U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Alaska
Region 10 Idaho
1200 Sixth Avenue Oregon
Seattle, Washington 98101-9797 Washington
•
Washington
Superfund Progress Report
October 1997
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Welcome to the Region 10 Superfundprogram.....
The information contained in this book should give you a snapshot of our efforts at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon & Washington) to
clean up sites contaminated with hazardous wastes which pose risk to people and the
environment. You can look at the contents of this book as a status report of where we are in
addressing the 78 sites on the National Priorities List (NPL) in the Region (14 have been
deleted), as well as our efforts to address emergency or short term cleanup actions, and to
assess new sites that we learn about. The book is formatted as follows:
Section 1 - SliperflindAt Work: describes the overall progress picture for your state,
and provides some highlights of significant progress and innovative approaches around the
region. In it you will find:
1) a pie chart indicating the status of NPL sites in your state.
2) a bar chart indicating the range of cost of cleanup for sites in your state.
3) highlights of significant progress and new approaches around the region.
Section 2 - Super fund in Your Community: should give you a picture of the sites
within your state/Congressional District and the location and status of each. In this section
you will find:
1) a list of early cleanup actions completed in your state.
2) summaries of some early cleanup actions in your state, in alphabetical order.
3) a list of all NPL sites in your state, including their status.
4) summaries of each NPL site in your state, in alphabetical order.
5) maps that illustrate the location of all Region 10 NPL sites.
We hope you can use this information as a resource as questions arise about Region 10
Superfund activities.
For more information about any of the sites and activities discussed in this book, please feel
free to call the Region 10 Community Relations & Outreach Manager at (206) 553-1272. If
calling from within Region 10 states, you can call toll free at (800) 424-4372.
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SUPERFUND AT WORK
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Progress Towards Cleanup
at 60 Washington NPL Sites
4. All Cleanup Construction Completed (13)
5. Site Removed
from NPL (13)
3. Cleanup in
Progress (12)
2. Remedy Selected
for Pending Cleanup (8)
1
Investigation
Underway (14)
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Estimated Remediation Costs in
Washington State
Number of Sites
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
in millions
10
Includes 2
Hanford Sites
under $1 IHO $1 to $5 ^ $5 to $15 | $15 to $30 g $30 to $50 H $50+
Estimated costs for majority of sites (76%) are below $30 million.
October 1997
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SUCCESSES IN REGION 10
EPA Region 10 continues to explore -ways to improve our
efforts to clean up hazardous waste sites in the most
efficient way possible, and to return them to productive
uses while protecting human health and the environment.
The ability to be flexible in making cleanup decisions and
improved cooperation with state and local communities
have contributed to recent Superfiind successes.
Following are five stories which highlight significant
progress and new approaches around the region...
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Cooperative Agreements with the State of Oregon
Site Assessment Cooperative Agreement: EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) have an excellent partnership on site assessment. Real environmental benefit has
been gained without duplication or delay of work. EPA funding has been progressively increased
as DEQ's role has become greater.
Site Screening DEQ screens sites brought to their attention by the public, other agencies, or
owner/operators and consultants. Approximately 250 site screenings have been done in the last five
years, in order to consider the worst sites first. Many screenings consist only of file searches and
phone calls, while others involve collecting additional information and conducting site drive-bys.
When further action is needed, DEQ and EPA work together to determine what should be done.
DEQ has typically recommended about 15 - 20% of sites screened be added to EPA's inventory of
sites needing further Superfund consideration (CERCLIS).
Preliiiriinary Assessments For sites that would warrant assessment under Superfund, Oregon
staff and EPA staff work together on a streamlined federal Preliminary Assessement. DEQ has
completed approximately 50 PAs in the last five years.
Site review/Technical Assistance For complex sites, state and EPA staff together carry out
a joint investigation. Oregon DEQ reviews site assessment work completed by EPA contractors
for technical merit, and for possible state action.
Brownfields Project Developers are reluctant to buy vacant or under utilized properties
that may be contaminated because of the risk of cleanup liability. EPA's Brownfields program is
working to assess environmental problems, clean, and revitalize these properties. Oregon DEQ is
compiling an inventory of potential Brownfield sites. Sites will be prioritized for assessment based
on how they meet certain criteria such as ownership, location, potential for commercial or industrial
development, and whether there is a potential developer interested in the property.
McCormick & Baxter Creosoting Company/State Lead Site
This is the State of Oregon's highest priority Superfund site. Oregon DEQ has the technical lead
for the cleanup, while EPA has a consultation role. Federal Superfund dollars pay for the cleanup
via a Cooperative Agreement between the state and EPA Region 10.
Operations ait the former wood treating facility resulted in contamination of soil, sediments, and
ground water. Contaminants are migrating from ground water to the Willamette River, including
pentachlorophenol (PCP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arsenic and dioxin.
The cleanup ;is currently in the remedial design phase. Plans for cleanup actions include treatment
and/or removal of on-site contaminated soil, extraction and treatment of floating and sinking pure
non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) product from the ground water, and capping the entire site to
(continued)
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make it ready for future development. Demolition of on-site structures has been completed which
allows for easier access to contaminated areas.
There is considerable local interest in the redevelopment of this site. It is a high priority
Brownfields redevelopment for the City of Portland. EPA has funded a Technical Assistance Grant
for a local neighborhood group (WAKE-UP) that is closely following the progress of the cleanup.
East Multnomah County Groundwater Superfund Site
The East Multnomah County Groundwater Superfund site covers three square miles in eastern
Portland. Groundwater beneath the area, contaminated with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
by several area businesses using solvents, has been used for drinking water. Early response actions
taken by the responsible parties provided several groundwater extraction wells to control the
contaminant plume, and a cutoff trench to prevent contaminated shallow groundwater from
migrating into deeper aquifers.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued Records of Decision for two operable
units, the Troutdale Sandstone Aquifer and the Cascade Corporation Site-Troutdale Gravel
Aquifer. These decisions for further cleanup represent significant milestones toward restoring the
availability of the city of Portland's back-up drinking water supply.
Residents in the Portland area are extremely interested in ensuring that groundwater resources will
be protected. EPA has funded a Technical Assistance Grant for a local neighborhood group,
Friends of Blue and Fairview Lakes. The group has a contract with Portland State University to
review documents and provide input to DEQ, EPA, and the local community through the Friends
of Blue and Fairview Lakes.
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Local Involvement in Spokane Hastens Cleanup
& Renews Property Values
Community interest in the Spokane Junkyard/Associated Properties Superfund site has always
been high. It was especially gratifying for EPA to participate in the community's recent
celebration of the completion of the cleanup. Signs, posted to warn people of the dangers of
contamination at the site, were removed by a neighborhood activist at the ceremony.
What was once a threat to the community, a field of highly contaminated soil littered with drums
of hazardous waste and a variety of other unsightly and potentially dangerous materials, is now a
field of native plants, safe and clean and ready to become a community asset.
The site consisted of a former junkyard, the former Spokane Metals facility, and two other parcels
of land. Salvage operations at Spokane Metals, from the 1940s until the early 1980s, resulted in
soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead. Poor junkyard storage
practices of asbestos, paint waste, and various liquids and solid wastes also resulted in site
contamination.
After an explosive fire on the junkyard property in 1987, EPA conducted an emergency cleanup
during 1988 and 1989. The most highly contaminated materials were removed and the site was
fenced to keep people out. The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List for further long-
term cleanup in May 1994.
The site is surrounded by homes and apartments, businesses, and an elementary school. Local and
state agencies, businesses, and community activists worked with EPA in many meetings about this
site. Nearby residents worried about vandalism at the site and the risk of children being exposed
to contamination. Neighbors supported plans for a low-income housing project on the site.
Everyone was anxious for this property to become a safe, attractive, and productive part of the
neighborhood.
Three companies — Kaiser Aluminum, Washington Water Power, and Inland Power and Light -
agreed to conduct a site investigation and to prepare plans for cleaning up the site under an
Administrative Order with EPA in June 1995. Exceptional cooperation between EPA and the
three companies using the most efficient Superfund authorities accelerated the process.
In January 1996, after completion of site investigations, six cleanup alternatives were proposed.
EPA selected a cleanup alternative after reviewing and considering comments received during a
public comment period. The three companies completed the cleanup design in the summer of
1996, and the cleanup of the site was accomplished from September to November 1996.
The site now consists of a capped containment cell on the Spokane Metals property, and a seeded
field covering the rest of the site. Residential cleanup levels were selected for the site cleanup
because all properties except the Spokane Metals property will be zoned for residential use in the
future.
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Cleanup & Economic Development Go Hand in Hand
The Pacific Sound Resources Superfund Site in Seattle: One way that Region 10 helps
promote development and economic growth in areas designated as Superfund sites is through the
Prospective Purchaser Agreement Policy. The Pacific Sound Resources (PSR) Superfund site is
an example of how well that policy can work.
PSR (formerly the Wyckoff Company) operated a wood preserving plant on 25 acres next to
Elliott Bay until 1994. Soil, groundwater, and near shore marine sediments were contaminated
with creosote, pentachlorophenol, copper, arsenic, and zinc. Because the site posed a threat to
public health from contact with contaminated soil and to aquatic life in Elliott Bay, EPA added the
site to the National Priorities List in May 1994.
The Port of Seattle then purchased the PSR site under a prospective purchaser's agreement which
protects the Port from future liability for additional cleanup costs associated with past
contamination. The Port agreed to provide services and cleanup funds totaling $16.2 million and
to conduct cleanup work under an Administrative Order with EPA.
All together about 200 acres of abandoned, contaminated industrial/commercial land, which
includes the PSR Superfund site, has been cleaned up by the Port and returned to productive use
as a combined cargo terminal and intermodal yard for American President's Line. The Port, local,
state, and federal agencies, community members, and the business community worked together to
successfully restore this important resource.
Asarco Smelter Complex Cleanup in Tacoma: A "civic triumph" is how the News Tribune
described the January 1997 signing of a "definitive agreement" governing redevelopment of the
old Asarco Smelter site on Commencement Bay, straddling the border between the town of
Ruston and the city of Tacoma in Washington. The definitive agreement was signed by officials
from Asarco, Ruston, Tacoma, and the Metropolitan Park District. Most of the 100 acres, which
includes the 67 acre Superfund site, is now a barren fenced-off eyesore. Over the next few years,
the site will be cleaned up and transformed: offices, light industrial facilities, and a public park
with remarkable views of Puget Sound and surrounding mountains will replace the old smelter.
The redevelopment agreement was negotiated in parallel with a consent decree between EPA and
Asarco covering the environmental cleanup of wastes left from 80 years of smelting operations.
The consent decree requires that the cleanup be completed by December 2003. The parks are
expected to be available for public use by the summer of 2004.
These agreements come after years of meetings between EPA, Asarco, and the surrounding
communities. EPA received more than 900 public comments on the cleanup and site reuse plans.
Workshops were attended by 1,200 people to express their individual views and those of 35
groups including community action groups, neighborhood councils, city of Tacoma and town of
Ruston councils, and other local government commissions. All were dedicated to finding the best
solutions to problems so that environmental cleanup and economic development could advance
simultaneously.
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Cleanups Expedited at Alaska Military Bases
By working in partnership with States, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy,
EPA Region IiO's Federal Facilities Superfund program has been able to streamline requirements
and reduce costs while implementing flexible and efficient cleanup solutions throughout the
Northwest. Alaska is an excellent example of this partnership, where six of the eight NPL sites
are military bases.
Eielson Air Force Base, located 24 miles southeast of Fairbanks, covers 19,780 acres. Major
sources of hazardous wastes include both closed and active unlined landfills, trenches used for
tank sludge burial, drum storage areas, fire suppression training, and fuel storage and delivery.
Areas within the groundwater are contaminated with lead and volatile organic compounds such as
benzene and 'tricholoethelene. Several areas of subsurface petroleum-contaminated soil and
petroleum products are sources of contamination. Elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) were found in sediments and in fish caught in a slough that runs through the base.
The base included 64 potential source areas of contamination that required some level of
investigation. The investigations were streamlined and tailored to use an appropriate level of
evaluation for each area and to avoid unnecessary investigative costs. All investigations are
complete, and remedies have been selected covering all problems at the base. Cleanups for all
areas except one are currently in place, are fully functional, and include the use of innovative
technologies such as bioventing. The last cleanup, the PCB soil and sediment cleanup in Garrison
Slough will be finished this summer.
The Air Force, EPA, and the state of Alaska worked together to determine the best technical and
regulatory approaches at Eilson, including innovative treatment technologies, source reduction
with natural attenuation to address limited areas of groundwater contamination, hybrid landfill cap
designs, and technical impracticability waivers for immobile lead groundwater contamination.
Fort Richardson, covering 61,900 acres in Anchorage, has been divided into four smaller units
so that cleanup can progress more efficiently. Each of four work areas identified for cleanup
contains a variety of contaminated sub-areas. While waiting for on-going investigations to be
completed for all the complex work areas, it was important that early actions be taken at some
areas.
The Eagle River Flats ordnance impact area, which encompasses 2,500 acres of wetlands
associated witlii the Eagle River delta, is one of the four work areas. Many thousands of
waterfowl who fed in the contaminated sediments of those wetlands have died. Under an
agreement witl'i EPA and the state of Alaska, the Army is dredging and drying wetland sediments
contaminated with white phosphorous, which allows the white phosphorous to change into a
harmless compound. The Army will continue dredging and drying the contaminated sediments
until the threat to waterfowl is eliminated. The death rate for waterfowl that use the wetlands
during spring ar.d fall migrations has already dropped from thousands to hundreds of ducks for
each migratory season.
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Progress Continues in Idaho at Bunker Hill
The Bunker Hill Superfund site spans 21-square miles in the heart of the Silver Valley in Northern
Idaho. More than 6,000 people live within the site boundary in the communities of Smelterville,
Kellogg, Wardner, Pinehurst, Page, Elizabeth Park, and Ross Ranch. Contamination, caused by
mining activities since the late 1800s, includes lead, mercury, cadmium, sulfuric acid, arsenic and
zinc. Mine tailings deposited into the Coeur d'Alene River have contaminated the valley, riverbeds
and Lake Coeur d'Alene. Ground and surface water is contaminated with a variety of heavy metals
due to discharges of mine drainage. Lead is the primary contaminant in the valley and poses a
serious health threat particularly to children and pregnant women.
Some of the 17 private companies identified as being potentially responsible for the contamination
are working in partnership with EPA and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to
support the cleanup. Much progress has been made previously at the site. Blood lead levels of
children have dropped dramatically in the last decade, due both to cleanups of contaminated soils
and a continuing effective local public health program. In 1996, more major cleanups took place:
600 tons of contaminated material were excavated & removed
100,000 seedlings & 100 acres of grass were planted on hillsides
500 million gallons of contaminated water were treated
395 children were tested for possible lead contamination
contaminated soil was excavated and replaced with clean soil at 200 residential yards
75 structures were demolished, resulting in the disposal of 1000 cubic yards of asbestos and
20,000 truckloads of debris
8980 contaminated railroad ties and 86 tons of rail were removed from the Union Pacific
Railroad right-of-way through the site
EPA and Idaho staff are working with local officials to maximize the reuse of this land, consistent
with the cleanup. A few projects that have benefited the community are:
A Special Area Management Plan to help Shoshone County plan for future development at
an on-site wetland area.
At the request of the county, a section of a temporary haul road is being paved to provide
access to a proposed business park. Storm water ditches and pipelines are being added to
support future development and to divert contaminated water from the Coeur d'Alene
River.
Capping and paving a 50-acre slag pile near 1-90 will support future industrial development.
EPA and the state are currently working with community leaders to support future land use
in the design for the 200-acre cap of the Central Impoundment Area.
(continued)
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At the request of community leaders, Shoshone County plans to use several structures,
saved from scheduled demolition, for future development.
The People's Action Coalition was awarded a $50,000 Superfund Technical Assistance
Grant (TAG) to hire a technical advisor to monitor on-going site activities for the
community and review site documents relating to health risks and contamination.
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SUPERFUND
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
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EARLY CLEANUP ACTIONS
WASHINGTON
SITE NAME
Congressional District: 01
MATTIES HAT REMOVAL, SEATTLE
LAKE WASHINGTON SHIP CHANNEL, SEATTLE
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE DRUM, MOUNTLAKE TERRACE
NORDLINDER SITE, WOODINVILLE
PALLISTER PAINT, EVERETT
WYCKOFF CO./EAGLE HARBOR, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
START COMPLETION
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 01: 12
Congressional District: 02
LYNDEN AIRPORT, LYNDEN
NORTHWEST PIPELINE CORP-SUMAS, SUMAS
NORTHWEST TRANSFORMER, EVERSON
NORTHWEST TRANSFORMER (SOUTH HARKNESS ST), EVERSON
OESERCO, BELLINGHAM
SHELTON LANDFILL, SHELTON
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 02: 7
Congressional District: 03
AMERICAN CROSSARM & CONDUIT CO, CHEHALIS
BELL RESIDENCE, VANCOUVER
BENSON BEACH DRUM, ILWACO
BOOMSNUB/AIRCO, VANCOUVER
CENTRALIA MUNICIPAL LANDFILL, CENTRALIA
FRONTIER HARD CHROME, INC., VANCOUVER
ILWACO/CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT DRUMS, ILWACO
6/30/95
6/19/87
12/23/96
10/30/96
5/20/83
8/19/85
7/29/88
6/4/92
5/5/94
7/9/95
9/16/93
5/2/88
11/1/83
4/22/87
4/4/85
9/22/93
11/11/93
9/25/97
9/26/86
4/13/92
1 1/26/86
4/7/97
10/29/90
6/20/94
7/29/91
10/19/94
7/8/89
7/3/95
6/19/87
12/26/96
12/23/96
6/17/83
2/19/88
9/2/93
4/29/94
12/15/94
3/10/94
7/29/88
1/10/84
7/5/88
5/17/85
9/22/93
6/30/94
10/30/87
1/22/93
1/10/89
4/7/97
10/30/90
12/1/91
10/20/94
9/26/89
Sites in bold are not National Priorities List sites.
