30 Years Ago

­­Thursday, December 6, 1990

Air, soil testing continues at town office, fire hall

After nearly eight months, the Montana Underground Storage Tank Bureau may finally be closing in on determining the cause and extent of the problem which led to the abandonment of the Town Office in the Broadus Fire Hall.

The Montana Underground Storage Tank Bureau has contracted Chen-Northern, a Helena based firm, to do more complete tests on air and soil samples and to do engineering studies on the ventilation system at the fire hall.

Last spring, office employees abandoned their office after suffering health problems, which were related to a “rotten peach” odor. The odor was most present on calm, hot days. Health symptoms included eye, throat and stomach problems.

Then, early last summer, wide spread hydrocarbon (fossil-fuel) contamination was found in air samples taken at the office, and from air and soil samples taken from various other locations around Broadus. Hydrocarbons cover the wide range of fossil fuel products, including all types of gasoline, diesel and home heating fuel, and cleaning solvents.

Results of air sample tests taken at the office in May showed a 30 parts-per-million presence of hydrocarbons. Later, soil and air samples at Park Ave. T.V., formerly Shamley’s Texaco Service Station, Harold Miller’s Old Standard Station, the Farmer’s Union Oil Company, and Ken Jesse’s Broadus Truck and Supply showed about 300 parts-per-million hydrocarbon contamination. Leaking fuel tanks were dug up and removed from those and other locations. Monitoring apparatus and wells were dug and vent pipes were installed.

It was believed at the time that the contamination caused the air pollution problem ­­which forced the abandonment of the town office.

However, no positive answer or “cure” for the problem was ever found despite the work, continued testing, and speculation, and the town office remained inhabitable for an eight-hour work schedule. The office was first moved to the town-owned shop building, and then to the old V-1 Propane building. Because of high heating costs and other factors, the town headquarters may be moved again, hopefully temporarily, to vacant offices on the north side of the county courthouse.

Chen-Northern employees were at the office around Thanksgiving.

“They did a more complete analysis to look for other compounds that may be present – so we can tell what’s really there. Chen-Northern also bored a hole in the slab and took dirt samples from under the floor,” said Doug Rogenes of the Bureau in an interview Tuesday of this week. “Also, Chen-Northern brought in an engineer who evaluated the ventilation system in the fire hall to see if improvements or modifications of the ventilation could be done.”

Rogenes said that the samples have been sent to a special laboratory, and that the results, along with the engineering study, should be available for evaluation by early next week.

“Eventually, we would like to drill a few more holes around Broadus to determine the extent of the contamination from a number of different sources. We’ll also continue to search for other sources not identified to date.”

Powderville by Mrs. John Davidson

Mrs. John Davidson and Mrs. Pat Killen were in Broadus Tuesday afternoon to work on Eastern Star de­­corations for the downtown tree they will trim.

June Wilson was helping Mary Hill with some clerical work on Tuesday.

Jerry McDowell and Charles Miles hauled some of the pigs from the Davidson-McDowell Ranch to Broadus to be slaughtered on Tuesday.

Mr. and Mrs. John Davidson were Wednesday afternoon visitors at the Robert Rumph home near Biddle.

Jerry McDowell accompanied Jerry Rosencranz to Miles City one Wednesday.

John Davidson was a Tuesday visitor at the Bales Ranch in the Sayle area.

Mr. and Mrs. John Davidson and Kimberly McDowell attended the Rainbow meeting in Broadus Thursday evening.

Mrs. Jerry McDowell and Mrs. John Davidson attended the Craft Bazaar at the Centra in Miles City on Friday.

The Rainbow Girls Christmas tree sales started on Saturday with Mr. and Mrs. John Davidson, Mrs. Jerry McDowell and daughter Kimberly doing the selling that day.

John Davidson made a business trip to Sturgis on Friday, returning home by the way of the Francis Hayes home at Ridge.