EPA910-R-04-001
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle WA 98101
Alaska
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
Office of Environmental Cleanup
January 2004
Making Environmental Progress,
Improving Local Communities
Accomplishments of the
EPA Region 10 Superfund Program
Bottom left cover photo contributed by Dan Rone,
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A Snapshot of Region 10 Accomplishments
The Superfund Program in EPA Region 10 continues its strong record of addressing serious
contamination problems throughout the Northwest and Alaska. I am proud of the progress we are
achieving at our largest and most challenging sites, including Bunker Hill, the Lower Duwamish
Waterway, Commencement Bay, and Portland Harbor. At the same time, we have completed rapid
cleanup actions at many smaller sites and are preparing for final cleanup at others. I am pleased to
offer this report summarizing our Superfund Program's major work to protect human health and the
environment in Region 10.
Here is a brief summary of notable accomplishments in 2003:
Actions Completed in Fiscal Year 2003
• 100 site assessments
• 19 cleanup decision documents (Records of Decision and Action Memos)
•5 cleanup negotiations
• 6 remedial designs
• 13 remedial actions
•2 construction completions
• 27 five-year reviews
•7 cost recovery actions totaling almost $24 million
•5,300-plus responses to spill notification calls
• 31 emergency response actions
• 14 time-critical removals
At most sites, EPA Region 10 became involved due to a request from a local, state, or federal
agency, or a federally recognized Indian tribe. This year we also received seven citizen petitions
requesting investigation of sites where hazardous waste contamination might be present. Through
our Removal Program, we received over 5,300 notifications to our 24-hour duty officer, and
responded to 31 emergencies and spills that posed an imminent threat to people or the environment.
Since the inception of the Superfund Program in 1980, EPA Region 10 has removed a total of 1,731
sites from the Region 10 Superfund inventory. About 500 sites remain in the inventory to be studied.
Of the sites studied to date, Region 10 has listed 95 on the National Priorities List (NPL). Final
cleanup construction has been completed at 60 of these sites, and it is under way at another 23
sites. In our Region, 25 sites have been deleted from the NPL.
This year the Superfund budget was under intense public scrutiny. While our overall Superfund
budget in Regionl 0 has held steady for the past few years, we continue to experience significant
demand for Superfund Program services. I'm pleased that this year EPA was able to provide $12
million in new funding for McCormick and Baxter and $10 million for the Coeur d'Alene Basin. To
stretch cleanup dollars and to ensure that responsible parties shoulder their cleanup obligations,
Region 10 maintains a strong Superfund enforcement program dedicated to fast and effective
cleanup.
Region 10 is strongly committed to attaining cleanup progress at all important sites. I attribute the
lion's share of our success to the strong relationships we have built with our state, federal, tribal, and
community partners. Working together, we have used cleanup dollars effectively to deliver tangible
results.
L. John lani, Regional Administrator
EPA Region 10
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Contents
Alaska
Formerly Used Defense Sites 1
Adak Naval Air Station 1
Fort Wainwright 2
Arctic Surplus 2
Idaho
Coeurd'Alene Basin 3
Bunker Hill Box 3
Union Pacific Railroad Recreational Trail 4
Continental Mine 4
Franke's Laundromat 5
Harmony Mine 5
Oregon
North Ridge Estates 6
Dalles Union Pacific Railroad Derailment 6
Harbor Oil 7
Portland Harbor 7
McCormick& Baxter 8
Columbia American Plating 8
Reynolds Metals 9
Northwest Pipe and Casing 9
Washington
Frontier Hard Chrome 10
Hanford 10
Pacific Sound Resources 11
Harbor Island 11
Lower Duwamish Waterway 12
Asarco 12
Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats 13
Port of Tacoma Axel Maersk Ship Response 13
For More Information .. . Inside Back Cover
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Alaska
Action Plan for Cleaning Up Formerly
Used Defense Sites
More Than 600 Sites Across Alaska
In a landmark bargain for progress, EPA Region 10, the
U.S. Army Corps, and the Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation crafted and signed the first
Statewide Management Action Plan for prioritizing
cleanups at the 625 Formerly Used Defense Sites
(FUDS) across Alaska. Implementing the action plan
will produce several tangible results: the agencies will
be much more strategic and productive in their cleanup
approach; sites posing the highest risks to
communities will be addressed more quickly; and due
to greater efficiencies, taxpayer dollars will be saved.
