Richland, MT

Low Risk (28/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.

Environmental data for Richland in Montana · Population: 11,329

TRI sites such as Sidney Sugars Inc; Lewis & Clark Station; Bakken Gas Plant; SDWIS systems such as SIDNEY CITY OF; FAIRVIEW TOWN OF; LAMBERT SEWER AND WATER ASSN anchor Richland, MT's EPA extract. Derived burden score 28/100 (Low Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Richland include FAIRVIEW TOWN OF; RICHLAND CO VALLEY VIEW WUA, while Sidney Sugars Inc leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 36 / peak 118 in 2024.

Burden score 28/100 (Low Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Richland -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Richland, MT: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

+84.0%

1 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-95.6%

156.0 thousand lb → 6.9 thousand lb, every facility that filed

These two measures point in opposite directions. Releases from the facilities present in both years rose, while the inventory-wide total fell. The difference is which facilities filed, not a different estimate of the same plants.

Between the two reporting years, 0 facilities filed for the first time and 1 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Richland, MT's total reported releases rose from 3.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 6.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Richland, MT's off-site transfers rose from 3.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 5.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Richland, MT's air releases rose from 750 lb in 2022 to 1.0 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Richland, MT's chemicals reported fell from 7 in 2022 to 5 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
11,329
TRI Facilities
3
Water Systems
5
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
1.0M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 307 (84%) 54 5 118
2023 267 (73%) 87 5 219
2022 322 (89%) 39 0 79
2021 284 (81%) 63 4 147
2020 343 (94%) 23 0 72
2024 Good Air Quality: 84% of days
Unhealthy days: 5
Median AQI: 36

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Montana, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (5)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
SIDNEY CITY OF 5,000 0
FAIRVIEW TOWN OF 1,000 2
LAMBERT SEWER AND WATER ASSN 150 0
RICHLAND CO VALLEY VIEW WUA 85 28
MOUNT PLEASANT ESTATES 45 0

TRI Facilities (3)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Sidney Sugars Inc 742.1K lbs
2 Lewis & Clark Station 263.5K lbs
3 Bakken Gas Plant 10.7K lbs

Cities in Richland (3)

Sidney
3 facilities · 3 water
Fairview
0 facilities · 1 water
Lambert
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Richland, Montana?
Richland, MT has an environmental risk score of 28/100 (Low Risk), based on 3 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 5 water systems on record. 2 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Richland?
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Richland, MT in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Richland?
Richland, MT has 3 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 1.0M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Richland?
In 2024, Richland, MT recorded a median AQI of 36 and a peak AQI of 118. 84% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Richland?
Richland, MT has 5 EPA-regulated water systems. 2 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Richland?
Environmental compliance in Richland, Montana is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Montana state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro