Feds unlikely to mandate sewer

SEELEY LAKE - It’s great to be able to call beautiful Seeley Lake my home. But I also see a community severely impacted by COVID-19 and I am afraid that it may be years before we are able to recover economically. Yet the Sewer Board continues to move forward with a very expensive plan to implement the sewer system.

This proposal impacts only a small percentage of the Valley’s human population that are contributing nitrates to our ground water and does nothing to address the tons of nitrates contributed by environmental factors such as animal waste and soil run off.

One of the major reasons provided by the Sewer Board for implementing the sewer was that if Seeley didn’t do something, the Feds would step in and force us to put in a sewer. Also, since we have received some significant grants, we should implement the system NOW. However, three new, very significant arguments have developed to counter this rationale:

• In January, President Trump rescinded the Clean Water rule, an Obama era rule dealing with Federal regulation of streams, wetlands and groundwater on the basis that it was unnecessarily onerous.

• The Trump Administration is working on the Sewage Blending rule, allowing discharge of partially treated wastewater during certain circumstances. To me, this is a clear indication of the direction that President Trump is headed in to further loosen environmental controls and signaling that his administration will not be forcing us to install the sewer system.

• The State has revoked the grant for Phase Two. While our Sewer Board has said they will reapply, I seriously doubt that given the grave economic challenges facing our state that any further funds will be forthcoming any time soon.

I’ve also been reading stories and seeing pictures (very gross) about the problems some wastewater treatment plants are experiencing because people are flushing wipes down the toilet. This is just one example of unforeseeable factors that could add cost and/or unreliability to the proposed system.

My septic system works just fine - we had it pumped/inspected last summer – and I want to continue to be able to rely on my own system. This new situation proves what I have said several times before: it is time to implement a system where each property owner in the Valley is required to prove that they have an adequate septic system.

Finally, I want to remind everyone to vote in the Sewer Board/School District election. Please make sure you get your ballots in … and if you haven’t registered to vote there is still time! According to “Missoula Votes,” we are one of only a handful of states to allow late registration but the earlier you act, the better it is.

Who you choose to vote for is a deeply personal decision, however, I would like to point out that both Thomas Morris and Jason Gilpin appear to be candidates who are committed to listening to the residents in the Sewer District and finding an affordable solution.

 

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