HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-04-26 Public Comment - S. Bieluch - FORMAL INQUIRY_ Demand for Subterranean Soil Contamination Audit – Application No. 23245 (811 W. Mendenhall)From:Planning Technician
To:Bozeman Engineering Department; Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:Fw: [EXTERNAL]FORMAL INQUIRY: Demand for Subterranean Soil Contamination Audit – Application No. 23245
(811 W. Mendenhall)
Date:Friday, September 4, 2026 1:15:05 PM
Trenton Ruffalo
CD Tech II | Community DevelopmentCity of Bozeman | 20 East Olive St. | P.O. Box 1230 | Bozeman, MT 59771P: 406.582.2373 | E: trenton.ruffalo@bozemanmt.gov| W: www.bozeman.net
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From: Scott Bieluch <s.bieluch@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, September 4, 2026 11:01 AM
To: deqwebmaster@mt.gov <deqwebmaster@mt.gov>; Planning Technician
<PlanningTech@bozemanmt.gov>
Cc: Building <Building@bozemanmt.gov>; abently@bozemanmt.gov <abently@bozemanmt.gov>;
gsullivan@bozemanmt.gov <gsullivan@bozemanmt.gov>
Subject: [EXTERNAL]FORMAL INQUIRY: Demand for Subterranean Soil Contamination Audit –
Application No. 23245 (811 W. Mendenhall)
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TO: deqwebmaster@mt.gov, planningtech@bozemanmt.gov
CC: building@bozemanmt.gov, abentley@bozemanmt.gov,
gsullivan@bozemanmt.gov
SUBJECT: FORMAL INQUIRY: Demand for Subterranean Soil Contamination Audit –
Application No. 23245 (811 W. Mendenhall)
To the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Bozeman Environmental
Compliance Officers,
I am writing to register a formal environmental safety concern and demand a rigorousreview of the Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) submitted
for Application No. 23245 (811 W. Mendenhall Mixed-Use Project, Bozeman).
The proposed development requires deep subterranean excavation to accommodate
a 68-space underground parking garage. The Midtown/Mendenhall corridor has awell-documented history of light industrial operations, historical auto-repair facilities,
and unmapped underground storage tanks (USTs).
Deep subsurface digging poses an immediate risk of disturbing legacy heavy metalconcentrations, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or historic petroleum plumes. If
unmitigated, this excavation risks migrating toxic plumes into the shallow
groundwater table and surrounding historic residential basements along West
Lamme Street.
I formally demand that the Montana DEQ and the Bozeman Engineering Division
withhold all structural, grading, and utility excavation permits until the applicant
provides updated, comprehensive soil boring samples and groundwater testingcertified by an independent environmental engineer. The city and state must ensure
that heavy construction will not trigger a localized environmental hazard or breach
active sanitation rules.
I request to be notified of all findings and further submittals regarding soil safety for
this file.
Respectfully submitted,
Scott Bieluch
805 W. Lamme Street
Bozeman, MT 59715