Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO)

Berkeley Pit Mine Closes on Earth Day, Pumps Shut Off, Creating Toxic Lake Superfund Site

| Importance: 7/10

Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) closed the Berkeley Pit copper mine on Earth Day 1982 and immediately shut off the pumps that had kept groundwater out of the massive excavation, beginning the pit’s transformation into one of the most toxic bodies of water in North America. The corporate …

Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) Anaconda Copper Mining Company Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Montana Department of Environmental Quality Montana Resources environmental-damage superfund mining-industry corporate-externalities toxic-contamination +2 more
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