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EARLY CLEANUP ACTIONS
WASHINGTON
SITE NAME
Congressional District: 03
ISSPRO INC FORMER TENANT, VANCOUVER
J & B EXTERMINATORS, OLYMPIA
LITTLE LEAGUE PARK, ORCHARDS
LONG BEACH DRUM SITE #2, ILWACO
MARROWSTONE ISLAND ONE TIME SITE, MARROWSTONE IS
MESKILLSITE, CHEHALIS
TOKELAND COW DIP PIT, TOKELAND
WILLIAMS & SON TRANSFORMER SALVAGE, BUCODA
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 03: 16
Congressional District: 04
CLIFF'S BATTERY SERVICE, SUNNYSIDE
DEACONESS HOSPITAL, WENATCHEE
FMC CORP. (YAKIMA PIT), YAKIMA
HANFORD 100-AKEA (USDOE), RICHLAND
START COMPLETION
HANFORD 200-AREA (USDOE), RICHLAND
HANFORD 300-AREA (USDOE), RICHLAND
KLICK1TAT DRUM SITE, WAHKIACUS
NORTHWEST PIPELINE-PLYMOUTH, PLYMOUTH
PCB DRUM KALAMA, KALAMA
STRANDLEY/MANNING SITE, PURDY
TOPPENISH ONION FIELD, TOPPENISH
3/5/91
6/16/87
4/6/86
6/28/91
12/23/84
1/13/92
7/11/96
2/22/84
3/21/90
2/8/93
5/31/88
8/11/97
6/23/93
7/6/93
7/19/93
6/1/92
6/21/93
8/19/93
6/15/95
2/1/92
2/15/91
3/17/91
8/14/93
7/18/91
3/24/88
3/1/84
9/4/85
3/8/96
9/29/93
9/30/91
5/4/91
6/27/87
4/10/86
8/9/91
2/1/85
10/19/92
3/3/84
5/12/90
6/1/93
3/16/89
9/30/97
2/2/96
10/31/93
2/2/96
11/12/93
1/30/95
1 1/30/95
11/30/92
7/31/92
7/26/91
7/15/88
3/9/84
9/1/86
1 1/24/93
10/20/91
Sites in bold are not National Priorities List sites.
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EARLY CLEANUP ACTIONS
WASHINGTON
SITE NAME
Congressional District: 04
TOPPENISH ONION FIELD, TOPPENISH
WOODS INDUSTRIES, YAKIMA
WOODS WAREHOUSE, YAKIMA
YAKIMA PLATING CO, YAKIMA
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 04: 28
Congressional District: 05
EAST HARTSON DRUM SITE, SPOKANE
INLAND EMPIRE PLATING, SPOKANE
SPOKANE DRUM SITE AKA HSCI, SPOKANE
SPOKANE JUNKYARD/ASSOCIATED PROPERTIES, SPOKANE
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 05: 5
Congressional District: 06
AMERICAN SURPLUS SALES CO, TACOMA
PUYALLUP DRUM SITE, TACOMA
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 06: 2
Congressional District: 07
ADVANCE ELECTROPLATING INC, SEATTLE
HARBOR ISLAND (LEAD), SEATTLE
MALARKEY ASPHALT CO, SEATTLE
PACIFIC SOUND RESOURCES, SEATTLE
U OF W BAGLEY HALL (CHEMISTRY BLDG), SEATTLE
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 07: 8
START COMPLETION
12/1/95
12/6/85
1/11/93
3/30/93
12/6/89
6/12/92
6/21/85
10/23/96
6/12/95
9/9/96
7/20/87
3/25/82
5/7/93
6/26/95
1/5/89
1/24/91
6/27/96
1/9/90
3/20/95
9/30/94
8/30/92
1/26/96
7/6/87
2/26/93
4/26/90
9/30/92
6/21/85
10/23/96
12/21/95
7/14/97
8/26/89
4/3/82
6/14/93
4/5/96
1/7/91
9/29/92
8/31/90
2/1/96
12/13/94
Sites in bold are not National Priorities List sites.
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EARLY CLEANUP ACTIONS
WASHINGTON
SITE NAME
CongressionaJ District: 08
AUBURN INK SITE, AUBURN
CUMBERLAND CAPACITOR SITE, CUMBERLAND
DREXLERRAMCOR, ORTING
HARTUNG PROPERTIES, AUBURN
LAKE WASHINGTON DRUM, KIRKLAND
LEHMAN/MILLIARD DUMP SITE, MAPLE VALLEY
MAPLE VALLEY CAPACITORS, MAPLE VALLEY
QUEEN CITY FARMS, MAPLE VALLEY
WEST VALLEY HWY SITE, AUBURN
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 08: 10
Congressional District: 09
COMMENCEMENT BAY, NEAR SHORE/TIDE FLATS, TACOMA
COMMENCEMENT BAY, SOUTH TACOMA CHANNEL, TACOMA
MIDWAY LANDFILL, KENT
WESTERN PROCESSING CO., INC, KENT
Sites Addressed by Superfund for Congressional District 09: 9
START COMPLETION
6/26/91
7/7/91
9/27/90
12/4/95
8/26/87
5/16/96
6/17/91
8/16/88
4/15/90
6/7/91
7/29/91
2/6/92
8/21/92
12/12/95
10/7/87
5/20/96
6/28/91
10/5/88
3/28/94
6/8/91
9/10/86
2/15/91
3/10/93
9/29/88
8/28/89
5/23/91
5/31/90
1/31/91
4/18/83
2/10/88
2/13/92
1/20/95
3/7/94
2/12/90
9/29/94
11/1/91
12/31/91
7/1/83
Sites in bold are riot National Priorities List sites.
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Advance Electroplating Inc., Seattle Congressional District 7
King County, Seattle, Washington
Site Background:
The Advance Electroplating Site is a two-acre site located in the South Park area of
Seattle, Washington. The site included a large abandoned plating facility that operated
from 1964 to 1992. An EPA inspection found large volumes of hazardous substances
abandoned and unsecured at the site.
Potential risk posed by the site included the risk of cyanide gas release, which put
more than 50,000 Seattle residences located within a mile downwind of the site
(including elementary and nursery schools within a third of a mile from the site) at risk.
Other risks included the potential for fire and explosion, and exposure to high levels of
heavy metals and solvents.
Removal Action:
The EPA started the Emergency Removal in June 1995, and completed the cleanup in
March 1996. A total of 1,725 tons of hazardous waste, including cyanides, volatile
organic compounds, concentrated acids, bases, oxidizers, flammable, poisons, organic
peroxides, and heavy metals contaminated soil was treated as appropriate,
containerized, and disposed of at an offsite landfill.
A total of 1400 tons of soil was excavated, placed in a treatment cell on the site,
wrapped in plastic, and vacuum treated to remove trichloroethylene (TCE) and other
solvents. In March 1996, the treated soil was disposed in an offsite landfill. The onsite
treatment of the soil allowed disposal without incineration, reducing costs by more than
$1.8 million.
During the Removal, numerous community meetings were held by EPA to inform the
public about site activities, and to allow the public to provide comments on EPA's work.
The remediated site is available for purchase and the eastern portion of the site is
currently occupied by a small business. The former operator was convicted of a
criminal felony related to hazardous waste disposal.
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NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST
WASHINGTON
SITE NAME
Congressional District: 01
BANGOR NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE
BANGOR ORDNANCE DISPOSAL
NAVAL UNDERSEA WARFARE STATION (4 AREAS)
WYCKOFF CO./EAGLE HARBOR
Congressional District: 02
NAVAL AIR STATION, WHIDBEY IS (SEAPLANE)
NAVAL AIR STATION, WHIDBEY ISLAND (AULT)
NORTHWEST TRANSFORMER
NORTHWEST TRANSFORMER (SOUTH HARKNESS ST)
OESER CO
PORT HADLOCK DETACHMENT (USNAVY)
TULALIP LANDFILL
Congressional District: 03
ALCOA (VANCOUVER SMELTER)
AMERICAN CROSSARM & CONDUIT CO
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMIN ROSS (USDOE)
BOOMSNUB/AIRCO
CENTRALIA MUNICIPAL LANDFILL
FRONTIER HARD CHROME, INC.
HAMILTON ISLAND LANDFILL(USA/COE)
PALERMO WELL FIELD GW CONTAMINATION
TOFTDAHL DRUMS
VANCOUVER WATER STATION #1 CONTAMINATION
VANCOUVER WATER STATION #4 CONTAMINATION
Congressional District: 04
FMC CORP. (YAKIMA PIT)
HANFORD 100-AREA (USDOE)
HANFORD 1100-AREA (USDOE)
HANFORD 200-AREA (USDOE)
HANFORD 300-AREA (USDOE)
MOSES LAKE WELLFIELD CONTAMINATION
PASCO SANITARY LANDFILL
PESTICIDE LAB
SILVER MOUNTAIN MINE
YAKIMA PLATING CO
STATUS
Cleanup in Progress
Cleanup in Progress
Remedy Selected
Cleanup in Progress
Removed from NPL
Construction Completed
Construction Completed
Removed from NPL
Investigation
Construction Completed
Remedy Selected
Removed from NPL
Construction Completed
Removed from NPL
Remedy Selected
Investigation
Remedy Selected
Removed from NPL
Investigation
Removed from NPL
Investigation
Investigation
Construction Completed
Cleanup in Progress
Removed from NPL
Cleanup in Progress
Cleanup in Progress
Investigation
Investigation
Removed from NPL
Removed from NPL
Removed from NPL
Sites in bold are deleted from the National Priorities List.
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NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST
WASHINGTON
SITE NAME
Congressional District: 05
COLBERT LANDFILL
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE (4 WASTE AREAS)
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. (SPOKANE SHOP)
GREENACRES LANDFILL
KAISER ALUMINUM MEAD WORKS
MICA LANDFILL
NORTH MARKET STREET
NORTHSIDE LANDFILL
OLD INLAND PIT
SPOKANE JUNKYARD/ASSOCIATED PROPERTIES
Congressional District: 06
JACKSON PARK HOUSING COMPLEX (USNAVY)
OLD NAVY DUMP/MANCHESTER LABORATORY (USEPA/NOAA)
PUGET SOUND NAVAL SHIPYARD COMPLEX
Congressional District: 07
HARBOR ISLAND (LEAD)
PACIFIC SOUND RESOURCES
Congressional District: 08
HIDDEN VALLEY LANDFILL (THUN FIELD)
PACIFIC CAR & FOUNDRY CO
QUEEN CITY FARMS
Congressional District: 09
AMERICAN LAKE GARDENS/MCCHORD AFB
COMMENCEMENT BAY, NEAR SHORE/TIDE FLATS
COMMENCEMENT BAY, SOUTH TACOMA CHANNEL
FORT LEWIS (LANDFILL NO. 5)
FORT LEWIS LOGISTICS CENTER
LAKEWOOD SITE
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE (WASH RACK/TREAT)
MIDWAY LANDFILL
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL LANDFILL (KENT HGHLNDS
WESTERN PROCESSING CO., INC
STATUS
Construction Completed
Cleanup in Progress
Remedy Selected
Remedy Selected
Investigation
Investigation
Investigation
Construction Completed
Investigation
Removed from NPL
Investigation
Remedy Selected
Remedy Selected
Cleanup in Progress
Cleanup in Progress
Investigation
Construction Completed
Construction Completed
Construction Completed
Cleanup in Progress
Cleanup in Progress
Removed from NPL
Cleanup in Progress
Construction Completed
Removed from NPL
Investigation
Construction Completed
Construction Completed
Sitrs in bold are deleted from the National Priorities List.
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Alcoa Smelter Congressional District: 03
Clark County, Vancouver, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) operated an aluminum smelter in 1940 on a 300-
acre site adjacent to the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington. Approximately 66,000 tons
of potliners containing cyanide and fluoride were piled on the ground from 1973-1980.
Groundwater and soil were contaminated with cyanide and fluoride. An estimated 50,000 people
draw drinking water from private and public wells within 3 miles of the site.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
The site PRPs conducted the remediation in 1992 under a State Consent Decree. The long-term
actions consisting of excavation and transport of the source of the contamination (50,000 tons of
spent potliners and reclaimed alumina) to a landfill, construction of a low permeability cover over
contaminated soils under the former potliner piles, regrading, fencing, monitoring contaminated
groundwater and the adjacent Columbia River, and institutional controls have been completed.
The site was deleted from the NPL on September 30, 1996.
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American Crossarni & Conduit Co. Congressional District: 03
Lewis County, Chehalis, Washington Listing: 10/4/89
Site Background:
The Americai Crossarm & Conduit Company site is located on 16 acres of land in Chehalis,
Washington. The site consists of a wood treatment facility, a factory, a cooling shed, drying kilns,
and an impoundment for surface runoff and wastewater. Crossarm began operations in 1948,
primarily as a treatment facility for utility pole crossarms. Originally, the crossarms were
pressure-treated with creosote. Later, the process used pentachlorophenol (PCP). Beginning in
1952, Crossarm deposited solid waste on the property just south of the factory area. In 1983,
wood treatment activities ceased. During a flood in 1986, waters from the nearby Chehalis River
flowed onto the site and were contaminated with PCP and diesel fuel. Residential and commercial
neighborhoods to the north and the northeast were affected by the contamination transported by
the flood. A site fire in 1987 left some of the kilns exposed. After 1987, the site was operated as
a salvage yard, storing cars and other machinery in the old factory. The site is now unoccupied.
Apartment buildings are located on site at the former wood treatment facility. Approximately 200
homes are located in residential neighborhoods to the northeast and east of the facility. A softball
field is adjacent to the eastern boundary of the site. Approximately 500 feet away is Dillenbaugh
Creek, which empties into the Chehalis River less than 1 mile downstream from the site. A
stoimwater runoff lagoon, contaminated by Crossarm activities, is a backwater associated with
Dillenbaugh Creek.
The groundwater, soil, and sediments are contaminated with PCP and creosote. The soil also
contains dioxins.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1988 and 1989, the EPA incinerated approximately 900 tons of material
contaminated with PCP using a mobile incinerator. The EPA also fenced portions of the site to
restrict access, due to the safety hazard presented by the structures and hazardous substances on
site. In 1992, the EPA temporarily relocated 426 bags of ash and 65 drums of sludge from the
incineration until they could be properly disposed of; installed a security fence around the
relocation area; decontaminated and scrapped drums, empty tanks, and piping; removed and
disposed of asbestos-covered piping and PCB-contaminated concrete to a federally-approved
facility; and d2moiished the wood-treating building and a concrete structure, and relocated some
of the debris to another portion of the site and the rest to an approved facility.
Long-term Actions: Final site cleanup was selected by EPA June 1993. In the fall of 1994, EPA
began implementing the remedy which included: excavating contaminated soils; demolishing all
structures at the former American Crossarm & Conduit facility; cleaning the stormwater discharge
lagoon and sewer pipe of contaminated sediments; relining the sewer pipe; removing floating oil
on the groundwater beneath the site; consolidating and treating the oil; consolidating incinerator
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ash remaining at the site with excavated soils from Chehalis Avenue excavations and using ash to
backfill the excavated areas on the American Crossarm & Conduit facility; covering the soil/ash
with clean fill; monitoring groundwater; and placing land use limitations on the facility and
implementing deed restrictions as necessary. Cleanup activities were successfully completed in
1996. The site has recently been purchased for redevelopment.
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American Lake Gardens Congressional District: 09
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington Listing: 09/21/84
Site Background:
The American Lake Gardens site occupies approximately 1/2 square mile in a semi-rural
residential community in Tacoma, Washington and is surrounded by McChord Air Force Base and
Fort Lewis Military Reservation. In 1983, a resident complained to the EPA about family health
problems believed to have been caused by drinking contaminated water. The EPA and the
Tacoma-Piei ce County Health Department sampled nearby drinking water wells and found high
levels of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethylene (TCE) and
dichloroethy'lene (DCE). Contamination is believed to be coming from Area D of McChord Air
Force Base, which contains former landfills now covered by an on-base golf course. American
Lake Gardens is a residential area with a population of 3,000. There are two schools near the
site. McChord! Air Force Base has two sites listed on the NPL.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1985, after groundwater contamination was found in monitoring wells
constructed by the Air Force on adjacent property, the Air Force provided bottled water to the
residents of American Lake Gardens affected by well contamination. By 1993 all American Lake
Gardens residences were connected to the public water supply at the Air Force's expense.
Long-term Actions: In 1991, the Air Force selected a site remedy that involved pumping
groundwater to keep the contamination from spreading, treating the extracted groundwater by
carbon adsorption, flushing treated water into deeper zones to push contaminated water out,
long-term mcritoring, and controlling future use of groundwater through deed restrictions.
Construction of the groundwater treatment system was completed in 1993 and is currently
operating. Connection to the public water supply will continue to be offered until groundwater
cleanup goals have been reached.
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Bangor Naval Submarine Base Congressional District: 01
Kitsap County, Silverdale, Washington Listing : 08/30/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Bangor Naval Submarine Base site is a 7,000-acre facility located near Silverdale,
Washington. Approximately 42 areas of the active military facility may be contaminated. Site F,
the Wastewater Disposal Area for Demilitarization Operations, has contaminated the groundwater
in the upper aquifer. From 1944 to 1965, an area of the site, now known as the Burning Ground
or Site D, was used for ordnance burning and detonation. The site received wastes resulting from
the demilitarization (steam cleaning and recovery of solid materials) of ordnance containing
trinitrotoluene (TNT) and cyclonite (RDX) from 1960 to 1971. Groundwater and soils contain
TNT and RDX. Groundwater is also contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Approximately 500,000 mines and 75,000 rockets were processed at the site. Other portions of
the facility included in this site involve the disposal of ordnance or ordnance wastewater.
Groundwater beneath the base is used for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial purposes.
Groundwater wells located on the base and off site draw from the lower aquifer. There are no
drinking water sources in the upper (contaminated) aquifer. The groundwater contamination has
not migrated off the base. The site, located in a rural area, has approximately 700 people residing
within 1 mile of the site. Approximately 3,900 people living within 3 miles of the site depend on
groundwater for their drinking water. Another parcel at this facility, Bangor Ordnance Disposal,
was placed on the NPL in 1987.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
The site is being addressed in five stages: Two interim actions and three long-term actions
focusing on the cleanup of the washout lagoon, two burning grounds, and the VOC contaminated
groundwater plume.
Interim Actions: In 1991, the Navy selected an interim remedy to address contamination at the
Washout Lagoon described below. The action called for extraction, treatment, and reinjection of
contaminated groundwater. The interim action is designed to contain the migration of the
contaminated plume. The interim remedy was implemented in 1993 and is scheduled for
completion in 1997. In addition, an early action was also initiated for cleanup of VOCs in
groundwater in 1996 and is still on going.
Long-term Actions:
Washout Lagoon (Site F): In 1993, the Navy completed an investigation of the washout lagoon
that determined the nature and extent of contamination and identified cleanup alternatives. The
final remedy for this site includes continued cleanup of the aquifer by pumping and treating, and
Bioremediation (composting) of contaminated soils at the former lagoon with placement of an
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infiltration barrier. Construction of the remedy is underway and scheduled for completion in
1997.
Burning Ground (Site D): In 1994, the Navy completed an investigation of the Burning Ground
area to determine the nature and extent of contamination and to identify cleanup alternatives. The
remedy, selected in 1994, includes solid-phase bioremediation (composting) as the treatment for
the contaminated soils. Design of the remedy was completed in late 1995 and construction
completed in early 1997.
