EPA set to clean up 100s of East Helena yards

In line with a more stringent local standard adopted in 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to remediate hundreds of East Helena yards for lead contamination by late 2027.

The EPA, which is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to choose a contractor, expects to begin yard cleanups as early as April. Some 200 to 300 properties were made newly eligible for remediation after the EPA tightened East Helena’s lead cleanup level from 500 parts per million to 400 ppm in early 2024 and eliminated the previous 1,000 ppm trigger level.

“Our goal is to give residents peace of mind,” said Bridget Williams, EPA East Helena remedial project manager, estimating the agency would clean up around 100 properties this year and 100 more in 2027. “We do have folks that have wanted to have their yards cleaned up for many, many years.”