Commissioners say Brownfields offer could require tribal ownership as public critic warns of lost tax base

Roosevelt County commissioners on March 17 said the Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) contacted county officials about Brownfields cleanup money for a block of county land, but that OEP told the county some grants require the cleanup recipient to take ownership of the property.

A public commenter at the meeting said two lots on the corner of Anaconda and 1st Avenue South (and a possible third) were being negotiated for transfer without the City of Hult Point’s involvement and warned that transfers to tribal ownership would remove those parcels from the local tax roll. "The city was not even notified of the potential of either the transfer of ownership…" the commenter said, adding the loss of taxable parcels would hurt the city's already small tax base.

Chair of the board said commissioners had only just received mailed notice and that county staff met with OEP and tribal representatives. "OEP calls and says, hey. We've got Brownfields money... The only way they can use their Brownfield money is if they take ownership of the property," the chair said, describing the current status as the tribal council reviewing OEP's proposal.

A commissioner noted there has been no formal board motion to transfer property to either the county or the tribes. "We have not given it to the county or the tribes yet. It's just in the talking about it," the commissioner said at the meeting.

Commissioners said the county attorney (Tom) is reviewing legal steps under Montana code and that any transfer or acceptance would follow required public-notice and legal procedures; the chair said the matter would return to the board if the tribal council decides to accept an OEP funding proposal. No formal vote or transfer occurred at the March 17 meeting.

Why it matters: Brownfields grants can unlock federal or state funds to remediate contaminated sites, but when funding programs require ownership transfer the local taxing status of a parcel can change. County officials at the meeting emphasized they are consulting legal counsel and waiting for the tribal council and OEP to complete their review before taking any formal action.

What’s next: County legal review is ongoing and commissioners said they will follow the county attorney’s recommended process and public-notice rules if a transfer is proposed; the board did not approve any transfer at the meeting.