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Bangor Ordnance Disposal Congressional District: 01
Kitsap County, Silverdale, Washington Listing: 07/22/87
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Bangor Ordnance Disposal site is a 6-acre hazardous waste site located on the Bangor Naval
Submarine Base in Silverdale, Washington. The site is used by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Team as a test range. The Bangor Naval Submarine Base also includes two debris areas totaling
12 acres. Between 1965 and 1973, the U.S. Navy detonated and burned more than 2 million
pounds of explosives at the base. Surface water and shallow groundwater were contaminated as a
result of these activities. In 1983, the Navy moved to control the migration of potential chemical
waste from the burn site by diverting stormwater runoff away from this area. Wilkes Marsh
covers approximately 4 acres and is located about 500 feet from the site. Approximately 3,900
people reside within 3 miles of the base and depend on groundwater for drinking water. An
agricultural area surrounds the facility. In 1990, another portion of this facility, the Bangor Naval
Submarine Base site, was added to the NPL as a separate site.
Groundwater, soil, leachate, and surface water are contaminated with trinitrotoluene (TNT) and
cyclonite (RDX). Soil is also contaminated with lead.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
In late 1991, the State selected a cleanup plan to remove ordnance compounds from 7000 tons of
contaminated soil. The cleanup remedy includes soil flushing and treatment of the leachate using
activated carbon. The Navy began construction of the remedy in late 1994 and plans to complete
it in 1998.
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Bonneville Power Administration Ross Complex (USDOE) Congressional District: 03
Clark County, North of Vancouver, Washington Listing: 11/21/89
Site Background:
The Bonneville Power Administration Ross Complex (BPA) site has occupied this 200-acre site
north of Vancouver, Washington, since 1939. The facility became part of the Department of
Energy (DOE) when the department was established. The Ross Complex serves as the control
center for the generation and transmission of electricity throughout the Pacific Northwest. The
site contains a number of storage and disposal areas including the DOB-1 Drainfield, where
laboratory wastes were deposited; the Cold Creek Fill Area, where soil contaminated with oil,
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and heavy metals were disposed of; and the Fog Chamber
Disposal Area, where capacitors containing PCBs were buried in trenches. In 1987 and 1988,
BPA sampled an on-site well and found volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Approximately
105,000 people in Vancouver obtain drinking water from public wells located within 3 miles of
the site. Cold Creek is approximately 450 feet down gradient of the complex and is fed by
shallow groundwater flowing under the site. Vancouver Lake, located 1 !/2 mile away, is used for
fishing and other recreational activities.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: To comply with the State of Washington's Model Toxics Control Act, early actions
were undertaken by BPA in the summer of 1991 at seven areas around the site. Contaminated
soil was excavated and disposed of off-site.
Long-term Actions: In 1990, the site was divided into two separate cleanup areas: Areas A and B.
In 1993, remedies were selected for cleanup of these areas that included excavation and off-site
disposal of PCB-contaminated soils from the Capacitor Test Lab and the Ross Substation and
Capacitor Yard; enhanced bioremediation of the contaminated soils at the Wood Pole Storage
Area East with a gravel cap; capping the Fog Chamber Dump Trench Area 1; and monitoring of
both the shallow and deep on-site groundwater. Cleanup activities were completed by BPA in
early 1995 and all established cleanup goals were met.
The site was deleted from the NPL on September 23, 1996.
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Boomsnub/Airco Congressional District: 03
Clark County, Vancouver, Washington Listing: 04/25/95
Site Background:
The Boomsnub/Airco site covers approximately 12 acres in a light industrial and residential area
of Vancouver, Washington. Two facilities, Airco (known as BOC gases) and Boomsnub, have
been combined into one site because contamination from both has resulted in a commingled
groundwater plume that is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chromium.
The soils at the Boomsnub site became contaminated with chromium as a result of improper
handling and disposal of the waste from metal plating operations. In late 1989, a water line break
released 300,000 gallons of water which may have contributed to the release of chromium to the
groundwater. In 1991, the State of Washington conducted an investigation of the Boomsnub site
which showed the presence of VOCs in the groundwater monitoring wells. The VOCs detected
in the groundwater, however, do not appear to be associated with Boomsnub's operations. BOC
Gases is an active gas manufacturing plant that has been in operation at this location since 1964.
BOC Gases manufactures compressed gas products, including liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, and
liquid argon. BOC Gases is the suspected source of the VOC contamination. The contaminated
groundwater plume overlies the Troutdale aquifer, a regional drinking water source. The county
wells, which are at risk from the chromium and VOC plume, provide drinking water to more than
60,000 people. To date, the chromium plume has migrated more than 3,300 feet from its source.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: In 1992, the state of Washington installed a treatment plant to remediate
groundwater. In 1994, EPA installed an improved groundwater treatment system, and conducted
an early action on the Boomsnub property; 6000 tons of contaminated soil were excavated, the
main plating building was removed, an improved pump and treat system for contaminated
groundwater was installed, and excavation of soil began to remove the source of the groundwater
contamination.
Long-term Actions: In 1995, the EPA began an investigation into the nature and extent of site
contamination to determine whether further interim or long-term cleanup actions are necessary to
address site contamination. The investigation is scheduled to be completed in 1999.
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Centralia Municipal Landfill Congressional District: 03
Lewis County, Centralia, Washington Listing: 08/30/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The 55-acre landfill located in Centralia, Washington, operated from 1958 until 1994 and
accepted both municipal and industrial waste including soil containing polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), paint waste, and pesticide waste. More than 12,000 people living within 3 miles of the
site use groundwater for drinking. The creek is a spawning area for salmon.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
In 1991, the site PRPs, under a State Consent Decree, installed a temporary protective cover over
the landfill, and secured the site. In 1994, under a State consent decree, the PRPs installed a 46-
acre cap over the landfill. Additional groundwater monitoring is currently being conducted to
determine if additional actions are needed. The final remedy is expected to be selected in 1998.
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Colbert Landfill Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, 2 miles north of Colbert Listing: 09/30/83
(15 miles north of Spokane), Washington
Site Background:
The Colbert Landfill site is 40 acres in size and located 2 miles north of Colbert, Washington.
From 1968 through 1986, the landfill received municipal and commercial wastes. Between 1975
and 1980, a local electronics manufacturing company disposed of spent organic solvents at the
landfill. These wastes typically were brought to the landfill in drums and were poured down the
sides of open trenches containing soil and ordinary municipal refuse. During the same period,
Fairchild Air Force Base disposed of various solvent wastes at the site. In 1980, nearby residents
became concerned over the disposal practices. Several private drinking water wells were sampled
and found to contain solvents. The landfill was filled to capacity and therefore closed in 1986.
The site is located in a semi-rural area; approximately 1,500 people live within 3 miles of the site.
Nearby residents operate small crop and livestock farms. The Little Spokane River is located
approximately '/z mile from the site.
The groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including methylene
chloride and trichloroethane (TCA). Methylene chloride contamination was also found in the soil.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
The site is being addressed in two stages: early actions and a long-term action focusing on
cleanup of the entire site.
Early Actions: In 1984, Spokane County and Key Tronic began supplying bottled water to
residents affected by contaminated groundwater. In 1985, the county extended the public water
supply main to 26 affected residences.
Long-term Actions: In 1987, the EPA selected a remedy to clean up the landfill, which included:
installing and operating interception wells to prevent the contaminants from spreading; installing
and operating groundwater extraction wells in the area where the plumes originate to remove
source material; reducing the toxicity, mobility, and volume of contaminants by treating all
extracted groundwater from both the interception and extraction wells; capping the landfill; and
providing an alternate water supply system to any residents deprived of their domestic supply due
to the contamination or to the construction of interception or extraction wells. Spokane County
and Key Tronic under a 1989 Consent Decree with EPA performed the remedy. The construction
of the groundwater system was completed in the spring of 1994. The extraction and treatment
system has been fully operational since May 1995. The landfill cap was completed in April 1997.
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Commencement Bay, Near Shore Tideflats Congressional Districts: 09 and 06
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
The site covers 1.2 square miles in Tacoma, Washington and includes more than 300 active
businesses and nearly 500 identified point and non-point sources of contamination. The site is
divided into a number of separate Project Areas being managed as distinct sites. Construction is
underway or completed at some of the Project Areas. These Project Areas include, ASARCO
Tacoma Smelter, Ruston/North Tacoma Study Area, and Commencement Bay
Nearshore/Tr.deflats.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
Project Area #1: ASARCO Tacoma Smelter
Tacoma/Ruston, Pierce County, Washington
Site Background:
ASARCO's smelter property (or plant site) occupies about 67 acres. Prior to 1890, a number of
sawmills were active in the area and deposited wood waste along the shoreline. From 1890
through 191.2, the property was used as a lead smelter and refinery. ASARCO purchased the
property in 1905 and converted it in 1912 into a facility to smelt and refine copper from copper-
bearing ores; and concentrates shipped in from other locations. By-products of the smelting
operations ware further refined to produce other marketable products, such as arsenic, sulfuric
acid, liquid sulfur dioxide and slag. ASARCO ended operation of the smelter in 1985. Many of
the smelter buildings and structures were constructed on slag fill. The shoreline was extended
when molten slag from smelting operations was poured into Commencement Bay.
The 23-acre slag peninsula comprises different forms of slag (molten and granulated) that were
poured or p.lf.ced on many occasions since the 1940s. Its primary surface features are the Tacoma
Yacht Club building, a paved access road, and paved parking areas. An estimated 15 million tons
of slag exist at the smelter property and slag peninsula.
Metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead and zinc were released into the soils, air and
Commencement Bay as a result of the smelting and refining operations. Metals in slag or soil
have migrated to surface and groundwater at the Project Area.
Project Area Actions:
Smelter Complex: ASARCO under an EPA Consent Decree demolished the building on the
smelter in 1993 and 1994.
ASARCO under an EPA Consent Order completed the investigation of the Project Area in 1996.
The primary elements of the selected remedy are: (1) excavate soil and granular slag from five
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source areas, (2) on-site disposal, in a RCRA C facility (OCF), of excavated soils, granular slag
and demolition debris, (3) capping the Project Area (smelter property and slag peninsula), (4)
demolish the remaining buildings and structures, (5) plug, abandon or remove and replace the
surface water drainage system, (6) armor the shoreline of the plant site and slag peninsula against
erosion, (7) continue monitoring impacts of Project Area cleanup on groundwater and off-shore
marine sediments, and (8) integrate cleanup with future land use plans. ASARCO began design of
the remedy under an EPA Consent Decree lodged in 1997. Once cleanup activities are complete,
the area will be ready for future development.
Sediments: ASARCO under an EPA Consent Order is currently investigating the off-shore
sediments. A pilot capping project to determine whether a thin-cap (e.g., 30-60 cm) will stay in
place will begin in 1997.
Groundwater: The need for groundwater cleanup will be assessed during and after the
implementation of the remedy. If groundwater contaminant levels remain above the specified
levels, and it is determined that these levels are having, or will have, a negative impact to the
offshore sediments, water quality, and/or aquatic life, additional groundwater cleanup measures
will be required and will be included in the remedy decision for sediments.
Project Area #2: Ruston/North Tacoma Study Area
Ruston and Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington
Site Background:
The Study Area, approximately 950 acres, comprises an arc of approximately one mile radius
surrounding the Asarco Tacoma smelter and includes the Town of Ruston and a northern portion
of the City of Tacoma. The Study Area land is primarily residential and includes schools,
playgrounds, and parks. The Study Area includes a population of approximately 4,290, and about
1,820 housing units. Soils in the Study Area are contaminated with arsenic and lead that was
released during the 100 years of operation of the Asarco Tacoma smelter (late 1800's to 1986).
Project Area Actions:
Soil sampling for arsenic and lead is being performed at individual properties within the Study
Area. Properties where soil exceeds 230 ppm arsenic and/or 500 ppm lead are undergoing a
cleanup. The cleanup consists of the excavation and removal of contaminated soil (to a maximum
depth of 18 inches), backfilling with clean soil, followed by the replacement of grass and other
vegetation. Soils removed from yards are being taken to the Asarco Tacoma smelter property
and stored on-site. These soils will be used to cap the smelter property as part of a separate
action.
Sampling, initiated in 1993, will continue through 1998. Remediation of properties, initiated in
1994, will continue through 2002. To date, approximately 300 properties have undergone
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cleanup. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 properties in all will be remediated. All work is
being performed by Asarco under a 1989 Consent Order with EPA.
Project Area #3: Tacoma Tar Pits
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington
From 19241o 1956 a coal gasification plant operated on the site contaminating soil with tars. In
1967 an auto recycler operated on the site contaminating the soil with acid, lead, heavy metals,
poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Project Are?, Actions:
Cleanup was completed in 1994 by the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) under an EPA
Consent Order. The remedy consisted of excavating 185,000 cubic yards of material, and
stabilizing and consolidating the material on site under a cap.
Project Area #4: Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats (Tideflats Areas)
Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington
Site Background:
The Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats (CB/NT) site consists of 10-12 square miles of
shallow water, shoreline and adjacent land, most of which is developed and industrialized. Marine
sediments are contaminated from diverse industrial activities including shipbuilding, oil refining,
chemical manufacturing and storage, and pulp and paper mills, dating from the turn of the
century.
Project Area Actions:
EPA's 1989 Record of Decision (ROD) set forth a cleanup plan which included control of upland
sources, followed by sediment remediation by dredging and containment or capping, for eight
contaminated sediment problem areas in the St. Paul, Sitcum, Hylebos, Thea Foss, Wheeler
Osgood, and Middle Waterways.
The CB/NT site was the first site in the nation to complete a partial delisting of clean areas from
the NPL. The delisted areas comprise about 1,000 acres or 10-15% of the site. The partial
delisting was completed on October 29, 1996.
Cleanup progress is listed below by waterway. EPA hopes to complete all CB/NT cleanups by
2001.
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St. Paul Watenvay (17 acres)
Releases from a pulp and paper mill caused sediment contamination, including volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), semi-VOCs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in the St. Paul
Waterway. The St. Paul Waterway cleanup and habitat restoration project was completed in
1988 by two PRPs under a Consent Decree with the Washington State Department of Ecology.
The cleanup work was accepted by EPA in a 1991 Consent Decree. About 11 acres of marine
sediments were capped with 4 to 20 feet of clean sand. An additional 6 acres of new intertidal
habitat was built along the shoreline. More than 8 years of chemical and biological monitoring
shows that contaminated sediments have remained confined and isolated beneath the cap, and that
the cap is providing good habitat for estuarine biota. St. Paul Waterway was delisted from the
NPL on October 29, 1996.
Sitcum Waterway (1,2 2 5. OOP cubic yards of contaminated sediments)
The sediments in the Sitcum Waterway were contaminated mainly by metals from ore offloading
operations in the marine terminal. Cleanup was completed in the Sitcum Waterway in 1994. The
Port of Tacoma signed a Consent Decree with EPA which allowed the Port to combine the
Sitcum cleanup with a Port development project. A total of 2.4 million cubic yards of sediments
was dredged from the Sitcum and Blair Waterways during cleanup and maintenance dredging (the
Blair Waterway contained some contaminated sediments but did not require cleanup under
Superfund). Sediments were used to fill the nearby Milwaukee Waterway, creating 23 acres of
container storage space for the Port. The agreement also included construction of two mitigation
sites. The Blair Waterway was delisted from the NPL on October 29, 1996.
Thea Foss and Wheeler Osgood Waterways (800.000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments)
The sediments in the Thea Foss and Wheeler Osgood Waterways are contaminated with PAHs, as
well as other organics and metals, from city storm drains, a coal gasification plant, marinas, boat
repair shops, and other sources. Design of the dredging and capping remedy is underway under a
1994 EPA Consent Order with the City of Tacoma. A final cleanup remedy is expected to be
selected in 1998, and completion of the cleanup by 2001.
Hylebos Watenvay (1.200.000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments)
The sediments of the Hylebos Waterway are contaminated with PCBs, hexachlorobenzene,
hexachlorobutadiene, and other organics and metals from several industrial operations including
chemical manufacturing plants, scrap metal recycling, log transfer facilities, and shipbuilding. Six
PRPs signed a Consent Order with EPA in 1993 to perform pre-design activities, for dredging and
capping. A final cleanup remedy is expected to be selected in 1998, and completion of the
cleanup by 2001.
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Middle Waterway (63. OOP cubic yards of contaminated sediments)
The Middle Waterway is contaminated with copper, mercury and other contaminants from ship
repair, foundry, and woodworking operations. In April 1997, three PRPs signed a Consent
Order to perform pre-design studies to support selection of a specific cleanup plan, and to
complete the design of the selected remedy. A final remedy is expected to be selected in 1999,
and cleanup completed by 2001.
Puyallup Land Settlement
The Puyallup Land Claims Settlement Act of 1989 required cleanup of six properties within the
CB/NT site prior to the transfer from the Port of Tacoma to the Puyallup Tribe. Six properties
were investigated and cleaned up between 1990 and 1994. Cleanup activities included soil
removal, soil capping, and areas where no actions were taken, were completed in 1995. Three
properties and a portion of a fourth property were delisted from NPL on October 29, 1996.
Source Control
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is the lead agency for source control.
Ecology has inspected hundreds of facilities in the tideflats, and has identified 72 facilities as
ongoing sources of contamination. Ecology is working with the facilities to clean up each of the
identified sources. Currently, 61 of the 71 cleanups have been completed. All cleanups are
scheduled to be complete by 1998.
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Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel Congressional Districts: 09 and 06
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington Listing: 09/8/83
The Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel site covers 2 '/•> square miles in Tacoma,
Washington. The site includes three Project Areas being addressed as distinct sites: the Tacoma
Municipal Landfill, South Tacoma Field, and Well 12A. Construction is underway at some of the
Project Areas.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
Project Area #1: Tacoma Landfill
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington
Site Background:
The Tacoma Landfill covers approximately 210 acres and is operated by the City of Tacoma. In
1960, the landfill began accepting municipal, industrial, construction, demolition, and bulk wastes.
About 4 million tons of refuse have been deposited at the landfill, including wastes received in the
1960s and 1970s that have since been designated as hazardous substances. The landfill is
surrounded by residential development and open land, with some commercial and industrial
development. At Tacoma Landfill, landfill gas contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
including methylene chloride and toluene. Groundwater is contaminated with VOCs and heavy
metals. Groundwater flows to the southwest toward Leach Creek, which lies approximately 1/4
mile from the landfill. Consequently, wetlands downstream of the landfill could receive
contaminants from the groundwater. Soil is contaminated with VOCs, heavy metals, and
carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Surface soils and, in some areas,
subsurface soils are contaminated with lead, arsenic, PAHs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
and VOCs including benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene.
Project Area Actions:
In March 1988 EPA selected capping as the remedy for the landfill. The City of Tacoma under a
Consent Decree completed construction of an impermeable landfill cap over the refuse area in
1992. Operation of 19 extraction wells and two air stripping towers to remove VOCs also began
in 1992. Nine additional extraction wells began operation in late 1992. Pumping and treating of
groundwater is expected to continue for approximately 10 years to meet established cleanup
standards.
