Yard Care in RMAP Areas: Protecting Soil Caps in Butte

Owning a home in Butte’s RMAP area means your lawn does more than look good. If your yard was remediated, that healthy grass and soil layer is a protective cap that helps limit contact with historic metals. With a few simple habits, you can keep it strong and effective for years. In this guide, you’ll learn what a soil cap is, how it’s built, the best care routines, what to avoid, permit basics, and who to call locally. Let’s dive in.

RMAP and soil caps in Butte

The Residential Metals Abatement Program (RMAP) samples and, when needed, remediates residential yards for metals at no cost to eligible residents. Priority goes to homes with sensitive populations, and the program keeps records of work completed. You can learn more or contact the team on the county’s Residential Metals Abatement Program page.

In the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit, the remedy includes removal, capping with clean soil and vegetation, stormwater controls, and long-term monitoring under EPA oversight. Capping separates people and pets from underlying materials and reduces dust. You can read the site background and current status, including how monitoring works, on EPA’s Butte pages.

• RMAP program overview and contacts: the Residential Metals Abatement Program page
• EPA background on the Butte site: the Butte site background page
• EPA current status and oversight: the current site status page

How caps are built and why it matters

Caps are site specific, but many RMAP projects share common elements. Typical components include a separation layer in some designs, a clean growth medium, a thin topsoil layer, and sod or seed. RMAP construction records often show a final cover around 12 inches, commonly implemented as about 10 inches of clean fill plus 2 inches of topsoil and sod. Some locations require deeper cover based on conditions. See examples in the Construction Completion Report template.

Vegetation is part of the remedy because dense groundcover limits erosion and dust. Grasses and sod are commonly used to form a continuous cover without deep, aggressive roots. Keeping that vegetation healthy is one of the most important things you can do as a homeowner.

Routine yard care that protects your cap

Keep maintenance simple and consistent. These basics go a long way.

• Keep vegetation dense. Reseed thin spots and keep sod healthy to reduce dust and erosion. Inspect after storms and during spring green-up for any bare areas or rills. Guidance for homeowners is also covered in local program materials.
• Mow high. Avoid scalping the lawn. Taller grass promotes deeper roots and thicker cover, which protects the soil surface.
• Use mulch where grass struggles. Mulch along pathways, borders, or around play areas can be an approved localized cover in RMAP plans. See examples in the Construction Completion Report template.
• Choose safe gardening practices. Use raised beds with imported, clean soil for vegetables. Wash and peel root crops and wash all produce. See EPA’s tips for reducing lead and arsenic exposure in the Butte community.
• Reduce track-in dust. Take off shoes or wipe on entry mats and damp-mop entry areas. These habits lower indoor dust, a key exposure pathway. See EPA’s homeowner tips for Butte.

Helpful resources:

• RMAP construction examples: Construction Completion Report template
• EPA homeowner guidance: tips for reducing lead and arsenic exposure in the Butte community

What to avoid without approval

Before you dig or make big changes, check your property’s records and local permit requirements. In Butte-Silver Bow’s control district, excavation and dirt-moving permits may be required.

• Avoid deep digging or heavy equipment without permits. Trenching, new foundations, or major landscaping can breach a cap or mobilize soil. Start with the county’s excavation and dirt-moving permit page.
• Avoid planting deep-rooted trees and shrubs on capped areas. Water-seeking roots can compromise the cap over time. Consult RMAP/BSB for acceptable species and locations. See guidance on root impacts to subsurface systems.
• Don’t remove remedy features. Do not pull up sod, fabric, edging, or erosion controls installed by RMAP. Coordinate repairs so they meet remedy standards. See the Construction Completion Report template for how projects are documented and repaired.
• Be careful with large hardscape. New, impermeable surfaces can change drainage and cause erosion elsewhere. Coordinate any hardscaping with BSB and RMAP.

Key links:

• Permit info: Butte-Silver Bow excavation and dirt-moving permits
• Tree and root considerations: landscaping guidance on subsurface systems

Seasonal and family-friendly tips

Winter and spring bring extra wear. A few targeted habits help keep things stable.

• Snow and ice. Plow and shovel as usual, but avoid piling large amounts of snow in one spot if it scours grass or creates persistent bare patches. In spring, check for thaw-related erosion and reseed as needed. Local reports emphasize routine inspections after weather.
• Play zones and pets. Limit heavy play on newly seeded or sodded areas until established. Use mulched play zones or portable play surfaces when needed, and encourage handwashing after outdoor play. See EPA’s tips for reducing exposure.

Planning projects? Start with records and permits

Not sure if your yard was capped, or what was installed? RMAP can confirm whether your address was sampled or remediated and share any post-construction care instructions. For digging, major landscaping, or drainage changes, coordinate with Butte-Silver Bow’s permit process first to keep your project safe and compliant.

• Confirm property status and get contacts: Residential Metals Abatement Program page
• Check permit requirements: Butte-Silver Bow excavation and dirt-moving permits
• Learn how the site is monitored and maintained: EPA’s current site status page

Why this matters for buyers and sellers

Capped yards are common across parts of Butte and are designed to be safe and usable when maintained. Standards and program boundaries can change as EPA and local partners update guidance. EPA has proposed changes to residential soil-lead cleanup levels in Butte, which may influence where sampling or cleanup occurs. If you are buying or selling in Silver Bow County, it is smart to verify current action levels and program activity with RMAP or EPA.

If you are planning a move in Butte or across Montana, you deserve straightforward guidance on environmental due diligence and property stewardship. For clear answers and a trusted plan, connect with Tyree Real Estate, Inc.

FAQs

How do you confirm if your Butte yard was capped by RMAP?

• Contact the county’s Residential Metals Abatement Program to ask if your address was sampled or remediated and to request any project records.

What soil cap thickness is typical in Butte RMAP yards?

• Many construction records show a final cover around 12 inches, often about 10 inches of clean fill plus 2 inches of topsoil and sod, with deeper cover in some locations; see the Construction Completion Report template for examples.

Can you plant trees or build structures on a capped yard in Butte?

• Not without checking site records and permits; deep-rooted trees and heavy structures can compromise a cap or change drainage, so coordinate with RMAP/BSB and follow the county’s permit process.

Who maintains caps in Butte and who pays for repairs?

• Butte-Silver Bow manages many maintenance actions under EPA oversight, with funding provided by Atlantic Richfield for many reclaimed areas, and deficiencies are identified through the local monitoring program; ask RMAP about your parcel’s responsibilities.

What should you do if you see erosion or damage on a soil cap?

• Reseed minor bare spots promptly, and report larger erosion or exposed fabric to RMAP/BSB so they can evaluate and coordinate repairs through the local monitoring and corrective action process.