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The Butte, Montana site was once home to the Anaconda Copper Mining Company smelter, which operated from 1880 to 1980. The smelter released large amounts of lead and other heavy metals into the environment, contaminating the soil, water, and air. In 1983, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated the site as a Superfund site and began a cleanup effort. The cleanup involved removing contaminated soil and groundwater, and constructing a new water treatment plant. The site was declared clean in 2006.