Project Area #2: Well 12A
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington
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Site Background:
Well 12A is one of 13 wells used by the City of Tacoma to meet peak summer and emergency
water demands. The well was taken out of operation by the City when it was found to be
contaminated. Investigations by the EPA found the source of contamination to be centered on
properties owned by the Burlington Northern Railroad and the Time Oil Company. A waste oil
and solvent recycler had previously operated on the properties from approximately the 1920s until
the 1960s. Bursting drums of waste solvents and poor operation practices lead to the
contamination of the groundwater and soil with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Soil is also
contaminated with lead.
Project Area Actions:
In 1983, the EPA began pumping and treating the water in Well 12A by air stripping. In 1985,
EPA selected a final remedy for the Project Area that included excavation of contaminated soil
and groundwater treatment. In 1986, under a Consent Order, Burlington Northern excavated
approximately 1,000 cubic yards of soil and disposed of them in a federally-approved facility. In
1988, a carbon adsorption groundwater treatment system was installed near the Time Oil property
to control the source of contamination. Pumping the well has stopped the contaminant movement
and is cleaning the groundwater aquifer. More than 100 million gallons of water have been
treated. In 1994, EPA installed a vapor extraction system on the contaminated property. More
than 75 thousand pounds of VOCs have been removed from the soil. Site cleanup is expected to
be completed in 5 to 10 years.
Project Area #3: South Tacoma Field
Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington
Site Background:
The South Tacoma Field comprises 260 acres of land at the edge of an industrial area in Tacoma,
Washington. Historically, the site was used by Burlington Northern Railroad for rail car
manufacturing, repair and maintenance from 1892 to 1974. At that same time, iron and brass
foundries operated on site and produced various rail car parts. The swamp area of the site was
used as a dump for foundry, construction and domestic wastes. In the north end, Tacoma City
Light has operated since 1953 and previously stored and maintained transformers. Additionally,
Tacoma Public Works has discharged city stormwater from two outfall locations on the west side
of the site since 1950.
These past activities caused soil contamination throughout the site and localized groundwater
contamination. Lead, arsenic, copper, and PCBs were found in soil. VOCs and petroleum
hydrocarbons were identified in groundwater in the location of old underground storage tanks.
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Project Area Actions:
Two remedial investigations were completed under a Consent Order by the PRPs for the Project
Area. EPA selected the cleanup remedy in 1994. Soils contaminated with PCBs above 50 ppm
will be excavated and either incinerated off site or disposed of in a permitted hazardous waste
disposal facility. Soils below 50 ppm will be excavated, consolidated and capped in place. Soils
contaminated with lead above 18,000 ppm will be stabilized with Portland cement, consolidated,
and capped. Soils with lead contamination below 18,000 ppm, but above 1000 ppm will be
capped. Institutional controls restricting land use will also be implemented on the properties as
well. The groundwater contamination will be treated with an air sparging system. The PRPs
under a Consent Decree began design activities in 1997. Cleanup is expected to start in 1998.
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Fairchild Air Force Base Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 03/13/89
Site Background:
The Fan-child! .Air Force Base occupies approximately 4,300 acres 12 miles west of Spokane,
Washington. The base opened in 1942 as the Spokane Army Air Depot. In 1950, the name was
changed to Fairchild Air Force Base. Its primary mission is to maintain and repair aircrafts.
Initially, there were four waste areas of concern covering 85 acres. These areas include the
Building 1034 French drain and dry well system, two landfills, and the industrial waste lagoons.
During investigations, additional areas were found, including a fire training area and multiple spill
areas. Groundwater sampling in 1986 and 1987 detected elevated levels of trichloroethylene
(TCE) contamination. A well within base boundaries serves as a standby water supply for the
base's 5,200 employees. Approximately 400 private wells serving approximately 20,000 people
are located within 3 miles of the facility. West Medical Lake, Medical Lake, and Silver Lake are
located within 3 miles downstream of Fairchild Air Force Base. These lakes support wildlife and
are used for recreational activities.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
The site is being addressed through four Project Areas.
Project Area #1 -Craig Road Landfill: This Project Area is an old landfill that received base
municipal and production waste from 1940-1975. An investigation revealed that groundwater
was contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE). Residents in the area were provided with an
alternate water supply by the Air Force in 1989. Other residents with uncontaminated wells were
placed in a well monitoring program. The Air Force installed a groundwater pump and treat
system and a landfill cap in 1995. The groundwater pump and treat system handles approximately
600 gallons per minute and is currently operating.
Project Area #2: This Project Area contains seven sub-areas: an old fire training pit, wastewater
lagoons, a drywell, an old landfill and three fuel spill sites. The ROD for this Project Area was
signed in July 1993
7j.
Sub-Area 1: The fire training pit is a circular pit, approximately 250 feet in diameter, that was
filled with flammable liquids, set on fire and then put out by the base fire department.
Contamination in soil and groundwater associated with this site is benzene, TCE and vinyl
chloride. The selected remedy for this site is bioventing and air sparging to remediate the soils
and groundwater. The system has been designed and will be constructed in the spring of 1997.
Sub-Area 2: The wastewater lagoons operated as a holding pond for all base process water. All
oil/water separators had outlet streams that led to the wastewater lagoons, where the water was
stored before flowing off-base into No Name Ditch. Groundwater in the area of the lagoons is
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contaminated with TCE. Groundwater pump and treat was selected as the remedy for this sub-
area. The pump and treat system was installed in 1995 and is currently operating. Further
investigation of the plume that extends off-base is currently ongoing.
Sub-Area 3: The drywell was located in the parking lot of a building used as an aircraft
maintenance facility. All process water from this building went to the drywell. Waste solvents,
mineral spirits and acid solutions are believed to have been discharged to the drywell. Under an
early action in 1992, the Air Force removed all contaminated sediments, disconnected the
discharge line and capped the area. The final remedy for this sub-area was "No Further Action".
Sub-Area 4: The old landfill is approximately 15 acres in size, and was used to dispose of
municipal-type wastes from 1949-1957. Investigations indicated low levels of TCE (15-18
micrograms/liter) in groundwater near this site. No source was identified during the investigation
and since TCE levels were low, long-term monitoring was selected as the cleanup remedy.
Sub-Area 5: The fuel spills were investigated and one of the spill areas had floating petroleum
product on the groundwater table. Passive collection systems were installed and continue to
collect fuel product. Additionally, groundwater wells in the vicinity are monitored to evaluate the
action. Two of the spill areas showed low levels of petroleum contamination and long-term
monitoring was selected as the remedy.
Project Area #3: The third Project Area consists of 20 sub-areas. Of those, 12 sub-areas were
investigated and in 1991 "No Action" was chosen as the selected remedy due to nonexistent or
extremely low levels of contamination. Remedies were selected for the remaining 8 sub-areas in
1995, and construction activities were initiated by the Air Force in 1996 and were completed in
1997.
Sub-Area-IS-1 is an old aircraft engine maintenance shop. An old sump in the building was
identified as a potential source for groundwater contamination and is being removed as part of the
building demolition.
Sub-Area-IS-4 is an old jet engine test stand. Low levels of diesel range petroleum were
discovered in soils and institutional controls/natural attenuation was selected as the cleanup
remedy.
Sub-Area - Site PS-1 is located next to the bulk fuel storage area. Benzene contamination in soil
posed a risk to groundwater and bioventing was selected as the cleanup method.
Sub-Area - Site PS-5 is a fuel oil storage tank. Under an early action, the Air Force excavated
and disposed of approximately 850 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soils.
Sub-Area - Site PS-7 is an old fuel spill site. Under an early action, the Air Force excavated and
disposed 400 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soils.
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Sub-Area - Site PS-10 is an old fuel truck maintenance facility. Soils were contaminated with
TCE. The cleanup included excavation and disposal of approximately 100 cubic yards of
contaminated soil.
Sub-Area - Site SW-11 is the location of an old aircraft reclamation yard. No Action was
selected at this sub-area since no contamination was identified at levels of concern.
Sub-Area - Site FT-2 is a former fire training area. Low levels of BTEX and TCE were found in
groundwater at this site. Long-term monitoring was selected as the cleanup method.
Project Area #4: The fourth Project Area consists of 8 sub-areas associated with oil/water
separators, underground storage tanks, a holding lagoon and surface water ditches. These units
all received or stoied contaminants of concern at Fairchild. The Air Force has removed all of the
old oil/water separators and underground storage tanks. Some additional removal of soil may be
necessary based on the results of the current investigation of these actions. The old holding
lagoon did not have contamination above acceptable levels and no further action is necessary. A
final decision document for this Project Area will be completed during 1998.
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FMC Corporation (Yakima Pit) Congressional District: 03
Yakima County, Yakima, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
Site Background:
The FMC Corp. (Yakima Pit) site, covering approximately 4 acres in Yakima, Washington
operated as a pesticide formulation facility from 1951 until 1986. From 1952 to 1969, FMC
disposed of surplus and "off spec" agricultural pesticides in an on-site pit. Site soil and
groundwater are contaminated with pesticides. Some of the pesticides that may have been
disposed of in the pit include DDT, diazinon, and dieldrin. Other facility practices lead to
contamination of an on-site warehouse and the soil beneath drum washing area. There are
approximately 10,000 people living within a one mile radius of the site, with the nearest residence
located about 200 yards from the site. Area groundwater is used for drinking water, industrial
purposes, crop irrigation, and livestock watering.
Cleanup Process: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1988, FMC, under and administrative order, began excavating and removing the
contaminated soil from the former disposal pit. Excavation of the pit was stopped at one point
due to the high level of groundwater and concern over causing further groundwater
contamination. In 1989, while the groundwater was at a seasonal low, the remaining
contaminated soil was excavated. Approximately 850 tons of contaminated soil were disposed of
in a federally approved facility.
Long-term Actions: In 1990, FMC, under an EPA Administrative Order, completed an
investigation to determine the nature and extent of contamination at the site. In 1990 EPA
selected a final cleanup remedy that included: additional sampling to further determine the extent
of contamination; excavation of contaminated soils; on-site incineration of excavated soils;
removal and disposal of other contaminated materials; and on-site disposal of incinerated soils
after sampling indicated that the incinerated soil met cleanup standards. FMC completed the site
cleanup under an EPA Consent Decree in 1993. Groundwater monitoring continues to be
conducted on a biannual basis, to demonstrate the success of the cleanup activities.
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Ft. Lewis Landfill No. 5 Congressional District: 09
Pierce County, Tillicum, Washington Listing: 07/22/87
Site Background:
The Ft. Lewis Landfill No. 5 Superfund site, consists of a 60-acre closed portion of the active
Fort Lewis Landfill No. 5, located in Tillicum, Washington. The landfill accepted mixed
municipal solid waste (industrial, commercial, residential), demolition waste, and dewatered
sludge from tfie Fort Lewis wastewater treatment plant from 1967 through July 1990. The site is
located adjacent to the City of Dupont and the predominant land use in the area is the Fort Lewis
Military Installation. Volatile organics and base/neutral and acid-extractables (BNAs) were
detected in monitoring wells primarily near the downgradient edge of the landfill. The closest
residence to the site is located about 2 miles away. Municipal drinking water wells are located
within 1 1/2 miles of the site.
Site Cleanup Action: Construction Completed
Closure of the landfill was initiated in 1987 and was conducted under the authority of the
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department by the Army. The closure complied with State
Minimum Functional Standards and included the construction of a cover, a surface water
management system, and a passive gas ventilation system to collect and burn landfill gas.
Contaminant concentrations in the groundwater declined to levels below state and federal cleanup
standards once the cover was in place; therefore, no further action was required under CERCLA.
The Army will continue to monitor groundwater to confirm that the remedy remains effective.
The site was deleted from the NPL on May 22, 1995.
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Ft. Lewis Logistics Center Congressional District: 09
Pierce County, Tillicum, Washington Listing: 11/21/89
Site Background:
The 86,000-acre Ft. Lewis Army facility is located near Tacoma, Washington on the southeastern
shore of Puget Sound and has been an Army facility since 1917. Industrial operations include
maintenance of aircraft and vehicles, repair and refurbishing of weapons, and neutralization of
caustic paint stripping waste and battery acids. The 650-acre Logistics Center is primarily an
industrial facility, with some limited commercial use. Three contaminated waste units have been
identified and are included in the Logistics Center site. The East Gate Disposal Yard was used
between 1946 and 1960 as a disposal site for waste generated from equipment cleaning and
degreasing. The Solvent Refined Coal Pilot Project area was operated from 1974 to 1981 by the
Department of Energy as a production/research facility for developing petroleum-like products
from coal. Landfill No. 4 was used for solid waste disposal from the 1940s to the 1960s.
The main water supply wells for the base are situated approximately 1/4 mile from the landfill. An
estimated 46,700 people live at the Fort. The closest residence to the site is located
approximately 2 miles away. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethylene
(TCE), and dichloroethylene have contaminated the groundwater, and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) have contaminated the soil.
Another hazardous waste unit at the Fort Lewis Army facility, the Landfill No. 5 site, is listed
separately on the NPL.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
The site is being addressed through four projects.
Project #1 - Solvent Refined Coal Pilot Project: Cleanup consisted of excavation and treatment of
approximately 80,000 cubic yards of VOC-contaminated soils. Treatment consisted of low-
temperature thermal desorption with incineration of desorbed gases. Construction of the remedy
will be completed by the U.S. Army in 1997.
Project # 2 - Landfill Number 4: Landfilling in 1940s, 50s, and 60s at this 52-acre site resulted in
groundwater contamination with chlorinated organic compounds. The U.S. Army completed an
investigation at the landfill and a remedy was selected in 1993. Construction of an air
sparging/gas extraction system was completed in 1996 by the U.S. Army. The cleanup system is
currently being operated and maintained and site conditions are being monitored to assess cleanup
progress.
Project # 3 - East Gate Disposal Yard: Disposal activities at the site resulted in contamination of a
drinking water aquifer with chlorinated organic compounds. The U.S. Army constructed a
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groundwater pump and treat system in 1995 and is currently operating the system. Groundwater
extraction wells have been installed at the head of and in the center of the contaminated plume to
stop contaminants from migrating off the Army base and to remediate the aquifer. Additional
investigations are currently being planned for the former disposal yard to locate buried waste that
has not yet reached the groundwater table.
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Frontier Hard Chrome Congressional District: 03
Clark County, Vancouver, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
Site Background:
The Frontier Hard Chrome site (FHC) is located approximately one-half mile north of the
Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington, and is within the historical floodplain of the river near
other commercial/light industrial businesses. The site was the location of chrome plating
operations for approximately 25 years from 1958 and 1983. Prior to 1955, the site was used as
an open storage area for neighboring businesses. In 1955, the site was filled with hydraulic
dredge material and construction rubble. Since then, the site has been primarily occupied by two
businesses, both engaged in chrome plating. Pioneer Plating operated at the site from 1958 to
1970, and FHC until 1983. Presently, the facility is being used as a storage and staging area for a
neighboring business. Drinking water for 10,000 residents is drawn from an aquifer under the
site. The nearest city well is about a mile upgradient from a contaminated well. The closest
residence is on adjoining property to the north of the site, and two others are a few hundred feet
farther north.
Activities over the years at the site have left the groundwater and soils contaminated with metals.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in the groundwater, but are an area wide
contaminant, not related to the chrome plating activities. .
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
FHC has had two different Records of Decision (RODs). One in 1987 dealt with the cleanup of
chrome-contaminated soils at the site. Since 1987, bench-scale feasibility studies have been
conducted by EPA, to determine if chrome in contaminated soils could be fixated and replaced.
These tests were not completely successful. Limited excavation or passive fixation may still be
possible remedies, depending on the extent to which the source could be practically bound or
removed.
The second ROD, in 1988, dealt with the cleanup of contaminated groundwater. Initial results of
the remedial investigation conducted by EPA, showed that groundwater beneath the site
contained chromium concentrations at levels substantially above the drinking water standard of
0.05 mg/L. Second phase investigation work began in 1987. Three groundwater zones were
identified and it was confirmed that each was contaminated at levels above the chromium
drinking water standard. However, recent sampling has indicated that substantial attenuation has
occurred in the groundwater unit. The latest groundwater data indicates that maximum chromium
levels are between 25-40 ppm. As the ROD required a pump and treat system to treat
groundwater down to a level of 10 ppm, a treatment system may be required only in a limited
fashion. In-situ mobilization/fixation technologies may also need to be evaluated. A Focused
Feasibility Study is scheduled to be completed by EPA in the summer of 1997 along with
implementation of institutional controls.
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General Electric Company (Spokane Shop) Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 10/04/89
State Lead (activities conducted by the Washington State Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The 5-acre site located in Spokane, Washington included the company's industrial service shop.
From 1961 until 1980, GE cleaned repaired and restored transformers, and stored transformer oils
and electric related equipment. Some of the equipment and transformers contained
polychlorinatsd biphenyls (PCBs) which were released into a dry well during steam cleaning. The
soil and on-site groundwater are contaminated with PCBs. About 200,000 people live within 3
miles of the site. The site overlies the aquifer providing the areas' drinking water.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: An early action, completed in the summer of 1990 by the State, consisted of
demolition and removal of the service shop, several storage tanks, and other underground
structures. All surface contamination was eliminated.
Long-term Actions: The final remedy for the site was selected in 1993 and included in-situ
vitrification of PCB soils. In 1996, the remedy was modified to require in-situ vitrification of site
soils containing high levels of PCBs and off-site disposal of site soils with low concentrations of
PCBs. Construction of the remedy will be conducted by General Electric under a State Consent
Decree, and is expected to be complete in 1997.
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Greenacres Landfill Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 09/21/84
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site background:
The Greenacres Landfill site is a 45-acre landfill located near Liberty Lake, 14 miles east of
Spokane, Washington. The landfill was operated as an open municipal dump from 1951 to 1972,
accepting household, industrial and agricultural wastes. The landfill has contaminated the
groundwater beneath, and adjacent to, the site with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
heavy metals. Approximately 2,000 people live within 4 miles of the site. The site is near the sole
source aquifer used by 350,000 people.
Cleanup Progress: Design Underway
The selected remedy for the site is capping of the landfill. Under a State Order, the County of
Spokane will begin construction of the remedy in 1998. The landfill capping design is expected to
be completed in late 1997.
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Hamilton Island Landfill Congressional District: 03
Skamania Counfiy, North Bonneville Washington Listing: 05/25/92
Site Background:
Hamilton Island Landfill is a 240-acre site located in Skamania County in southwestern
Washington. This site is owned and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USA/COE).
From 1977 to 1982, this unlined landfill was used to dispose of approximately 19 million cubic
yards of material excavated during the construction of a powerhouse for the Bonneville dam,
which lies 1 mile upstream, as well as the debris collected during the demolition of a nearby town.
