News
Acme Power Plant clean-up, one piece at a time

The Sheridan Conservation District Manager Carrie Rogaczewski told listeners of Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse the clean-up efforts at the Acme Power Plant north of Sheridan are a slow and expensive process, but will be well worth the wait.
The power plant is located on a site next to the Tongue River. After the power plant component closed, the site served many other industrial purposes. One of the largest concerns regarding the reclamation of the plant is the asbestos within the facility.
Last year, the SCCD was awarded a $585,000 cleanup grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for the asbestos abatement within the old power plant buildings.
More recently, contractors removed an old and dangerous diversion that was once used to divert some of the water in the Tongue River to the power plant’s underground cooling tunnels.
But asbestos is only one of the clean-up issues facing the SCCD. The site contains hazardous old barrels, (with some found leaking waste), old batteries and more. The barrels have since been removed and clean up efforts are ongoing.
The SCCD understood the scope and cost of the project and knew they could not accomplish the large task alone. They have partnered with multiple federal, state and local partners who have all made contributions to the clean-up effort.
Rogaczewski said the thought of what will become of the property once the reclamation process is finished comes up often, but she told listeners this large project needs to be addressed one issue at a time.
Get to know the Sheridan County Conservation District and support their efforts by clicking here.

Mike McLaughlin
June 14, 2023 at 3:14 pm
Tax dollar$ at work……..