Staff from EPA, the Army Corps, and the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation discuss
prioritizing cleanups at FUD sites.
Work in 2003 included forecasting future work and
costs, and setting long-range goals by ranking sites
based on relative risk, site location, stage of work,
community involvement, and other factors. The
agencies considered tribal needs when developing site
priorities, and plan to invite further tribal involvement in
the coming year. Site closeout, assessment, or
cleanup is now planned at about 75 sites in 2004.
47,000 Acres Ready for New Business
Adak Naval Air Station, Adak Island, Alaska
Working in coordination with EPA, the U.S. Navy
completed a Finding of Suitability to Transfer for 47,000
acres on Adak Island. As a result, the Aleut
Corporation can now encourage new business on
Adak, and sell or lease commercial land, buildings, and
housing. Making property transfer possible is an
important achievement, as commerce on Adak is well-
positioned to grow. The island is situated in one of the
world's richest fishing regions and has an ice-free,
deep-water port.
Completing the first phase of unexploded ordinance
cleanup was an important step in making the Adak
property transfer possible. The Navy removed 351
intact military munitions from WWII, including grenades,
mortars, and projectiles. It also removed 3,300 metal
fragments from training areas, including partially intact
munitions that did not completely explode after being
fired. The first cleanup phase addressed all of
downtown Adak and all the real estate scheduled for
transfer. EPA's collaboration with the Navy, the Aleut
Tribes, the State, local business, and the community
has been critical to expediting the cleanup and making
the island safer for everyone.
Adak's ice-free, deep-water port invites commercial growth.
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Alaska
Work at Fort Wainwright has stimulated the local economy, as local contractors are doing the bulk of cleanup.
Cleanup Helps Stimulate Local Economy
Fort Wainwright Superfund Site, Fairbanks, Alaska
At Fort Wainwright, EPA, the U.S. Army, and the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation are using
aggressive technologies to clean up groundwater and
soil contaminated with solvents and petroleum. Air
sparging and soil-vapor extraction pump air into the
ground, cleaning up the site in a fraction of the time that
natural processes would take. Preliminary studies
show that in four to five years, the Army will have met
most cleanup goals and the site will be ready for long-
term monitoring. Progress at Fort Wainwright can be
attributed to the teamwork of the Army, State, and EPA
working together under a Federal Facility Compliance
Agreement to make sound technical decisions.
The Army has stimulated the economy by hiring local
contractors to do the bulk of the cleanup. To date, the
Army has spent almost $121 million on cleanup, and
plans to spend another $33 million. Local residents and
businesses are pleased with the progress made by
EPA and the Army at Fort Wainwright. A recent report
by Alaska Community Action on Toxics commended the
cleanup approach.
Safe and Ready for Reuse
Arctic Surplus Superfund Site, Fairbanks, Alaska
At one time, the Arctic Surplus Site was contaminated
with 22,000 pounds of asbestos, 1,700 drums of toxic
liquids, and soils laden with lead and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs). A private company used the site as
a salvage yard, storing military equipment, asbestos
insulation, and various oils. It caused extensive PCB
and lead contamination by cracking batteries and
burning transformers to recover metals.
This past summer, the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency
(DLA) finished cleaning up contaminated soils. EPA
and DLA worked together to accelerate the last cleanup
phase from three years to one. Today, the site is safe
and clean, and ready for industrial redevelopment.
To make the site available for a wide variety of future
activities, EPA approved a redesigned cap for the on-
site hazardous waste containment area. Due to EPA's
modifications, the property owner can now use this area
for parking, storage, and other business needs.
Today the Arctic Surplus Site is safe, clean, and ready
for industrial redevelopment.