Suspected chemical wastes included paints and degreasers. Approximately 900 people obtain
their drinking water from wells located within 4 miles of the site. The Columbia River, a highly
productive area for commercial and recreational fisheries, boating, sight-seeing, and wind surfing,
is adjacent to the site. The site lies within a Federally-designated National Scenic Area.
Initial sampling indicated that surface and subsurface soil, groundwater, and leachate were
contaminated with elevated levels of heavy metals including arsenic and cadmium, and various
volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A subsequent investigation determined,
however, that hazardous substances at Hamilton Island did not pose a risk to human health and
the environment.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed (No Further Action)
Early Actions: The U.S. Army fenced a portion of the site in 1987, restricting public access to the
site and preventing direct contact with contamination.
Long-term Actions: In the fall of 1993, the U.S. Army began investigations into the nature and
extent of site contamination. These investigations detected no hazardous wastes that required a
cleanup action. Therefore, in March 1995, the EPA, the Washington Department of Ecology
(WDOE), and the U.S. Army determined that no further action would be taken on Hamilton
Island.
The site was deleted from the NPL on May 25, 1995.
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Hanford 100-Area Congressional District: 4
Benton County, 35 Miles North of Richland, Washington Listing: 10/04/89
Site Background:
The Hanford 100-Area site covers 26 square miles, 35 miles north of Richland, Washington. It is
one of four areas at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation (Hanford) listed as sites on the EPA's NPL;
the other three are the 200-, 3 00-, and 1100-Areas. These areas are part of a large U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) complex that includes buildings, disposal sites, an ecological
research park, and vacant land covering approximately 560 square miles. Hanford was built in the
1940s to make plutonium for nuclear weapons. The nearby Columbia River provided cooling
waters for the reactors producing the nuclear materials. The Atomic Energy Commission was in
charge of these operations from the early 1940s until Congress created the DOE in 1977. Over
the years, Hanford widened its role to include research and development of nuclear materials for
uses other than nuclear weapons. The 100-Area is adjacent to the Columbia River in the northern
section of Hanford and includes nine nuclear reactors. Of these, eight were used from the 1940s
to the early 1970s to produce plutonium. The ninth reactor produced plutonium as well as
electricity until the DOE shut it down in 1988. The DOE and its predecessor disposed of several
million cubic yards of radioactive and hazardous wastes in cribs, trenches, and burial grounds in
the 100-Area. Approximately 11 square miles of groundwater under the 100-Area are
contaminated with strontium-90, cobalt-60, cesium-13 7, tritium (radioactive hydrogen) and
chromium. The shallow groundwater underneath the site consists of a sand and gravel aquifer
which facilitates the movement of contaminants through the water. Groundwater is not used as a
source of drinking water within 3 miles of the 100-Area; however, groundwater does flow into
the Columbia River. Over 3,000 workers at the 100- and 200-Areas of Hanford use drinking
water intakes located along the stretch of the Columbia River occupied by the 100-Area. The
cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, with a combined population of approximately 100,000,
maintain water intakes on the Columbia River for the bulk of their municipal supply system, but
occasionally mix it with groundwater from municipal wells drilled in the sand and gravel aquifer.
The Yakima Indian Nation has exclusive fishing rights to the Yakima River, which borders the
site.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
In May 1989, the EPA, the State, and the DOE entered into an Interagency Agreement and a
Consent Order to provide a legal and procedural framework for cleanup and regulatory
compliance at the DOE's waste sites at Hanford. The EPA, the DOE, and the Washington State
Department of Ecology jointly developed an action plan that addresses Superfund and Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-related issues at Hanford.
The site is divided into many project areas. Remedies have been selected for nearly 70 project
areas. Approximately 150,000 tons of contaminated soil and debris have been removed from the
site's project areas since 1996 and disposed of in Hanford's 200-Area. For the remaining project
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areas, remedial investigations have been completed and remedies will be selected in the next few
years.
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Hanford 200-Area Congressional District: 04
Benton County, 20 Miles North of Richland, Washington Listing: 10/04/89
Site Background:
The Hanford 200-Area covers 215 square miles about 20 miles north of Richland, Washington. It
is one of the four areas at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation (Hanford) on the National Priorities
List (NPL); the other three are the 100-, 3 00-, and 1100-Areas. These areas are part of a U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) complex that includes buildings, disposal sites, an environmental
research park, and vacant land covering approximately 560 square miles. Hanford was built in the
1940s to make plutonium for nuclear weapons. The nearby Columbia River provided cooling
waters for the reactors producing the nuclear materials. The Atomic Energy Commission was in
charge of these operations from the 1940s until Congress created the DOE in 1977. Over the
years, Hanford widened its role to include research and development of nuclear materials for uses
other than nuclear weapons. The 200-Area site is in the middle of Hanford and contains the
former chemical processing plants and waste management facilities. One of the old plants
discharged massive quantities of the solvent carbon tetrachloride to the ground. The DOE uses
the 200-Area to process, finish, and manage nuclear materials, including plutonium. The DOE
and its predecessors disposed of an estimated 1 billion cubic yards of solid and diluted liquid
wastes comprising radioactive, mixed, and hazardous substances in trenches, ditches, and in an
on-site landfill. More than 230 waste disposal locations have been identified in the 200-Area.
More than 3,000 workers at the 100- and 200-Areas of Hanford use drinking water from intakes
on the Columbia River, which are located 5 miles north of this site. The cities of Richland, Pasco,
and Kennewick, with a combined population of approximately 100,000, maintain water intakes in
the Columbia River for the bulk of their municipal supply system, but occasionally mix it with
groundwater from municipal wells drilled in the sand and gravel aquifer. The Yakima Indian
Nation has exclusive fishing rights to the Yakima River, which borders the site.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
In May 1989, the EPA, the State, and the DOE entered into an Interagency Agreement and a
Consent Order to provide a legal and procedural framework for cleanup and regulatory
compliance at the DOE's waste sites at Hanford. The EPA, the DOE, and the Washington State
Department of Ecology jointly developed an action plan that addresses Superfund and Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-related issues at Hanford.
Since 1992, approximately 160,000 pounds of carbon tetrachloride have been extracted from the
soil through soil vapor extraction. In a separate action, 450 pounds of carbon tetrachloride were
removed from groundwater in the last year. In addition another nearby groundwater system has
removed 100 pounds of uranium and 80 pounds of technetium-99. DOE is performing all the
activities and expects construction of the remedy to be complete in 1998.
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Hanford 300-Area Congressional District: 04
Benton County, 2 Miles North of Richland, Washington Listing: 10/04/89
Site Background:
The Hanford 300-Area covers about 1 square mile, 1 miles north of Richland, Washington. It is
one of the four areas at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation on the EPA's National Priorities List
(NPL); the ether three are the 100-, 200-, and 1100-Areas. These areas are part of a Department
of Energy (DOE) complex that includes buildings, disposal sites, an environmental research park,
and vacant land covering about 560 square miles. Hanford was built in the 1940s to make
plutonium for nuclear weapons. The nearby Columbia River provided cooling waters for the
reactors producing the nuclear materials. The DOE fabricated fuel for nuclear reactors in the
300-Area. The site contains 25 separate locations used to dispose of radioactive and hazardous
wastes. The disposal areas and plumes of contaminated groundwater cover approximately
2 square miles. The DOE and its predecessor disposed of about 27 million cubic yards of solid
and diluted liquid wastes mixed with radioactive and hazardous wastes in ponds, trenches, and
landfills in the 300-Area. The areas used for liquid discharges had no outlets; therefore, liquids
percolated through the soil into the groundwater and the Columbia River, which is located
directly east and downgradient from the 300-Area. The shallow groundwater underlying Hanford
and Richland consists of a sand and gravel aquifer which facilitates the movement of contaminants
through water. Groundwater is contaminated with uranium, nitrate and trichloroethylene. Soils
contain polycblorinated biphenyls (PCBs), trichloroethylene (TCE), copper and uranium. The
Columbia River is used for industrial process water, boating, fishing, hunting, and as a supply of
drinking water 3 miles downstream of the 300-Area. The cities of Richland, Pasco, and
Kennewick, with a combined population of approximately 100,000 people, maintain water intakes
in the Columbia River for the bulk of their municipal supply system, but occasionally mix it with
groundwater from municipal wells drilled in the sand and gravel aquifer. The Yakima Indian
Nation has exclusive fishing rights to the Yakima River, which borders the site.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
In May 1989, the EPA, the State, and the DOE entered into an Interagency Agreement and a
Consent Order to provide a legal and procedural framework for cleanup and regulatory
compliance at the DOE's waste sites at Hanford. The EPA, the DOE, and the Washington State
Department of Ecology jointly developed an action plan that addresses Superfund and Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-related issues at Hanford.
Early Actions: In 1992, DOE conducted two early actions. One consisted of excavation and
removal of 14,000 cubic yards of uranium-contaminated soil and sediment from wastewater
disposal trenchss, and the other, removal of barrels containing uranium-contaminated solvents
from a burial ground.
Long-term Actions: Remedies, which include excavation of contaminated soil, have been selected
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for approximately 15 project areas and construction began in the summer of 1997.
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Hamford 1100-Area Congressional District: 04
Benton County, 1 Mile North of Richland, Washington Listing: 10/04/89
Site Background:
The Hanford 1100-Area covers 120 square miles, approximately 1 mile north of Richland,
Washington. It is one of the four areas at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation (Hanford) on the
EPA's National Priorities List (NPL); the other three are the 100-, 200-, and 300-Areas. The U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) conducts maintenance operations in the 1100-Area and uses it to
provide services to other areas of Hanford. The site includes a warehouse, a vehicle repair shop,
a gas station and an ecological research park. Waste areas include a landfill, French drains,
underground tanks, and a sand pit where up to 15,000 gallons of waste battery acid from vehicle
maintenance may have been disposed. The ecological research park contains a former NIKE
missile base and control center and is now used for the research headquarters. The missile base
contained all facilities necessary for missile launching and maintenance, as well as living quarters
for personnel. The U.S. Army closed and decommissioned the base in the 1960s. Shallow
groundwater under the 1100-Area is 24 feet below the surface. The cities of Richland, Pasco, and
Kennewick, with a combined population of about 100,000, maintain water intakes in the
Columbia River for the bulk of their municipal supply system, but occasionally mix it with
groundwatei from municipal wells drilled into the sand and gravel aquifer. The nearest well in
Richland is located approximately 2,600 feet from disposal areas.
Groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including trichlorethylene
(TCE), nitrates, sodium and sulfates. On-site soils are contaminated with heavy metals and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
In May 1989, the EPA, the State, and the DOE entered into an Interagency Agreement and a
Consent Order to provide a legal and procedural framework for cleanup and regulatory
compliance at the DOE's waste sites at Hanford. The EPA, the DOE, and the Washington State
Department of Ecology jointly developed an action plan that addresses Superfund and Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-related issues at Hanford.
Based on the results of a site investigation and risk assessment completed in 1992 by DOE, a
Record of Decision was signed on September 30, 1993. The following actions were taken:
approximately 130 cubic yards of soil contaminated with bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate was removed
and sent to an off-site incineration facility; 165 cubic yards of soil contaminated with PCBs were
removed and disposed of offsite at a permitted facility; closure of the on-site landfill used for
disposal of office and construction waste, sewage sludge, fly ash, and asbestos; and a
groundwater monitoring program that will continue until cleanup goals are met by natural
attenuation. Construction activities were completed in late 1995.
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The 1100-Area was deleted from the NPL on September 30, 1996.
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Harbor Island (Lead) Congressional District: 07
King County, Puget Sound, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
Site Background:
Harbor Island is a 400-acre industrial island located in Puget Sound, Washington, which was
created around 1905 from sediments dredged from the adjacent Duwamish River. Since 1912,
the island has been used for commercial and industrial activities including secondary lead smelting,
shipbuilding and repair, bulk petroleum fuel storage, metal fabrication, containerized cargo
shipping, etc.
The primary contaminants of concern in soil at this site include lead, mercury, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and petroleum products. Primary
contaminants of concern in the sediments surrounding Harbor Island include arsenic, mercury,
PCBs, petroleum products, and tributyl tin (TBT).
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
EPA has divided the Harbor Island Site into project areas. These areas are: 1) Soil and
Groundwater; 2) Lockheed Shipyard; 3) Petroleum Tank Facilities; 4) Shipyard Sediments; and 5)
Waterway Sediments. EPA has delegated the Washington Department of Ecology as the lead
agency for the Petroleum Tank Facilities project area because the primary contaminant is
petroleum. Following is a summary of the cleanup progress for the remaining four project areas.
Project Area #1- Soil and Groundwater: Contaminants include arsenic, lead, mercury, benzene,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and total petroleum
hydrocarbons. The Record of Decision (ROD) for this project area requires: 1) treatment or off-
site disposal for petroleum contaminated soil hot-spot; 2) off-site hazardous waste disposal for
PCB contaminated soil hot-spot; 3) removal of floating petroleum product at Todd Shipyards; 4)
asphalt capping of soil exceeding cleanup goals; and 5) long-term monitoring of groundwater
quality. A Consent Decree with 38 PRPs was finalized in August 1996, and the PRPs are
currently conducting the design of the remedy. The remedy is expected to be implemented by the
summer of 1998.
Project Area #2 - Lockheed Shipyard: Contaminants include arsenic, lead, mercury, benzene, and
tetrachloroethane. Construction of the remedy for this project area was completed in 1995 under
a Consent Decree with Lockheed Martin. Subsequently, this project area was deleted from the
National Priorities List (NPL) in November 1996. The remedy included: 1) asphalt paving of soil
which exceeded cleanup goals, 2) thermal desorption treatment of about 3,000 tons of petroleum
contaminated soil, and 3) long-term monitoring of groundwater quality. Long-term groundwater
monitoring has been initiated.
Project # 4 - Shipyard Sediment: Contaminants include arsenic, copper, lead, mercury, zinc, PAHs
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and tributyl tin. The ROD for this project area was issued in November 1996. The ROD requires
that: 1) all sediment which exceeds the Cleanup Screening Level of the Washington State
Sediment Management Standards (SMS) will be dredged and placed in either a confined aquatic
disposal facility or an upland disposal facility; 2) remaining areas which exceed the Sediment
Quality Standard of the SMS will be capped with a minimum of 2 feet of clean sediment; and 3)
long-term monitoring and maintenance of the cap will be performed. EPA is currently negotiating
a Consent Order with two PRPs to conduct the design for the selected remedy. EPA anticipates
that construction of the remedy will be completed by the end of 1999.
Project Area # 5 - Waterway Sediment: The Harbor Island Waterway Sediment ROD, which is
scheduled for 1998, will address contaminated marine sediments not associated with the Shipyard
Sediment ROD. The Waterway Sediment project area includes two man-made, navigable
waterways that total approximately 116 acres. Principal contaminants include TBT, PCBs, and
mercury. Currently, the Port of Seattle is proposing a maintenance dredging project adjacent to
their shipping terminal on Harbor Island, which would essentially "clean up" the contaminated
sediments in one waterway. In the second waterway, additional bioaccumulation studies are
needed to define remediation areas. Currently, EPA is doing all work in this project area.
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Hidden Valley Landfill Congressional District: 08
Pierce County, Puyallup, Washington Listing: 03/31/89
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The 86-acre site in Puyallup, Washington, has operated as a landfill and gravel pit since 1967.
The landfill accepted liquid, solid, industrial wastes, and heavy metal sludges until 1985. A 56-
acre unlined area of the landfill has been closed and capped. Currently, all waste is disposed of in
a 30-acre lined area with leachate collection and treatment. Groundwater beneath the site is
contaminated with metals, volatile organic carbon, and nitrates. The Sunrise housing
development is located east of the site and the Gem Heights development is located northwest of
the site. Within the vicinity of the landfill, most residents receive water from the Fir Grove Water
District which supplies water to approximately 10,000 residents in the South Hill area. The
nearest Fir Grove supply well is approximately 3,000 feet south of the landfill. The site overlies
the Central Pierce County Aquifer System, a sole source aquifer. A freshwater wetland is located
1 mile from the site.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: An interim action consisting of modifications to a landfill gas control system was
completed by the landfill owner/operator in 1989 and modifications continue as necessary.
Unlined areas of the landfill have been capped as noted above.
Long-term Actions: Pursuant to a Consent Decree between the Washington State Department of
Ecology and the landfill owner/operator, the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS)
was completed in 1997. The final remedy for the site will be selected in 1997.
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Jackson Park Housing Complex Congressional District: 06
Kitsap County, Bremerton, Washington Listing: 05/31/94
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Jackson Park Housing Complex (JPHC) is located east of Highway 3, approximately 2 miles
northwest of Bremerton, Washington. The 300-acre complex currently contains housing for 3000
military personnel. From 1904 to 1959, the facility operated as a Navy ammunition depot.
Residual ordnance powders were disposed of by open burning. Hazardous dust that was
deposited on floors during ordnance handling was washed into floor drains that lead into Ostrich
Bay. In addition to ammunition-related activities, the site also contained incinerators, paint,
battery and machine shops, and a boiler plant. The munitions buildings were demolished between
1973 and 1975 when the housing complexes were built.
Ammonium picrate, an explosive, was found in storm drains that lead out of buildings housing
munitions operations. Soil and drainage areas contained arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium and
copper, as well as explosive residues.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
The U.S. Navy, under an agreement with the State, is conducting the remedial investigation to
determine the nature and extent of contamination at the site. The investigation will be completed
in 1998.
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Kaiser Aluminum Mead Works Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Mead, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The 240-acre Kaiser Aluminum Mead Works site is an aluminum reduction facility located near
Mead, Washington. From 1942 until 1978, pot linings were disposed of in the northwestern
section of the plant property. The pots were soaked with water to loosen the linings for removal
prior to disposal. In 1978, cyanide was detected in several private drinking water wells to the
northwest of the site. Cyanide has contaminated an aquifer that supplies water to a tributary of
the Little Spokane River. The contamination is believed to have originated from past activities at
the site. In 1978, Kaiser discontinued the practices of pot soaking and discharging effluent to
sewage ponds. From 1980 to 1990, Kaiser stored pot linings on the site in a specially constructed
building. In 1990, Kaiser began shipping pot linings to an off-site hazardous waste landfill. The
closest residences are located about Vz mile northwest of the plant. Approximately 5,500 people
are served by the local water system.
Cyanide and fluoride were detected in soils and the upper portion of the groundwater aquifer
underlying the site. Concentrations of cyanide in the groundwater plume are decreasing with the
dewatering of several industrial lagoons or ponds near the pot liner disposal area. On-site
leachate contains fluoride and cyanide.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
Early Actions: Prior to being listed on the NPL, the facility conducted a number of interim actions
including construction of an alternative water supply to residents with contaminated wells,
construction of an asphalt cap to keep precipitation from seeping through the source of
contamination (potliner waste piles) and halting the on-site disposal of waste potliners.
