Libby, Montana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Libby, Montana
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Libby, Montana


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Montana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Lincoln
government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 3.3
area_land_km2 = 3.3
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.3
area_land_sq_mi = 1.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2626
population_density_km2 = 796.1
population_density_sq_mi = 2061.9

timezone = Mountain (MST)
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 639
elevation_ft = 2096
latd = 48 |latm = 23 |lats = 17 |latNS = N
longd = 115 |longm = 33 |longs = 13 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 59923
area_code = 406
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 30-43450
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0786083
website =
footnotes =

Libby is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Montana, United States.GR|6 The population was 2,626 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Libby is located at coor dms|48|23|17|N|115|33|13|W|city (48.388128, -115.553707)GR|1, along U.S. Highway 2. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²), all of it land. Located in the Kootenai National Forest, between the Cabinet Mountains to the south and the Purcell Mountains to the north. The town lies in the heart of the Kootenai Valley along the Kootenai River, and downstream from the Libby Dam. Libby is at an elevation of 2096 feet (639 m).

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,626 people, 1,132 households, and 669 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,061.9 people per square mile (798.3/km²). There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 992.5/sq mi (384.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.51% White, 0.15% African American, 1.26% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.

There were 1,132 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,276, and the median income for a family was $29,615. Males had a median income of $30,174 versus $19,675 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,090. About 10.0% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Libby's economy has largely been supported by the use of natural resources, such as logging and mining.

Zonolite and asbestos

Vermiculite, an ore found in the area in 1881, had been mined in the area since 1919. [ [http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/libby/background.html Site Background] - Region 8 - Libby Asbestos - EPA] [ [http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/libbymontana/about.html "About the Film"] - "Libby, Montana" - at PBS] In 1919, E.N. Alley bought the Rainy Creek claims and started the Zonolite Company. Zonolite is a branded trademark product made from vermiculite. [ [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/uncivilaction/ "A town left to die"] - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - November 18, 1999-January 27, 2007] W. R. Grace and Company bought the Zonolite mine in 1963. Prior to this logging was the leading source of employment in Libby. After W. R. Grace & Company closed the Zonolite mine in 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Montana Department of Health and Environment sampled local soil and air and found no asbestos contamination. [ [http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/libby/igexsum.html "Executive Summary"] - EPA] Further examination with improved equipment found that the samples had traces of fibrous tremolite, which is suspected in the scores of asbestos related ailments affecting area residents. [Zalac, Frédéric. [http://www.cbc.ca/national/news/deadly_dust/ "Deadly Dust"] - CBC News - February 7, 2003 | Updated March 2005] [Zalac, Frédéric. [http://www.cbc.ca/national/news/deadly_dust/deadlydust2.html "Deadly Dust 2"] - CBC News - September 28, 2004] The EPA has spent $120 million in Superfund money on cleanup. [ [http://www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2001/montana.pdf EPA's Actions Concerning Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite in Libby, Montana, 2001-S-7, March 31, 2001] - EPA - 04-14-2003 - (Adobe Acrobat *.PDF document)] [ [http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/libby/ Region 8 - Libby Asbestos] - EPA] [ [http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/W.R.GracePetition%28Apr.27%2C2006%29.pdf W.R. Grace Petition] - April 27, 2006 - (Adobe Acrobat *.PDF document)]

A documentary film by the name "Libby, Montana" was made regarding the asbestos exposure. W.R. Grace knew since 1956 that the dust was hazardous and causing asbestosis, but did not release this information to the public, nor the workforce. They also knew that the people had died from the mine, were dying, and would die. Additionally, an estimated 35 million homes in the U.S. contain Zonolite insulation. [ [http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/libbymontana/ "Libby, Montana"] - at PBS] [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433408/ "Libby, Montana"] - at IMDb]

The EPA has been removing asbestos-contaminated soils and other materials in and near Libby since May 2000.Fact|date=March 2008

Media and transportation

Media:
* KLCB - AM - 1230-kHz (owner Lincoln County Broadcasters; tower location Little Hoodoo Mountain)
* KTNY - FM - 101.7 MHz (owner Lincoln County Broadcasters; tower location Little Hoodoo Mountain)KGRZ - FM - 105.3 MHz

Transportation:
*Libby (Amtrak station)

Notable residents

*John Ferdinand Bockman is the only police officer to date to be killed in the line of duty here.
*Marc Racicot, governor of Montana from 1993 until 2001
*Keith Tower, NBA player, was born here.

References

External links

* [http://www.libbymt.com Libby, Montana and Kootenai Country]
* [http://www.libbychamber.org Libby Chamber of Commerce]