Montana Environmental Trust Group (METG), Trustee of the Montana Environmental Custodial Trust, is committed to informing stakeholders about its activities and involving the community wherever possible. METG seeks to proactively engage project partners and other community stakeholders in its work to remediate former ASARCO lands and facilitate their safe, productive, community-supported reuse.

Public and Stakeholder Meetings

METG has hosted and participated in scores of local events—community meetings, stakeholder presentations, and workshops to review investigations, cleanup progress, reuse plans, and provide opportunities for community input. METG:

  • Hosts public meetings at least annually to update the community on cleanup progress and reuse planning, answer questions, and hear input
  • Provides site tours to inform and update leaders, officials, and other stakeholders about site activities
  • Coordinates discussions and updates with City of East Helena, East Helena Public Schools, Lewis and Clark County, and State of Montana officials, as well as community members and other stakeholders.

Outreach and Communications

  • METG prepares and distributes fact sheets, flyers, and press releases to share updates and event information.
  • METG shares technical documents and other materials through this website’s document repository.
  • METG has sought public input on the future of the slag pile through a community survey.

Supporting Public and Community Projects and Events

METG has donated, facilitated donation, and/or transferred the majority of former ASARCO land for a wide variety of uses:

  • Donated land to East Helena Public Schools to build the new Prickly Pear elementary school
  • Transferred land to the City of East Helena and Lewis and Clark County to expand public roads and utilities and to build the new county Search and Rescue facility
  • Facilitated land donation to the City of East Helena for future public services
  • Transferred 322 acres to Prickly Pear Land Trust for the 8-mile Greenway Trail
  • Allowed the East Helena Volunteer Fire Department to use former ASARCO housing for live firefighter training, and the County Sheriff’s Office to use it for live explosion training

METG has also hosted or helped fund community events such as the East Helena Independence Day fireworks display, the public schools’ East Helena Fun Run, the East Helena Barrel Races, and the annual East Helena rodeo. METG facilitated the donation of land for the new East Helena Valley Rodeo Association’s rodeo grounds.

In 2024, METG collaborated with Helena Area Habitat for Humanity, Lewis and Clark County Historical Society, Prickly Pear Estates, and City of East Helena to save the 160-year-old Manlove Cabin by dismantling and relocating it for eventual reconstruction, preservation, and opening to the public.

METG’s community stakeholders and other partners include:

  • City and county residents
  • The City of East Helena and Lewis and Clark County
  • East Helena Public Schools, Prickly Pear Land Trust, East Helena Valley Rodeo Association, Helena Area Habitat for Humanity, and the Montana Business Assistance Connection.
  • Businesses and landowners, including Oakland Companies, American Chemet, Town Pump