Long-term Actions: Kaiser, under a State Order, is conducting an investigation into the nature
and extent of contamination at the site. Remedy selection for the site is scheduled for 1997.
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Lakewood Site Congressional District: 09
Pierce County, Lakewood, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
Site Background:
The Lakewood site is located in Lakewood, Washington and includes property upon which a
commercial dry-cleaning business known as Plaza Cleaners has operated for several years. The
regional aquifer contains a groundwater plume extending approximately 2,000-feet downgradient
of Plaza Cleaners. The surrounding area is predominantly residential and commercial/light
industrial. Lakewood Water District has two of its production wells on a fenced site,
approximately 800 feet south of Plaza Cleaners. Sampling of drinking water wells in the area
indicated that the two city wells were contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs):
trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and cis-1,2 dichloroethylene (cis-1,2 DCE).
The source of the contamination was determined to be Plaza Cleaners.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Plaza Cleaners signed a state Consent Order in September 1983. Plaza Cleaners agreed to
discontinue their prior solvent disposal practices, install a system for reclaiming cleaning solvents,
and send drummed wastewater and sludge to a suitable off-site disposal facility.
Early Actions: In 1984, excavated and removed contaminated soil from on-site sludge areas and
backfilled the areas with clean fill. In addition, EPA constructed an air stripping groundwater
treatment system. The air strippers, operating on the two city production wells, are treating the
main plume located near Plaza Cleaners. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds in the
main plume are decreasing consistently. Remediation of the groundwater will continue under a
long-term response action until cleanup goals are met.
Long-term Actions: In 1987, EPA implemented a remedy that included the removal and disposal
of contaminated solids and water from three on-site septic tanks. A soil vapor extraction system
was installed on the Plaza Cleaners property to extract contamination from the unsaturated soil
unit. As part of the final soil remediation action, all contaminated soil and sludge exceeding 500
parts per billion VOCs was excavated and disposed off site. Implementation of the excavation
alternative occurred in the summer of 1992. All contaminated wastes were removed from the
site by February 1993. The volume of soil excavated and disposed of offsite was approximately
115 cubic yards. The volume of soil disposed of via incineration was approximately 10 cubic
yards. The property involved in the excavation has been backfilled with compacted clean soil, and
gravel has been placed at ground surface.
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McChord Air Force Base (Wash Rack Treatment Area) Congressional District: 09
Pierce County, South of Tacoma, Washington Listing: 07/22/87
Site Background:
McChord Air Force Base is an active military base covering almost 4,600 acres, just south of
Tacoma, Washington. The mission of the base is to provide airlift services to troops, cargo,
equipment, passengers, and mail. Since 1940, almost 500,000 gallons of hazardous substances
have been used and disposed of on the base. The Wash Rack/Treatment Area is a former aircraft
washing facility. It encompasses the pavement area, where airplanes were washed to remove oil,
grease, and other foreign materials with chemical solvents, and two unlined leach pits that
received contaminated wash water runoff from the adjacent pavement. Beneath the site is an
aquifer that supplies drinking water to McChord Air Force Base, the Lakewood Water District,
and the American Lake Gardens development. American Lake Gardens is a separate NPL site.
The nearest residence is l/2 mile away, and over 16,000 people live within 3 miles of the site.
Approximately 300 domestic wells are located within 5 miles of the base.
A layer of floating fuel sits on top of the groundwater table that underlies an area of
approximately 300,000 square feet. The fuel layer is primarily an oil emulsion and is
contaminated with benzene. Groundwater is contaminated with benzene at levels slightly above
federal and state standards as a result of the floating fuel.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
In 1992, EPA completed an investigation to determine the type and extent of contamination at the
site. Based on this investigation, it was decided that the best approach for cleaning up the
groundwater was through the passive removal of the floating fuel layer from the water table.
After beginning this action, it was found that the volume of the floating fuel had been
overestimated. The original remedy was modified in 1994, because passive fuel recovery was
found to be inappropriate. The revised approach calls for natural attenuation, whereby the
contaminants naturally degrade from the groundwater with time. To ensure the effectiveness of
this decision, groundwater monitoring will be conducted over the next several years.
The site was -deleted from the NPL on September 26, 1996.
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Mica Landfill Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Mica, Washington Listing: 06/10/86
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Mica Landfill site has been owned by Spokane County Utilities since 1972 and covers 180
acres near Mica, Washington. Prior to 1991, the landfill was licensed by the State to handle
hazardous, domestic, and industrial waste. Landfill operations ceased in late 1991. Groundwater
beneath the landfill is contaminated with volatile organic compounds, heavy metals and phenol.
Approximately 115 domestic wells and two municipal wells serving approximately 4,000 people
are located within three miles of the site.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
In 1991 and 1992, Spokane County constructed a number of leachate collection trenches and two
leachate collection ponds. The ponds are pumped out as needed and the leachate transported to
the local treatment plant for treatment and disposal. Later, a Remedial Investigation Feasibility
Study (RI/FS) was prepared by Spokane County pursuant to a Consent Decree with the State. In
1995, Spokane County completed the construction of a permanent cover system consisting of two
impervious layers.
The State is requiring the County to implement a 3-to-5 year monitoring program in order to
determine if additional response actions are needed. The monitoring is being conducted pursuant
to a Consent Decree modification.
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Midway Landfill Congressional District: 09
King County, Kent, Washington Listing: 06/10/86
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology
Site Background:
The Midway Landfill site is an old gravel quarry covering approximately 60 acres in Kent,
Washington. The landfill operated from 1966 to 1983. During operations approximately 3
million cubic yards of refuse were deposited in the unlined landfill, including paint sludges, oily
wastewater and sludges, alkaline waste and coolant. In 1983 the landfill was capped with silt and
fine sands. Combustible gas was detected in structures up to 3,000 feet from the landfill.
Approximately 8,200 people live near the affected area. Two elementary schools and a
community village are within 1/2 miles of the site. Groundwater is contaminated with heavy
metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and volatile organic compounds including benzene and
vinyl chloride.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
A Remedial Investigation Feasibility Study (RI/FS) has been conducted by the City of Seattle
pursuant to a consent order with the State. The City completed construction of interim remedial
measures in December of 1991 pursuant to a consent decree with the State which was signed in
May 1990. These measures consisted of a final cap over the site, refined landfill gas control, and
a stormwater and drainage control system. The final site remedy will be selected in 1997.
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Moses Lake Wellfield Contamination Congressional District: 04
Grant County, Moses Lake, Washington Listing: 10/14/92
Site Background
The Moses Lake Wellfield Contamination site is located about three miles northwest of the city of
Moses Lake, Washington. The site consists of a plume of trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated
groundwater underlying and extending south of the former Larson Air Force Base (LAFB). The
United States Air Force used the LAFB for a variety of purposes from 1942 until 1963 when it
was deactivated. Since 1966, when the LAFB was disbanded and put up for sale, a variety of
entities have acquired properties of the former base. The groundwater contamination was initially
identified in 1988 by the Washington Department of Health as part of routine sampling of
municipal drinking water wells. A number of wells (municipal and private) had contamination
above EPA drinking water standards. Two of the municipal contaminated wells are part of a
blended system that provides drinking water to approximately 5,000 people. The Port of Moses
Lake acquired the largest parcel of property for use as the Grant County Airport. Other
properties include commercial facilities and residences. The area surrounding the site is
residential, agricultural and commercial.
The actual size of the plume and the source(s) of TCE creating it have not been established. The
plume is thought to be at least one mile wide, three miles long and existing between 100 and 300
feet below the ground surface.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: The City of Moses Lake voluntarily closed contaminated municipal wells or
relocated them in a deeper uncontaminated aquifer. Therefore, users of the municipal water
system were protected from TCE exposure. Users of water from contaminated private wells are
receiving bottled water since 1993, as an early action pursuant to an EPA Administrative Order
with the Port of Moses Lake. An EPA Consent Decree also with the Port of Moses Lake will
require, as an early action, a new drinking water well to replace the existing contaminated private
wells.
Long-term Actions: EPA is currently negotiating with a group of responsible parties to conduct
the site Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study.
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Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (Seaplane Base) Congressional District: 02
Island County, Whidbey Island, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
Site background:
The Naval Air Station at Whidbey Island covers over 7,000 acres and consists of Ault Field and
the Seaplane Base, which are five miles apart. The Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island (Ault Field)
site is also on the NPL and is being addressed in conjunction with Seaplane Base. The station was
commissioned in 1942, and its mission is to maintain and operate facilities and provide services
and materials in support of the Navy's aviation activities and units. The major waste generating
activities at the Seaplane Base include aircraft and vehicle maintenance, painting and paint
stripping, and machine and boat shop activities. Wastes generated include solvents, zinc
chromate, lead-containing paint wastes, thinners, acid, and lead-based sealants. The Seaplane
Base site consists of five waste areas including a landfill, salvage yard, and three uncontained
spills, which cover 7 acres. The waste areas may potentially affect both the shallow and the sea-
level aquifers. Local surface water bodies are used for recreation. A coastal wetland is located
within 200 feet of the site. The closest residence is located Vz mile away. The population on the
Seaplane Base is approximately 4,000. The City of Oak Harbor and the Seaplane Base import
fresh water from the mainland via a pipeline as their primary source of water. Two backup wells
exist for emergency purposes.
Investigations at this site found heavy metals, including lead and arsenic, in the soil in the vicinity
of an old auto repair shop and adjacent to the old seaplane nose hanger/repair shop. There were
also three soil "hot spots" of pesticide contamination near Building 25 and an area of polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that was removed to allow unlimited use of the Seaplane Base.
The groundwater and surface water may have been contaminated with heavy metals. The
sediments may have contained heavy metals and PAHs. Multiple leaks and spills from fuel and oil
tank storage areas may have affected the surface waters of Oak and Crescent Harbors.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
In 1993, the Navy completed an investigation into the nature and extent of contamination at the
landfill area, auto repair and paint shop, a disposal area, a nose Hangar, and a salvage yard. The
cleanup remedy selected in 1993 was to excavate the areas of contamination and dispose of the
soils in an appropriate off-site landfill. Excavation began in the summer of 1994 and was
completed in early 1995.
The site was deleted from the NPL on September 21, 1995.
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Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (Ault Field) Congressional District: 02
Island County, Whidbey Island, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
Site Background;
The Naval Air Station (NAS) at Whidbey Island, Ault Field is a Department of the Navy 8,000-
acre facility and consists of Ault Field and the Seaplane Base. The Seaplane Base also is on the
NPL is being addressed in conjunction with Ault Field. The station was commissioned in 1942,
and the air station's current mission is to maintain and operate Navy aircraft and aviation facilities
and to provide associated support activities. Since the 1940s, operations at the air station have
generated a variety of hazardous wastes. Site investigation studies confirmed contamination of
soil, sediments and groundwater throughout the installation. Contaminants include
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, chlorinated solvents, polyaromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), and pesticides.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
The NAS Whidbey Island, Ault Field Superfond site consists of 4 project areas. Cleanup
activities are either complete or underway at all of the project areas.
Project Area #1 - Area 6 Landfill: This area served as the main landfill for Navy operations at the
air station. The remedial investigation revealed that groundwater beneath the landfill was
contaminated with chlorinated solvents, and that the contaminants were moving off site and
threatening nearby private drinking water wells. In May 1991, the Navy began a voluntary
program to hook up residents living close to the landfill to city water. An Interim Action Record
of Decision was signed in April 1992 and a final Record of Decision was signed in December
1993. As part of the cleanup effort, a groundwater pump and treat system has been constructed
and the 40-acre landfill has been capped. The pump and treat system has been operating since
June 1995, and cap construction was completed in October 1996.
Project Area #2 - Areas 2, 3, 4, 14, & 29: Project area #2 consists of 2 landfills, a waste storage
area, a pesticide rinsate disposal area, and a fire training area. Contaminants of concern include
PCBs, PCP, dichlorophenol, dioxin, pesticides and PAHs. The Record of Decision was signed in
May 1994 included the excavation and off-site disposal of approximately 5,000 cubic yards of
contaminated soil. All construction activities for this project area have been completed;
institutional controls are in place and the Navy will continue groundwater monitoring.
Project Area #3 - Runway Ditch Complex: The ditch complex consists of approximately 9 miles
of connected ditches and culverts that drain the runway area and receive discharge from many of
the station's storm drains. The majority of the ditches eventually connect into one stream that
flows off site toward a nearby lagoon and bay. As a result of past dumping practices and spills,
ditch sediments were contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons, lead, arsenic and
pesticides. A Record of Decision was signed in April 1995. Approximately 6,000 cubic yards of
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contaminated sediments were excavated from the ditch complex and disposed of in project area
#1 prior to capping. The Navy completed construction work, including restoration, in May 1996.
Project Area #4 - Areas 1, 52, and 31: This project area consists of a former fire training area, a
jet engine test facility, and a landfill. The ROD was signed in May 1996. No contamination
associated with the construction debris landfill was found. Groundwater and soil contamination
associated with leaking underground tanks was detected at Areas 52 and 31. Contaminants of
concern include PCBs, lead, total petroleum hydrocarbons, PAHs, volatile organic compounds,
semi-volatile organic compounds and dioxins. Oil skimming and bioventing were the selected
remedies. The Navy completed construction and installation of the remedies in October 1996.
The systems will operate for the next several years.
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Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Station Congressional District: 02
(4 Waste Areas) Listing: 10/04/89
Kitsap County, Keyport, Washington
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Station (NUWES) at Keyport was acquired in 1913 to
develop a still-water torpedo testing range. The 200-acre site consists of six separate areas on a
peninsula 15 miles west of Seattle, Washington. The site is contaminated with wastes containing
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals that were disposed of or spilled at the site.
Nearby, at Liberty Bay, wastes were discharged directly into the water. The station is involved in
a wide variety of activities, including the maintenance of torpedoes; fuel and ordnance storage;
and production functions, such as welding, plating, painting, carpentry, and sheet metal work.
Approximately 3,500 people work at the facility. There are 135 private wells and 22 public water
supply wells drawing from the surficial aquifer within 3 miles of the site. The wells serve
approximately 230 households. The on-site unlined landfill is built on a salt marsh and may be in
contact with the groundwater. The Van Meter area of the site is located near an intermittent
creek that flows into a lagoon used for fishing and swimming. Liberty and Dogfish Bays are used
for recreational activities and for commercial shell fishing.
Groundwater is contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and VOCs. Sediments
and soils contain heavy metals. Contaminants identified in shellfish include semi-VOCs and
metals.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
The State of Washington is the lead regulatory agency overseeing the cleanup of this site. The
site is being addressed in two stages: early actions and two long-term actions focusing on the
cleanup of the Keyport Landfill and the other areas (Areas 2, 3, 5, 8, & 9) consisting of Van
Meter Road Spill/Drum Storage Area, Sludge Disposal Area, Plating Shop Waste/Oil Spill Area,
Otto Fuel Leak, and Liberty Bay Outfalls/Shoreline.
Early Action: In 1992, the Navy removed chromium contaminated soils from the Plating
Shop/Waste Oil Spill Area. This early action reduced contamination at the site, thus reducing
immediate threats to human health and the environment.
Long-term Actions:
Keyport Landfill: Due to a high level of community concerns about this landfill, the Navy is
conducting further investigations to determine the nature and extent of contamination at the
landfill. At the conclusion of the investigation, scheduled for 1997, an appropriate cleanup
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remedy will be selected.
Other Areas (Areas 2, 3, 5, 8, & 9): In the fall of 1994, the EPA selected remedies to address
areas 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9. Groundwater contamination in Areas 3 and 5 was determined to be within
the EPA's acceptable risk range; therefore, no action is needed. The remedy selected for Area 2
includes implementing institutional controls and monitoring. Area 9 requires monitoring and Area
8 (plating-shop) will have all contaminated soil removed around and underneath the shop down to
the groundwater level. Once the source of the contamination is removed, the groundwater will be
monitored. The Navy began design of these activities in early 1995 and it is scheduled for
completion in the fall of 1997. Construction is expected to begin in 1998.
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North Market Street Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 10/04/89
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The 50-acre site in Spokane, Washington was once operated as a petroleum refinery complex.
Industrial activities since the 1930s resulted in the contamination of site soil and groundwater with
petroleum compounds and volatile organic compounds. The site overlies a sole source aquifer
serving as drinking water for over 200,000 people within a three-mile radius.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
Under a 1992 State Order, the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) are currently conducting
the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) which will be completed in 1998.
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Northside Landfill Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 06/10/86
Site Background:
The Northside Landfill is located on a 345-acre parcel of land in northwestern Spokane,
Washington. The site was established as a city landfill in 1931 and was the largest refuse disposal
operation in Spokane County. The site was used for open burning until the mid-1950s when open
burning was replaced with shallow excavation and fill operations. In the 1960s, the process of
covering refuse-filled trenches and canyons with soil was used. In the mid-1970s, an area fill
technique was started using 20-foot lifts (20 feet thick layers) on previously buried refuse. The
existing landfill stopped receiving refuse in December 1991. More recently, a new waste disposal
cell, meeting all new State requirements for landfills, was constructed. This action will allow a
15-acre parcel on--site to continue operations as a small special municipal landfill in the future. It
is anticipated that Northside will be used as a demolition waste and incinerator by-pass disposal
site. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have filtered into the aquifer beneath the site. The
aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for the City of Spokane. Approximately 65 residents
live in the area of the groundwater plume.
Several nearby domestic water wells are contaminated with organic solvents including
tetrachloroethylene (PCE). On-site sludge contains trichloroethylene (TCE) and PCE.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1983, the City of Spokane extended municipal water service to homes that had
contaminated wells and later to the entire area downgradient of the landfill. All residences within
the contaminant plume area have been provided with alternate water supplies. The City is
regularly monitoring on-site wells and a number of off-site wells and has determined the location
and direction of the flow of the plume.
Long-term Actions: In 1989, the EPA selected a cleanup remedy for the landfill that includes:
closure of the existing landfill units as soon as possible; installation of a cap after closure;
treatment of the groundwater to reduce the amount of contamination migrating from the landfill;
continuation of groundwater monitoring; installation of a gas collection system to control landfill
gas; and deed restrictions to protect the landfill, cap, and monitoring wells from unauthorized
access. The City of Spokane under an EPA Consent Decree performed the design and
construction activities. All the landfill units were closed by the summer of 1993. A cap has been
installed over the landfill and the site is fully fenced and landscaped. Landfill contaminants have
been contained arid are no longer spreading. An alternate water supply has been provided to all
affected residences. All construction activities at the site were completed in 1993. Groundwater
will continue to be treated until it meets drinking water standards.
