 million per year. Since the clean-up started in 1991, over 7000 residential, public and commercial properties, and all industrial sites in “The Box” have been remediated. Many mine and mill sites in the Upper Basin have been remediated. Clean-up of recreation areas has been conducted along the Coeur d’Alene & Spokane Rivers. Over 580 deteriorated contaminated paved road segments in “The Box” and Basin have been repaved. The Central Treatment Plant was recently upgraded to treat Bunker Mine water and contaminated ground water collected from the area around the Central Impoundment Area in Kellogg. In the Lower Basin, conservation easements were secured, and clean wetlands were constructed on agricultural lands for waterfowl habitat.
The contamination of the Silver Valley took nearly 150 years to occur and has spread well beyond the mine’s original footprint. A lot has been accomplished, and much work remains to be done. Referring to the task ahead as ED for the BEIPC, Sharon says, “There’s a lot of history and a lot of good collaboration in place. It will be important for the communities to continue to be involved and aware so they can weigh in on what’s being done and what needs to be done. It affects not only the Silver Valley, but the whole Coeur d’Alene Basin.” For more information, attend the next BEIPC meeting November 29, 2023, at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. For more information, visit www.basincommission.com