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Idaho
$10 Million Cleanup Planned
Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho
Congressional District 1
Many homes are having contaminated topsoil replaced
with safer materials.
Cleanup of Bunker Hill Operable Unit 3 (the Basin) has
been a top priority for EPA since the cleanup plan was
finalized in 2002. This past year, planning began for
cleanups at two Lower Basin recreation areas, as
approved under the Basin Commission's first one-year
work plan. The Basin Commission is a team of
representatives from the states of Idaho and
Washington, three counties in the Basin, the Coeur
d'Alene Tribe, and federal agencies. The Commission's
objective is to establish clean and low-maintenance
recreation sites for public use.
In 2004, EPA will spend $10 million to begin cleanup at
about 200 residential and community properties, as well
as the two Lower Basin recreation areas. The cleanup
includes operation of a critical waste repository. EPA
and the State of Idaho continue to place the highest
priority on properties occupied by children and
pregnant women.
Thus far, EPA and the State of Idaho have removed
contaminated soil from more than 100 residential yards,
seven schools and day care centers, and six
recreational areas. EPA has also provided water
treatment, municipal hook-up, or bottled water to about
30 families. The Basin Commission recently approved
a 5-year plan that will guide future cleanup.
Approaching the Finish Line
Bunker Hill Box, Kellogg, Idaho
Congressional District 1
In the 21 -square-mile area called the Bunker Hill Box,
EPA and the Upstream Mining Group have cleaned up
more than 2,000 residential and community areas since
1994. In 2003, EPA and the State of Idaho cleaned up
another 200 residential properties, with about 300
contaminated properties still remaining. At the current
pace, EPA expects all residential cleanup to be done by
2005.
In 2003, 70 local workers were hired to support
residential cleanup. Most materials and services were
purchased locally. By using local manpower and
materials, jobs are being created and the local
economy is getting a boost.
The Kellogg community benefits in other ways too.
Major cleanups were completed this year at Kellogg
Middle School and Teeter's Field, a city-owned ballfield
used for baseball and football. The cleanup at the
middle school replaced underground sprinkler systems
and cleaned up a greenhouse, an existing flood control
dike, and track and field areas.
In non-populated areas of the Box, work is nearly
complete. Revegetation efforts have been extremely
effective. New plants and animals are flourishing in
areas that have been devoid of life for decades.
EPA employees discuss cleanup in the Coeur d'Alene Basin.
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Idaho
New Recreation and Business in the
Silver Valley
Union Pacific Railroad, Kellogg and Coeurd'Alene,
Idaho
Congressional District 1
wastes have been consolidated on site under a
protective barrier. The barrier is minimizing the release
of lead and arsenic into Blue Joe Creek. To protect
fisheries, state and federal agencies will monitor water
quality for several years.
Local businesses and residents in and around Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene enjoy the new 72-mile recreational trail.
EPA has helped transform a contaminated railway into
a 72-mile trail for hiking and biking. The cleanup is
complete, and a grand opening will take place in the
spring of 2004. The $40 million project was funded by
Union Pacific Railroad. While the trail is not officially
open, people are already putting it to good use. Local
businesses in the nine communities in and around
Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene are seeing the benefits. The
trail was a catalyst for improved summer revenues,
attracting tourists and bikers from around the region.
EPA has worked closely with the State of Idaho and the
Coeur d'Alene Tribe on this project. In addition to
cleaning up contaminated sites along the railway, the
project has involved building or repairing 30 bridges and
constructing solar-powered, composting toilets.
Protecting the Selkirk Mountain Ecosystem
Continental Mine, Boundary County, Idaho
Congressional District 1
EPA has completed a 5-month cleanup of the
Continental Mine, which sits on both public and private
land near the Canadian border in northwest Idaho. The
mine is in the pristine Selkirk Mountain ecosystem,
home to many rare species, including bald eagles,
Canadian lynxes, grey wolves, grizzly bears, caribou,
sturgeon, and bull trout. As a result of the cleanup,
138,000 cubic yards of material contaminated with mine
EPA consulted formally with the Kootenai Tribe and the
Canadian government to complete a rapid cleanup of
Continental Mine.
