Residential Metals Abatement Program

Residential Metals Abatement Program

What is the RMAP Program?
The Residential Metals Abatement Program (RMAP) is a program designed to reduce residential exposure to potential sources of lead, arsenic, and mercury.  

This program evaluates residential living spaces and cleans them up if contamination exceeding local action levels is found. Priority is placed on homes where children six years of age or younger, pregnant or nursing mothers, or other potentially sensitive groups reside. 

What does the RMAP Program do?
Reduces potential exposures to sources of lead, arsenic and mercury by:

  • Visiting homes and sampling yard soils and attic and indoor dust for lead, arsenic, and mercury. 
  • Removing contamination above local residential action levels. This may include vacuuming dust from attics or digging up yards and replacing them with clean soil and vegetation. Contamination is disposed at an approved waste repository.
  • Sampling blood lead to determine potential exposure to contaminants.
  • Safely, securely, and confidentially tracking blood lead levels. 
  • Educating contractors, realtors, and the public about the risks of lead, arsenic, and mercury exposure, and supporting participation in the RMAP program's services. 

How can I participate in the RMAP Program?
If you are interested in having your home sampled or having your blood tested, please contact the RMAP Program at 497-5040.

  • Blood lead testing is a free service through the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department.
  • Residential sampling is a free service through a financial agreement with Atlantic Richfield. 

Has my house been cleaned through the RMAP Program?
Please contact 497-5040 to ask if your house has been sampled or cleaned-up under the RMAP program. 

Current Activities -
Parks & Playgrounds Sampling

Playground and School Yard Sampling
Playgrounds at Butte Schools will be sampled to determine if lead, arsenic, or mercury are present in play area soils.  Samples will be taken at three depths: 

  • 0 - 2 inches
  • 2 - 6 inches
  • 6 - 12 inches

The areas where kids play most of the time, such as around jungle gyms, swing sets, and play structures, will be evaluated using residential action levels.  Open fields where football, baseball, or field games are played will be evaluated using open space action levels.  

Sampling Results Availability
Sampling results will be provided to each school and the same data will be made available to parents of students.  The samples will be interpreted and outline findings and conclusions.  

If lead, arsenic, or mercury are found at or above the specified action levels, clean-up will occur as soon as possible.  

Timeline
Sampling activities will begin after the ground thaws in the spring of 2021. Lab analysis, reporting, and plan development will be expedited so any necessary clean-up work can occur as soon as possible, ideally in the summer of 2021.

Cost
This effort is being paid for by Atlantic Richfield as part of the expansion of the Residential Metals Abatement Program agreed to in 2020.

Questions?
Please call us at 497-5040. We can address your questions or put you in touch with the appropriate representative to answer your question.  

Program Documents

  1. Final Multi-Pathway Residential Metals Abatement Program Plan
  2. RMAP Residential Access Agreement