In fact, 22 BNSF sites are listed on the state's priority cleanup list, with two — Livingston and Havre — ranked as a maximum priority and another 11 — including the rail yard and a tailings pile near Ryan Fields ballpark in Helena — considered high priorities. BNSF is the only company with more than two sites out of 208 businesses on the list.

BNSF representatives are up front about the on-site problems, and the company has spent millions of dollars installing monitoring and recovery wells, wastewater treatment plants and ditches in an effort to pump out contaminants and keep them from moving off-site.

But those who have tried to force the railroad to deal with migrating contaminants say the company is reluctant to acknowledge, test for or define any problems.

"I know they may have liability concerns, or they may be in litigation and don't want to do some things," said Denise Martin, section supervisor for the state hazardous waste site cleanup bureau. "I don't know their motivation, but there are other companies that are much more responsive."

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"We have become aware that in some instances it doesn't take very much contamination in the groundwater, if the conditions are right, for there to be the potential for indoor air to become contaminated too," Martin said. "The toxicity is greater in the air than if you took a glass with it in and drank it, because you're getting the contaminants into the lungs where there's more thorough absorption.

"We want to make sure people are not drinking these chlorinated solvents, but there's an even greater risk if they're showering and inhaling the steam and contaminants that may be released."