During the $2.7 million cleanup, EPA worked in close
coordination with the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality,
and private property owners. EPA also consulted
formally with the Kootenai Tribe and the Canadian
government. State and federal agencies have
expressed satisfaction with EPA's fast and effective
approach.
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Idaho
Rapid Site Investigation Yields Important Data
Franke's Laundromat, Caldwell, Idaho
Congressional District 1
The results of a rapid investigation at Franke's
Laundromat are helping EPA and others determine next
steps.
In Spring 2003, EPA negotiated a legal agreement with
the property owner of Franke's Laundromat to do a
rapid site investigation. EPA got involved due to
dangerous levels of perchloroethylene (PCE) in soil
and groundwater at the site. Since PCE is highly toxic
and a probable carcinogen,
EPA is concerned about off-
site migration and the threat
to down-gradient drinking
water and the air inside
nearby businesses.
The property owner, working
under an EPA Administrative
Consent Order, conducted a
rapid investigation to learn
the full extent of
contamination. Preliminary
results show that PCE
remains in groundwater at
concentrations 10,000 times
the level determined to pose
a risk to human health.
Furthermore, the data
showed that PCE has
migrated to the lower sand
aquifer beneath the site and
nearby property. EPA is
currently evaluating cleanup
options that may include
removing and disposing of
highly contaminated soils,
using soil-vapor extraction to
address volatile
contaminants, and constructing a chemically reactive
barrier wall to stop off-site migration.
Removing Mine Tailings to Protect Rivers
Harmony Mine, Baker, Idaho
Congressional District 2
When a catastrophic fire destroyed vegetation
upstream of the Harmony Mine in Baker, Idaho, the
U.S. Forest Service asked EPA to help remove a large
tailings pile at risk of washing downstream in the event
of heavy rainfall. The Forest Service was concerned
that the 10,000-cubic-yard pile, which was straddling a
tributary to Withington Creek, would erode and
contaminate downstream rivers with dangerous
amounts of copper.
In just two months, EPA and the U.S. Forest Service
co-led a $500,000 cleanup to remove the tailings, place
them in a secure repository, and cap them. The
agencies built a 1.3 mile road so that large construction
equipment could get to the site. They also
reconstructed the stream channel to be stable and
seeded disturbed areas.
A fast cleanup at the Harmony Mine protects downstream waters from copper
contamination.
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Oregon
Making a Neighborhood Safe
North Ridge Estates Site, Klamath Falls, Oregon
Congressional District 2
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EPA takes fast action to remove asbestos from the North
Ridge Estates neighborhood.
In summer 2003, EPA took action to remove asbestos
contamination from 22 residences in the North Ridge
Estates neighborhood near Klamath Falls. The Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality asked EPA to get
involved when it learned that asbestos-laden debris
throughout the subdivision could threaten the health of
residents. EPA's work included removing more than
14,000 pounds of
asbestos-containing
materials from
residential properties,
and sampling air and
soil to see if people
were at risk.
More than two dozen
homes at North Ridge
Estates were built
during the last decade
on plots where military
barracks once stood.
The asbestos
contamination originated
from siding, roofing, and
steam pipes from about
80 buildings constructed
in the 1940's. Many of
the buildings were
demolished in place,
leaving a dangerous
asbestos problem for
future residents.
Unified Command Tackles Train Derailment
Union Pacific Railroad Derailment, The Dalles, Oregon
Congressional District 2
In January 2003, when 53 train cars were derailed just
outside The Dalles and adjacent to Interstate 84, EPA
took swift action. Within the hour, EPA arrived at the
site to find five derailed cars containing hazardous
materials, including phenol, anhydrous ammonia,
arsenic acid, and vinyl chloride. EPA also responded to
14 cars containing oils, four of which were breached
and leaking within about 100 yards of the Columbia
River.
EPA, tribal representatives, the State, Wasco County,
and Union Pacific quickly formed a Unified Command to
address the situation. Working together, the Command
safely removed four cars containing hazardous
materials and pumped the contents of the fifth car into a
tanker for removal. With EPA oversight, Union Pacific
also cleaned up the soils contaminated with oil.
