GREAT FALLS — The Montana Air National Guard (MT ANG) is collaborating with the community to develop a community involvement plan, in partnership with the Defense Environmental Restoration Program.

The Environmental Restoration Program was created to provide clean-up guidance and funding for past hazardous waste disposal sites and military installations.

The MT ANG is focusing on investigating and addressing impacts of any leaks or spills.

They are currently investigating the past use of fire-suppressing materials at the airfield that contained per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the potential need for any cleanup.

Matthew Balliet, the Environmental Manager for the Montana Air National Guard, says, “We’ve conducted multiple initiatives over the years in which we’ve installed monitoring wells at the Montana National Guard to access groundwater and detect any contamination. Additionally, there has been different product removal activities to remove any pollutants from the site.”

The MT ANG is requesting public input in developing a community involvement plan in an effort to improve transparency and effective communication between the community and the base during ongoing restoration activities.

They’ve opened an online survey for feedback regarding interest levels of the restoration program’s focus areas like health and safety, environmental, and economic aspects of the program, and if the community would be interested in participating in a public meeting regarding restoration efforts.

“We can learn about the community needs and concerns and how the community prefers to receive environmental restoration related information,” Balliet says. “This will create a positive impact between the Montana Air National Guard and the local community, due to the local community having access and knowing what’s going on with the Guard’s restoration program”.

Responses to the survey will remain anonymous and there is no prior knowledge of the program or Air National Guard activities needed. The responses will be used to develop an effective Community Involvement Plan. To fill out the survey, click here.