Mountain saved. is a mountain earned

Journal Article · · Nat. Conserv. News; (United States)

OSTI ID:7285392

Margolis, K

The Anaconda Copper Company boasted that the smokestack on its Washee smelter mill was the world's tallest. It also was probably the world's deadliest. Mysterious livestock deaths began occurring in 1906. They seemed to concentrate in the path of the prevailing westerly winds, carrying the Washee's smelter smoke plume toward Mt. Haggin. As evidence mounted that the deaths were connected to particulate fallout from the smelter (largely oxides of zinc, arsenic, lead, and copper), there were rumblings of lawsuits against Anaconda. The company felt threatened, but did not possess the technology to cure the situation. To protect itself, Anaconda purchased all the lands that were affected by fallout from the smelter smokestack. The result was the formation of the 154,000-acre Mt. Haggin Ranch. Today, the Anaconda Copper Company uses sophisticated pollution abatement equipment, and it is possible to see the healing that has taken place in recent years. The ranch includes rugged mountain peaks and ridges, high mountain valleys, and rolling foothills. A fisherman's paradise, the area also contains 20 mountain lakes, numerous ponds, and over 60 miles of trout streams. The Conservancy has been working to save Mt. Haggin since 1969. Negotiations have involved not only the fee owner--Mt. Haggin Livestock, Inc.--but also parties holding grazing and timber contracts, a variety of public agencies, and the Anaconda Company, which still holds some rights over the portion of the property not yet purchased by the Conservancy. The Conservancy assists in preserving lands like Mt. Haggin by handling the financial and legal aspects of land purchases. The Conservancy is allocating property to two ultimate recipients: the U.S. Forest Service and the montana Department of Fish and Game.

• OSTI ID: 7285392
• Journal Information: Nat. Conserv. News; (United States), Journal Name: Nat. Conserv. News; (United States) Vol. 17:1; ISSN NACNB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ANIMALS
ARSENIC
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
COPPER
DATA
DEATH
DISPERSIONS
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FINANCIAL DATA
GASEOUS WASTES
INFORMATION
LAKES
LAND RECLAMATION
LEAD
LEGAL ASPECTS
METALS
MONTANA
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PLUMES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
RESIDUES
SEMIMETALS
SMELTING
SMOKES
SOLS
STACKS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WASTES
WIND
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC OXIDES