BUTTE, Mont. (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has set a Dec. 3 hearing date for the case of two Montana communities seeking additional cleanup of arsenic left there after a century of copper smelting.

The Montana Standard reports the high court will hear the case contesting whether Atlantic Richfield Co. should pay for more thorough cleanup in Opportunity and Crackerville.

Atlantic Richfield is appealing a 2017 Montana Supreme Court decision in favor of the residents.

The company says it has already spent $470 million to clean the Anaconda Superfund site, which includes both communities.

Residents sued in 2008 to force the company to reduce arsenic to the area’s normal level of 25 parts per million.

The Environmental Protection agency has determined a safe level is 250 parts per million.

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Information from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com

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