Nearly a dozen representatives from environmental groups and members of the public told the Department of Environmental Quality that allowing nearly double the concentration of selenium in Lake Koocanusa would jeopardize the transboundary waterway, harm fish, and make it harder to hold polluters accountable.

They also said it would only benefit international mining companies.

“Selenium is a scary element, and we’re not talking about a little bit of pollution here,” said Derf Johnson, deputy director for the Montana Environmental Information Center. “What we’re talking about is possibly the worst case of selenium contamination in the world.”

Montana’s environmental agency held a public hearing on Wednesday on a rulemaking petition the Lake County Commissioners submitted challenging the

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