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Northwest Transformer (Mission/Pole) Congressional District: 02
Whatcom County, 2 miles south of Everson, Washington Listing: 06/10/86
Site Background:
The Northwest Transformer (Mission/Pole) site covers 1.6 acres in Whatcom County,
Washington. The property was agricultural farmland until 1958, when the Northwest
Transformer Service Company began leasing the site. The Company used the site as a salvage
yard and stored, repaired, and recycled electrical transformers and capacitors on site from 1958 to
1985. They also carried out other activities on site, including dismantling and reclaiming
equipment, burning casings for transformers in an open concrete burn pit, burning waste oils in a
space heater, and draining transformer oils into a seepage pit. Frequently, chemicals including
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) spilled and leaked into site soil. The site is located in a
rural/residential area and is bordered by low-density residential areas to the north and east, by an
active gravel pit to the west, and by agricultural (grain) fields to the south. Approximately 700
acres of agricultural land are irrigated with groundwater located within 3 miles of the site. The
nearest residence is located approximately 300 feet away, and about 27 private wells are located
within 14-mile of the site. Approximately 200 people live within 1 mile of the salvage yard.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: EPA conducted an early action in 1985 that included the construction of a fence,
excavation and disposal of about 1,400 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soil and debris, and
removal of over 6,500 gallons of PCB-contaminated liquid. Soil remaining on site was
characterized during the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) completed in 1988
and subsequent investigations.
Long-term Actions: In 1988, EPA completed an investigation of the remaining on-site soil. The
remedy selected in 1989 called in-situ vitrification of PCB-contaminated soil. Subsequent
problems with implementation of that technology and additional soil sampling on site by the PRPs
led to and amendment to remedy in 1991. The amended remedy called for excavation and off-site
disposal, through incineration, of contaminated soil.
The PRPs performed the remedy under a Consent Decree with EPA. The work performed
included excavation and treatment/disposal of 4,700 tons of soil/debris and 50,000 gallons of
contaminated liquids and wastewater. Over 267 tons of soils and 550 gallons of liquids exceeding
50 ppm PCBs were incinerated at the Aptus facility in Utah; 4,400 tons of soil and barn debris
were landfilled at the Chemical Waste Management Landfill in Arlington, Oregon. Less
contaminated liquids were disposed of at the City of Bellingham treatment facility. The PRPs
completed all work at the site by June 30, 1994.
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Northwest Transformer (South Harkness Street) Congressional District: 02
Whatcom County, City of Everson, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
Site Background:
The Northwest Transformer Service Company operated a transformer, reclamation, storage, and
manufacturing facility on a 1-acre site in downtown Everson, Washington, from 1958 to 1987.
The Company used an on-site building to manufacture, recycle and rebuild transformers and an
unpaved lot for storage of transformers, drums, bulk materials and salvage. The company
transferred its main storage and salvage operations from its Mission and Pole Roads salvage yard,
which is also on the NPL, to the South Harkness Street site in 1985. A Washington State
Department of Ecology inspection in 1985 detected high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) in on-site soils. The site is bordered by a city park, Main Street businesses, and South
Harkness Street. Approximately 2,200 people live within 3 miles of the site, and over 10,000
people use wells operating within 3 miles of the site for drinking water and irrigation. However,
no site-related groundwater contamination has ever been detected and there are no drinking water
wells downgradient from the site.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed (No Further Action)
Early Actions: The Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) conducted an early action under a
Consent Order with EPA. Approximately 14 tons of PCB-contaminated soil (>100 ppm) were
excavated and incinerated at the Aptus incinerator in Utah, and over 3,750 tons of PCB-
contaminated soil (<100 ppm) was disposed of in off-site hazardous waste landfills.
Long-term Actions: Under the same Consent Order, in 1994, the PRPs completed an investigation
to determine the nature and extent of contamination remaining at the site. Based on the results of
the investigation subsequent to the early action, the EPA determined that no further action was
necessary to address the site except for groundwater monitoring, and institutional controls for
access restrictions. PCBs remain in soils below the new asphalt parking lot at concentrations up
to 28 ppm, but typically less than 1 ppm. Groundwater monitoring has continued to date with no
detection of any site-related contaminants.
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Oeser Company Congressional District: 02
Whatcom County, Bellingham, Washington Listing: 09/25/97
Site Background:
The Oeser Company (Oeser) is located in a mixed residential and industrial area of Bellingham,
Washington. The 23 acre site has been operating as a wood treater, preparing and treating
wooden poles since the early 1940s. Creosote was used as a wood-treating preservative in the
past; however, Oeser now uses a pentachlorophenol (PCP) solution.
Oeser maintains a stormwater outfall into a nearby creek, Little Squalicum Creek. The creek
flows into Bellingham Bay. Fish and other aquatic species are no longer found in Little
Squalicum Creek due, in part, to elevated concentrations of contaminants. Bellingham Bay is a
popular commercial fishery and shellfish harvesting area. Numerous wetlands are also located in
the vicinity. Migratory birds, including peregrine falcons and bald eagles, and other wildlife make
their homes in the area.
In the Spring of 1997, EPA conducted a removal assessment of immediate threats that the Oeser
site might pose to human health and the environment from onsite areas of highest potential
contamination. Elevated levels of dioxins were found in onsite surface soil. Elevated levels of
pentachlorophenol, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in onsite surface
and subsurface soil, and in shallow and deep groundwater. Up to two feet of floating product
(PCP/petroleum) was found on the shallow groundwater under part of the site. Past EPA
sampling also shows contamination in sediment of Little Squalicum Creek.
Cleanup Progress:
Early Actions: To address the immediate threats posed by the site, EPA has begun a time-critical
Removal Action (Removal). The Removal will consist of excavation of the most contaminated
soil, capping dioxin contaminated areas, and further site investigation.
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Old Inland Pit Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Old Inland Pit site, located in Spokane, Washington, is 10-acre former gravel pit that was
used as a "mine" for asphalt source material in 1977, and from 1978 to 1983 a steel foundry
disposed of 180 tons of baghouse dust at the site. The site is over the sole source aquifer for
30,000 people within a three mile radius. Site soil is contaminated with elevated levels of heavy
metals and organic solvents.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
The site Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study is being conducted by the State and is
expected to be completed in 1998.
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Old Navy Dump/Manchester Annex Congressional District: 06
Manchester, Kitsap County, Washington Listing: 05/13/94
Site Background:
Currently, EPA and the National Marine Fisheries Research Service operate laboratory facilities at
this site, which was owned by the Army/Navy until the early 1960s. Previous Naval activities at
the site included fire fighter training and waste disposal. Fire fighter training resulted in soil
contamination with petroleum compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins.
Approximately 70,000 cubic yards of demolition debris and industrial waste were dumped into a
former tidal lagoon. Landfill contents include a wide variety of contaminants including heavy
metals, PCBs, dioxins, and asbestos. Erosion and leaching from the dump has caused
contamination of sediment, water, and shellfish in Clam Bay. Residents in the area use
groundwater for domestic supplies.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
EPA and the Navy have recently completed a thorough investigation regarding the nature and
extent of the contamination and developed long-term cleanup alternatives. A Proposed Cleanup
Plan was released for public comment in April 1997. EPA plans to select a remedy for the site in
1997. Construction activities are anticipated to begin in 1998 and conclude in 1999.
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Pacific Car and Foundry (PACCAR) Congressional District: 08
King County, Redmond, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background;
PACCAR manufactured trucks, military equipment and railroad cars on the 82-acre facility from
1907 until 1988. Until 1964, the facility disposed of waste material including foundry sand,
wood, metal, paint, solvents and oils in a marshy area underlain by peat and clay. Wastes were
buried up to 7 feet below the surface. The soil on the site is contaminated with heavy metals,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Groundwater
is contaminated with heavy metals, petroleum products and solvents. Approximately 37,000
people use groundwater from municipal wells located within 3 miles of the site.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
In 199 the State selected a remedy for the site that consisted of treatment of contaminated soil hot
spots, and capping and institutional controls for residual soil contamination. Under a Consent
Decree between the State and PACCAR construction of the remedy was completed in 1996.
Activities included bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soil, stabilization of metals
contaminated soil, and excavation and off-site removal of PCBs and PAHs contaminated soil.
Bioremediation is expected to be completed by November of 1997.
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Pacific Sound Resources Congressional District: 07
King County, Seattle, Washington Listing: 05/31/94
Site Background:
The Pacific Sound Resources (PSR) site is a 25-acre property. It is located on Southwest Florida
Street in West Seattle, Washington. The WycofFCo. began operations at this former wood
treating facility in 1909 and ceased operations in 1994. Wood was treated primarily with
creosote, pentachlorophenol, and a mixture of copper, zinc, and arsenic. Site contaminants
include carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), pentachlorophenol, arsenic, and
dioxin/furans. Land use in the immediate area is industrial. No drinking water wells are impacted
by site releases, and the State has made the determination that the aquifer associated with the site
is non-potable.
Cleanup is focused in three areas: soils, groundwater, and adjacent marine sediments. Because
the site adjoins an urban bay area, discharge of contaminated groundwater and non-aqueous phase
liquid (NAPL) to marine waters is a primary concern. Approximately 30 acres of off-shore
sediment are impacted by Pacific Sound Resources (PSR) contaminants.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Within three years of being listed on the NPL, this Superrund site is almost clean. Since 1994, all
on-site structures, retorts, and tanks have been demolished. Contaminated sludges from tanks and
from beneath the retorts were sent off site to a hazardous waste landfill, along with buried
contaminated wood waste material. Contaminated groundwater and the majority of NAPL are
contained behind a 45-foot deep, 1,700 lineal foot slurry wall that was constructed along the
shoreline of the site. The entire site is being capped with clean fill and asphalt, and all upland soil
work will be completed by late 1997. The work is being performed by the Port of Seattle under
an Administrative Order with EPA.
Early actions for soils and light NAPL were completed under EPA Superfund's Accelerated
Cleanup Model (SACM). Institutional controls for the soil remedy, and remedies for
groundwater and marine sediments will be documented in a Record of Decision (ROD) due in
1999.
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Palermo Wellfield Groundwater Contamination Congressional District: 03
Thurston County, Tumwater, Washington Listing: 04/01/97
Site Background:
The Palermo Wellfield consists of six wells that provide up to 50% of the drinking water for the
city of Tumwater. In 1993, routine sampling of the wells detected the solvent trichloroethylene in
three of the City wells. The City removed the three contaminated wells from service and replaced
them with two new wells at a different location. Approximately 5,600 could be affected by the
groundwater contamination.
Cleanup Progress:
Early Actions: EPA is currently taking soil samples at the site to determine whether an expedited
cleanup action is appropriate for cleaning up the site.
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Pasco Sanitary Landfill Congressional District: 04
Franklin County, Pasco, Washington Listing: 02/21/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Pasco Sanitary Landfill (PSL) is an active landfill located on 280 acres of land 1 1/2 miles
northeast of Pasco, Washington. PSL operated as an open burning dump from 1956 to 1971.
Municipal wastes were dumped on the surface and were periodically burned. In 1971, PSL was
converted to a sanitary landfill. The operations permit for the sanitary landfill expired in mid-
1992. A portion of the site was leased in 1972 and operated as a regional hazardous waste
disposal site. The site accepted hazardous wastes until 1981. More than 47,000 drums of various
hazardous wastes were deposited in the leased portion of the landfill. Wastes included sludges,
paints, resins, herbicide manufacturing wastes, caustic chemicals, and empty pesticide containers.
Prior to burial, liquid wastes were dried in lined and unlined lagoons. Groundwater beneath the
site is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethylene (TCE),
toluene, and xylenes. Groundwater within 3 miles of the site is used by over 1,000 people for
drinking and irrigating almost 10,000 acres of land. One mobile home trailer and one drinking
water well are located on the site. This resident is currently being provided with bottled water.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
The site PRPs constructed a new lined cell on site that is being used for waste disposal. An
interim cover has been constructed over the old cell. Based on data available from investigative
work, bottled water is being provided by the PRPs to local residents. The remedial investigation
is on going and is expected to be completed in 1997. The PRPs are conducting this work under a
State Order.
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Pesticide Lab (Yakima) Congressional District: 04
Yakima County, Yakima, Washington Listing: 09/8/83
Site Background:
The Pesticide Lab (Yakima) is an agricultural research laboratory that covers approximately 40
acres in Yakima, Washington. The site is leased by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USD A).
Over the years, wastes from the pesticide storage/formulation/mixing facility were discharged into
a septic tank disposal system at the site. Approximately 10,000 people live within 1 mile of the
site, and about 60,000 people use the groundwater for drinking water.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Since the Pesticide Lab (Yakima) site is an active facility, it was addressed under RCRA. A
sampling program to determine the extent of groundwater and soil contamination at the site began
in 1990. Results of the sampling indicated that an on-site septic tank and drain line had to be
removed. These items were removed by USDA in 1992.
The site was deleted from the NPL on September 1, 1993.
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Port Hadlock Detachment (US Navy) Congressional District: 02
Jefferson County, Indian Island, Washington Listing: 05/31/94
Site Background:
The Port Hadlock Detachment (US Navy) site is located on Indian Island, a 2,700 acre island
located southeast of the city of Port Townsend, Washington. The Navy utilizes this site for
conventional ordnance storage, maintenance, and disposal. Disposal activities at several locations
at the site resulted in soil, groundwater, sediment, and shellfish contamination with ordnance
compounds, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides. Groundwater on the
island is not currently used for drinking or other domestic purposes. Commercial and recreational
harvesting of shellfish and other aquatic organisms occurs on island beaches and in coastal waters
surrounding the island. Although most of the island is restricted, civilians occasionally enter along
the beaches by boat to collect clams. Native Americans also have been granted access to the
island to collect shellfish. Fort Flagler State Park is located a few hundred feet from the north end
of the island. Offshore waters around the island are used for spawning, nursing, and feeding by a
variety of marine species. The island supports diverse populations of wildlife including the bald
eagle.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
Completed cleanup activities include excavation of ordnance debris and contaminated soils from
two locations where ordnance was previously destroyed or disposed. Cleanup activities at a
former landfill situated in a former tidal lagoon are scheduled to be completed in 1997. Activities
include excavation of debris from the beach, construction of a landfill erosion protection system,
and construction of a landfill cover to prevent precipitation from coming in contact with landfill
contents. Site-wide cleanup will be considered complete when monitoring determines that
shellfish are safe to eat. All work is being conducted by the U.S. Navy.
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Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Congressional District: 06
Kitsap County, Bremerton, Washington Listing: 05/31/94
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology)
Site Background:
The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Complex site is located in Bremerton, Washington, along the
Sinclair Inlet on the Puget Sound, about 15 miles west of Seattle. The Navy has owned and
operated facilities at this site since 1891. The site covers 350 acres of land and 340 acres of
tidelands along 11,000 feet of shoreline. Over 12,000 people are employed at the complex, which
consists of the Naval Shipyard and the Naval Supply Center. The complex contains over 300
buildings and structures, six deep water piers, six dry docks, and numerous moorings. Currently,
there are two site operations: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), which is responsible for
overhaul, maintenance, docking and decommissioning of ships; and Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center (FISC), which is responsible for storage, supply, and recycle of materials used at the
shipyard.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, and other organic compounds have been found
in soil, sediments, and groundwater at various areas of the site.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
The site was divided into four project areas for investigation:
Project Area NSC: The Record of Decision (ROD) was signed in December 1996. It is a 28-acre
site operated by the FISC. The selected remedy includes upgrading and maintenance of the
landfill cap, cleaning the storm drains, institutional controls, and development of excavation
management plans. The design is scheduled to begin in 1997. Groundwater contamination, if
any, will be addressed under the remedy selected for Project Area-B.
Project Area-A: The ROD was signed in January 1997. It is the 12-acre site at the western
boundary of PSNS. The selected remedy includes the capping of the unpaved areas, upgrading
the rip-rap barrier along Sinclair Inlet, institutional controls, groundwater monitoring, and habitat
enhancement. The design is scheduled to begin in 1997. Groundwater contamination, if any, will
be addressed under the remedy selected for Project Area-B.
Project Area-B: The ongoing Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) for this
Project Area includes the main industrial core of PSNS, and Sinclair Inlet sediments. It also
includes an evaluation of all groundwater contamination via a site-wide groundwater model, and
also evaluates other (non-Navy) sources of contamination to Sinclair Inlet. Completion is
expected to be in 1998.
Project Area-C: This Project Area consists of two 5 million gallon oil storage tanks. As part of
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the RI/FS a steam sparging demonstration project is on going to reduce levels of petroleum in soil
and groundwater. The project has been successful and the Navy will be completing the cleanup
for this Project Area under their petroleum program. .
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Queen City Farms Congressional District 8
King County, 2Vi miles north of Maple Valley, Washington Listing 9/21/84
Site Background:
The Queen City Farms site is a 320-acre parcel of land located approximately 21/2 miles northwest
of Maple Valley, Washington. The site includes a wooded area, three industrial waste disposal
ponds, a composting facility, a gravel pit, and Queen City Lake. Three ponds were used for the
disposal of industrial/hazardous wastes from 1955 to 1964. In 1980, the ponds were sampled by
the EPA, and heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in the water,
sludge, and sediment. The area surrounding the site is semi-rural. Approximately 7,800 people
live within 3 miles of the site. An estimated 105 public and private wells are located within !/2
mile of Queen City Farms. The King County Cedar Hills Landfill is located immediately to the
north of the site.
On-site groundwater monitoring wells contain VOCs such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and
dichloroethylene (DCE). Arsenic was detected in residential wells. The soil is contaminated with
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals. Sludge and surface water contain TCE.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
The site is bsing addressed in two stages: early actions and a long-term action focusing on
cleanup of the entire site.
Early Actions: Between 1985 and 1986, Queen City Farms excavated, solidified, contained, and
safely removed approximately 1 million gallons of liquid waste and more than 16,000 cubic yards
of solidified waste material from three waste ponds on the site. In addition, the potentially
responsible parties (PRPs) installed an initial upgradient water diversion system; processed wastes
in ponds 1, 2, and 3; installed the final upgradient water diversion system; and capped, graded,
and revegetated the site. In 1988, soil and drum fragments were taken to a permitted hazardous
waste disposal facility. In 1990, approximately 200 cubic yards of contaminated soil were
removed from an area of the site known as 4-Tek Industries. Shallow groundwater is being
monitored as part of the 1990 early action to determine if further actions are necessary.
Long-term Actions: In the summer of 1992, the EPA completed the site investigation, and in late
1992 selected the final site remedy, which includes removing floating oil product from the top of
the shallow groundwater; removing contaminated soils; constructing a vertical barrier wall;
extracting and treating contaminated groundwater from within the contained area; excavating
approximately 10,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris; installing a groundwater
monitoring well to sample and analyze deep groundwater in the vicinity of 4-Tek Industries;
imposing deed restrictions and institutional controls on land and groundwater use; and long-term
on- and off-site groundwater and surface water monitoring. Under a Consent Decree with EPA,
the Boeing Company, one of the PRPs, is performing the design and cleanup. Design activities
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began in late 1994 and were completed in 1996. In 1996, construction of the vertical barrier was
completed and all remaining contaminated soils were either treated off site or contained within the
new containment area. Remaining construction activities are expected to be completed in 1999.
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Seattle Municipal Landfill (Kent Highlands) Congressional District: 09
King Counly, Kent, Washington Listing: 08/30/90
State Lead (activities conducted under the authority of the Department of Ecology
Site Background:
The Seattle Municipal Landfill (Kent Highlands) site is located in Kent, approximately 14 miles
south of Seattle. From 1968 to 1986, the City of Seattle leased the site and disposed of refuse on
about 60 acres of a 90-acre ravine located on a hillside above the Green River. In addition to
municipal wastes, the landfill accepted sand-blasting grit, industrial sludge, and other industrial
wastes. In 1984, contaminants were detected in on-site monitoring wells, and leachate seeps were
noted on the eastern side of the landfill. The leachate mixed with runoff from the landfill and was
routed to a leachate collection pond, which discharged into a sanitary sewer system under permit.
Landfill gas contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including toluene, xylene, vinyl
chloride, and trichloroethylene (TCE). Groundwater is contaminated with heavy metals. Leachate
contains VOCs and heavy metals. Approximately 12,700 people live within 1 mile of the site.
Over 18,000 people obtain drinking water from public wells located within 3 miles of the landfill.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Initial actions taken at the landfill included the installation of a leachate collection and treatment
system during operation of the landfill in the 1970s, installation of a landfill gas control system,
and construction of a fence to limit site access. Improvements to the landfill gas control system
were made in 1990 and 1991. The final site remedy, an impermeable cover and a ditch system to
direct surface water to a stormwater detention pond, was completed in June 1995. All work was
performed by the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) under a State Order.
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Silver Mountain Mine Congressional District: 04
Okanogan County, Horse Springs Coulee, Washington Listing: 06/10/86
Site Background:
The Silver Mountain Mine site is a five-acre abandoned silver and gold mine located in Horse
Springs Coulee, approximately 8 miles northwest of Tonasket, Washington. The site operated
sporadically from 1928 to the 1960s. In the early 1980s, cyanide was used to extract metals from
mine tailings. In this process, a solution of sodium cyanide was pumped over the tailings and
drained into a collection basin where metals were extracted from the solution. By 1983, the site
was abandoned and the mine tailings and holding basin, which contained cyanide-contaminated
water, were left behind. A leachate collection trench associated with the ore extraction was also
contaminated with cyanide and arsenic. The nearest residence is approximately 3 miles away, and
fewer than five people live within 3 miles. Private wells are located within 3 miles and are used
for domestic purposes, irrigation, and livestock watering.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1982, the State conducted an action which included neutralizing the cyanide in
the pond and in the mine tailings using sodium hypochlorite. In 1985, the State removed
contaminated water in the leachate collection trench from the site and covered the trench with a
liner.
Long-term Actions: Remediation was completed by EPA in 1992. Approximately 7,000 cubic
yards of mine tailings were consolidated and capped, the mine entrance was closed, and the site
was revegetated. Groundwater monitoring indicated that groundwater quality was within
acceptable levels!; EPA is anticipating deleting this site from the NPL in FY 97.
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Spokane Junkyard and Associated Properties Congressional District: 05
Spokane County, Spokane, Washington Listing: 05/31/94
Site Background:
The Spokane Junkyard/Associated Properties site is approximately 16 acres in size located in
Spokane, Washington. The surrounding area is light commercial and residential, with single- and
multiple-family dwellings, several private businesses, and an elementary school. From the 1940s
until 1983, the Spokane Junkyard accepted military surplus items, automobiles, heavy equipment,
appliances, and electrical transformers. Spokane Metals Co., located next to the junkyard,
recycled scrap metal including transformers from 1936 to 1983. A residential lot, a privately
owned vacant field, and an undeveloped strip of land dedicated to public use also fall within the
boundaries of the site. An explosive fire in mid-1987 consumed the junkyard. During studies
conducted from 1987 to 1989, the EPA found elevated levels of heavy metals and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) in surface soils. Public and private wells located within 4 miles of the site
supply drinking water to an estimated 165,000 people. The water from these wells is also used
for irrigation. The site lies above the Spokane Valley Aquifer, a sole source aquifer.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: From 1987 to 1989, as part of an emergency action at the site. The EPA
transported 8000 cubic yards of lead- and PCB-contaminated soil, 125,000 pounds of hazardous
liquid and solid v/aste, and 140 cubic yards of asbestos to regulated landfills. Hazardous
materials removed from the site included PCB oils, flammable materials, corrosive materials, and
chlorinated organic compounds.
In the summer of 1995, under an EPA Administrative Order, three of the site potentially
responsible parties (PRPs), Kaiser Aluminum, Washington Water Power, and Inland Power and
Light, completed an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis. In the fall of 1996, the PRPs under
an EPA Administrative Order performed an early cleanup action. Contaminated soil was
excavated, treated through chemical stabilization, and consolidated in an on-site containment cell.
Construction activities were completed in December 1996 and successfully remediated the site.
The site is scheduled to be deleted from the NPL in September 1997.
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Toftdahl Drums Congressional District: 03
Clark County, Bush Prairie, Washington Listing: 06/10/86
Site Background:
The 15-acre Toftdahl Drums site, located in Brush Prairie, Washington, was used in the early
1970s to clean used drums for resale. The three main areas where hazardous substances were
used included a drum cleaning area, an initial burial trench, and a final drum burial area. Between
100 and 200 drums containing industrial waste were brought to the site from a plywood
manufacturer. About 50 of the drums were crushed, placed in a trench, and covered with dirt
because they could not be cleaned. Between 1978 and 1982, 38 of the drums from the trench
were moved to a local landfill. In 1983, EPA site investigations revealed six badly rusted and
leaking drums, which were subsequently removed. The area surrounding the site is rural/
residential. Approximately 5,770 people live within 3 miles of the site. The surface of the site
slopes downward to a spring and a small westerly flowing tributary of Morgan Creek.
On-site surface water, groundwater, and soil were contaminated with heavy metals and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1983, the EPA sampled the six leaking drums and placed them in an excavation
trench lined with polyethylene. The drums were then capped with a sheet of polyethylene,
excavated soil, and a final sheet of polyethylene. A 6-foot fence was installed around the
excavated area. Three additional drums were found in a second excavation and were placed
within the fenced area. In 1984, five potential burial locations were identified outside the fence
and one area inside the fence. Further investigation of the areas outside the fence uncovered
metal debris and "paint-chip-like" debris. This debris was addressed in the subsequent cleanup
action. Inside the fenced area, 20 pits were excavated.
In 1985 the State of Washington removed and disposed of five crushed drums, parts of additional
drums, and 40 cubic yards of contaminated soils. Contaminated soils were placed in
polypropylene bags. All contaminated materials were disposed of off site at a federally approved
hazardous waste facility.
The site was deleted from the NPL on December 23, 1988.
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Tulalip Landfill Congressional District: 02
Snohomiish County, Marysville, Washington Listing: 04/25/95
Site Background:
The Tulalip Landfill is located on North Ebey Island, within the boundaries of the Tulalip Indian
Reservation near Marysville, Washington (approximately 30 miles north of Seattle). The Seattle
Disposal Company leased the 147-acre site from the Tulalip Tribes from 1964 to 1979. During
this time approximately four million tons of mixed commercial and industrial waste were disposed
of in the landfill. An estimated 7,800 people obtain their drinking water from private and
municipal wells that are within 4 miles of the site. The nearest drinking water source is within 1
mile of the site.
The major contaminants of concern found in the landfill and in the leachate are polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, zinc, copper, lead, nickel, ammonia, arsenic, and cyanide. There are
also concerns over medical wastes and biological contamination.
Cleanup Progress: Studies Underway
In March 1996, EPA issued an interim Record of Decision (ROD) addressing contamination on
the site. The ROD was based on the presumptive remedy guidance. The selected remedy consists
of placing a landfill cover system over the 147 acres of waste material.
Almost 20C de-minimis parties have settled and made payments into a special account. While
negotiations with some of the responsible parties are still ongoing, the majority of the major
parties have settled with the EPA. Several Consent Decrees and Administrative Orders are being
processed to formalize these agreements.
Initial site preparation work and site stabilization work will begin in 1997. The design activities
should be completed by the fall of 1997, and construction will begin in 1998. Construction of the
cover system is anticipated to take 2-years.
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Vancouver Water Station #1 Contamination Congressional District 3
Clark County, Vancouver, Washington Listing 5/31/94
Site Background:
The Vancouver Water Station #1 site, located at East Reserve and Northeast Plain Boulevard in
Vancouver, Washington and is one of the well fields that supplies drinking water to the City of
Vancouver. Vancouver Water Station #1 is the largest of Vancouver's operating well fields and is
located in a municipal park called Waterworks Park. Ten wells pump as much as 20 million
gallons of water per day during peak periods to supply drinking water to the residents of
Vancouver and Clark County. In 1988, the City discovered low levels of tetrachloroethylene
(PCE) and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in some of the wells at Station #1. In 1992,
the concentrations of PCE in some individual wells exceeded the federal drinking water standard
for this chemical.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: The EPA conducted initial site inspections in 1990 and 1991, which included
taking soil gas measurements at businesses near the site. The source of contamination was not
found. In response to increasing levels of contamination, the City of Vancouver began pumping
wells and designing a groundwater treatment system. Five air stripping towers were constructed
and began removing contaminants from the groundwater in the summer of 1993. The City of
Vancouver continues to operate the groundwater treatment system.
A full investigation of the nature and extent of contamination is on hold due to lack of funding.
However since a groundwater treatment system has been constructed and is operating
successfully, EPA is exploring options to streamline a site investigation process and remove the
site from the NPL.
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Vancouver Water Station #4 Contamination Congressional District: 03
Clark County, Vancouver, Washington Listing 10/14/92
Site Background:
Vancouver Water Station #4 is located in the City of Vancouver, Washington, approximately 1/2
mile north of the Columbia River. Station #4 is one of several well fields used to provide drinking
water to Vancouver and surrounding areas; it blends water output from other wells to supply
drinking water to approximately 108,000 people. In 1988, the Washington State Department of
Health sampled Water Station #4 under guidelines provided by the Safe Drinking Water Act and
discovered perchloroethylene (PCE) in excess of the Federal standards. The sample also showed
very low levels of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethylene (TCE). The
City took Station #4 out of service in October of 1989.
Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated
Early Actions: The City of Vancouver has constructed two air stripping towers at the site. The
towers began operating in early 1992 and are removing contaminants from the groundwater. The
treated water is then distributed to the community.
The City of Vancouver has examined soil gas, groundwater, and existing and newly installed
monitoring welis. PCE was not detected in any soil samples collected from the monitoring well
borings; however, high levels of PCE were discovered in the groundwater of some monitoring
wells. This study also has investigated historic land use in an effort to identify potential sources of
PCE. Dry cleaners are a suspected source, but further investigation will be necessary to confirm
the actual sources of contamination.
EPA initiated a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study to determine the nature and extent of
contamination at the site, however, the investigation is now on hold due to lack of funding and the
low risk posed by the site.
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Western Processing Company, Inc. Congressional District: 09
King County, Kent, Washington Listing: 09/08/83
Site Background:
The 13-acre Western Processing Company, Inc. is located approximately 20 miles south of
Seattle, in the highly industrialized Kent Valley. Originally, the company reprocessed animal by-
products and brewers' yeast. In the 1960s, the business expanded to include recycling,
reclaiming, treating, and disposing of industrial wastes. The wastes included waste oils,
electroplating wastes, waste pickle liquor, battery acids, flue dust from steel mills, pesticides,
spent solvents, and zinc dross. From 1961 until 1983, approximately 300 businesses transported
their industrial wastes to the Western Processing site. The company stored approximately 4,000
to 6,000 drums on the site. The property also contained 72 bulk tanks, open waste piles, 10
lagoons, transformers, and other containers. The company was closed permanently by court
order in 1983. Approximately 10,000 people live within 3 miles of the site. The City of Kent,
with a population of 41,880, obtains its drinking water from an aquifer located more than 1 mile
from the site. The aquifer is much deeper than the contaminated aquifer at the site.
Contaminants found in groundwater and sediments include phenols and heavy metals. Soils
contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phenols, and
metals. VOCs and metals were detected in surface water.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1983, the EPA stabilized the site by removing 127 drums of PCB liquids; 1,944
cubic yards of solidified paint sludges; 24,700 gallons of recycled solvents; and 447,450 gallons of
mixed contaminated liquids. The EPA and the State also installed a stormwater runoff system,
capped a waste material pile with an impermeable, flexible cover, and regraded portions of the
site. In 1984, construction of a lined impoundment for stormwater collection and treatment was
completed by EPA and the State.
Long-term Actions:
Source Control: In 1984, the EPA selected a remedy to control the source of groundwater
contamination including: removing all bulk liquids, drummed liquids, and waste piles to a federally
approved facility for disposal or incineration; removing and disposing of all transformers and
substation equipment; dismantling, demolishing, and off-site removal all on-site buildings and bulk
storage tanks; using a portable stormwater treatment plant on site; and monitoring air quality.
The potentially responsible parties (PRPs), under a Consent Decree with EPA, completed these
actions in 1984 and in 1986, with the exception of treatment of some dioxin-contaminated liquids,
which was completed in 1986.
Entire Site: In 1985, the EPA selected a remedy to clean up the site that included soil excavation;
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installation of a groundwater pump and treatment system; operation of a wastewater treatment
plant; sediment removal; stream restoration; and planting of vegetation at the Mill Creek and the
East Drain portions of the site. Cleanup was performed by the PRPs under a Consent Decree
with EPA. Approximately 25,000 cubic yards of contaminated soils were removed from the site
in 1987. The wastewater treatment plant began operating in 1988. As of the end of May 1994,
over 507,000,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater had been treated. Construction activities
were completed late in 1991. Cleanup of contaminated sediments in Mill Creek and the East
Drain was completed in 1994. Extensive monitoring, including sampling of the extraction wells,
treatment plant influent and effluent, and Mill Creek and the East Drain, is continuing. In
addition, several wells outside the site are being monitored. Groundwater will continue to be
pumped and treated until all established cleanup goals have been met.
In 1995 EPA modified the cleanup to a combination of pump and treat and containment of the
remaining contamination at the site. The PRPs will complete construction activities at the site
including a r.ew treatment plant, new extraction wells, treatment of soil hot-spot, and a cover over
the site by the end of 1998.
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Wyckoff Co./Eagle Harbor Congressional District: 01
Kitsap County, Bainbridge Island, Washington Listing: 07/22/87
Site Background:
A wood treatment facility operated on the 40-acre Wyckoff facility on Eagle Harbor's south shore
on Bainbridge Island, Washington, from 1903 to 1988. A shipyard operated across the harbor
from 1902 until the late 1950's. Wyckoff facility soil and groundwater are contaminated with
creosote and other wood treating products, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and
pentachlorophenol (PCP). Marine sediments in 500-acre Eagle Harbor are contaminated with
PAHs and other organics, as well as heavy metals such as mercury, copper, lead, and zinc from
the shipyard, at levels toxic to marine life. A local health district advisory warns against
consumption of seafood from the harbor. Land use in the area is largely residential and
commercial, except at the two facilities. The harbor is heavily used by recreational boaters, live-
aboards, and ferry transport to and from Seattle.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Underway
Early Actions: Under an EPA order, the Wyckoff Company installed a groundwater extraction
and treatment system to remove and treat contaminated groundwater at the Wyckoff facility. The
system has been in operation since 1990. EPA took over operations in 1993 after the company
filed for bankruptcy. To date, approximately 214 million gallons of groundwater have been
extracted and treated, and 62,000 gallons of oily product have been recovered from the ground.
In 1993 and 1994, EPA removed buried creosote sludge, sludges and creosote in tanks, and
asbestos. A 50-acre hotspot area of PAH-contaminated sediments near Wyckoff facility was
capped in 1994 to prevent currents from further spreading sediment contaminants. In spring 1996
EPA demolished remaining WyckofF buildings, including an incinerator stack. Additional interim
actions to contain contaminant sources from migrating from the Wyckoff Facility into Eagle
Harbor, including a replacement treatment system and a physical barrier wall, are in the planning
and designing phases.
Long-term Actions: The investigation of Eagle Harbor was completed in 1989 by EPA. Design
of the 1992 cleanup plan for the shipyard and adjacent sediments (the "West Harbor") was
completed by the PRPs under a 1993 EPA Administrative Order. Construction, including soil
stabilization, hydraulic controls, dredging of a sediment hotspot, and capping, is anticipated in
1997 and 1998 under an EPA Consent Decree signed in 1997.
The investigation of the Wyckoff Facility will be completed in early 1997, leading to final soil
cleanup actions in 1999. Additional sediment capping near the Wyckoff Facility (the "East
Harbor") is anticipated in 2000, to complete site cleanup. These actions are fund-lead.
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Yakima Plating Company Congressional District: 04
Yakima County, Yakima, Washington Listing: 03/31/89
Site Background:
The Yakima Plating Company site covers 2 acres in Yakima, Washington. Since 1962, the
company has electroplated bumpers for cars and other objects. Yakima Plating has discharged
wastewater from its operations to an on-site drainfield from the beginning of plant operations.
The plant operated under a state permit to discharge its wastewater from 1966-1977. In 1986,
the EPA found contaminants in the groundwater. The site is located in a neighborhood of
Yakima that includes light commercial and residential areas. Approximately 98,500 people use
groundwater as a source of drinking water within 3 miles of the site. The nearest well is 225 feet
from the company's drainfield. Groundwater and subsurface soils were contaminated with heavy
metals.
Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Early Actions: In 1991, EPA funded and conducted an early action during which 2500 cubic
yards of contaminated surface and subsurface soil were excavated and disposed of offsite.
Long-term actions: As a result of the early action, in 1991 EPA selected a "no further action"
remedy for the site.
The site was deleted from the NPL on August 23, 1994.
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Superfund Sites in the Pacific Northwest
EPA REGION 10 As of 4/1/97
Northwest Transformer-
Mission Road
Northwest Transformer-
S. Harkness St.
WASHINGTON
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Hanford-USDOE
100.200,300.1100 Areas
Pasco
Sanitary
Landfill
Umatilla
Lagoons
Teledyne Wah Chang
Triumph Mine
Tailings Piles
White King/Lucky Lass
Uranium Mines (USDA/FS)
Boise
Mountain
Pacific
Hide & Fur «err-
Eastern Mlchaud Flats V McGee
' Contamination Area ""••^klV, I
Union Pacific y^K
Sludge pond Monsanto
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As of 4/1/97
LEGEND
^ Final NPL Sites
(WA-49.OR-10.ID-8.AK-7)
Q Proposed NPL Sites
(OR-1.ID-2.WA-1)
O Deleted NPL Sites
(WA-10,ID-1,OR-2,AK-1)
O Cities
4 State Capitals
Maps and Locations
Not To Scale
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