The derailment occurred in a culturally significant area
within the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. The
Yakima, Warm Springs, and Umatilla Indian tribes have
cultural and historic connections to the area. During the
cleanup, the Unified Command made sure that
culturally and historically significant items weren't
disturbed. At the tribes' request, EPA also made sure
that soils removed from the site were returned after
they were treated.
EPA responds at a train derailment where freight cars containing oils and hazardous
materials jumped the track.
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Oregon
A Contaminated Site is Added to the
National Priorities List
Harbor Oil Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon
Congressional District 3
Toxic contamination threatens Force Lake.
In September 2003, EPA added the Harbor Oil site to
the National Priorities List, making it Oregon's newest
Superfund site. The site is located near the Expo
Center in northeast Portland. The Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality referred the site to EPA when
it was unable to reach a cleanup agreement with the
owner. In deciding to list the site, EPA considered input
from the community, tribes, and state and local
agencies.
EPA intends to use its enforcement authorities to
negotiate with the potentially responsible party to clean
up the site. The Agency also set aside funds to start
the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to fully
characterize the site and evaluate cleanup alternatives.
The Harbor Oil site is contaminated with several
hazardous substances, including volatile and semi-
volatile organic compounds, metals, pesticides, and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Contaminants from
the site could be migrating into Force Lake and
adjacent wetlands.
Contamination at Harbor Oil was caused in 1974 by a
major waste oil spill from on-site storage tanks that
killed fish in Force Lake. A severe fire in 1979 caused
waste oils and other contaminants to flow across the
site and into adjacent wetlands and Force Lake.
Reaching Important Milestones
Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon
Congressional District 3
An important milestone was reached at Portland Harbor
when the Lower Willamette Group, the potentially
responsible parties performing the investigation,
provided EPA with data from more than 1,800 fish.
EPA will use the data to help determine sediment
cleanup levels, as well as to learn to what extent
mercury, pesticides, and PCBs may be bio-
accumulating in the food chain. The Oregon
Department of Health Services will use the data to
update fish consumption advisories for the Willamette
River.
Another milestone was reached in October 2003 when
EPA and the Port of Portland agreed to start the first
early action to clean up sediment at the Port's Marine
Terminal 4. The cleanup of Terminal 4 will reduce risks
to human health and the environment prior to the
completion of the larger Portland Harbor investigation.
It will also allow continued operation of Terminal 4.
Progress at Portland Harbor stems from close
teamwork on many fronts. EPA and the Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality are cooperating
with citizens, tribes, and public agencies to ensure that
the investigation incorporates a wide range of concerns.
Six tribes and several federal and state agencies work
in partnership with EPA to resolve technical issues
regarding work plans and collection of sediment
samples.
EPA will use fish tissue data to help determine sediment cleanup levels at Portland Harbor.
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Oregon
Celebrating Progress
McCormick & Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon
Congressional District 3
In May 2003, EPA hosted a boat tour to celebrate the
construction of a sub-surface barrier wall at the
McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company site in
Portland. The barrier wall will prevent toxic substances
from leaching into the Willamette River. The site is
contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons, and pentachlorophenol, due to almost 50
years of wood treating at the property.
To date, EPA has removed 33,000 tons of
contaminated soil from the site and recovered 1,900
gallons of creosote from groundwater. The final phases
of cleanup will include cleanup of contaminated
sediments adjacent to the property, and an upland soil
cap. EPA is providing $12 million for this work to
continue, and another $4 million will be provided next
year. When the cleanup is completed, the City of
Portland plans to redevelop the site as a recreational
park.
Hazardous Waste Threat Quickly Stabilized
Columbia American Plating Site, Portland, Oregon
Congressional District 3
In May 2003, at the request of the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality, EPA responded to a
hazardous waste emergency at the Columbia American
Plating site in the Northwest Industrial Area of Portland.
The City of Portland's Fire Marshall closed the site
because it was imminently dangerous and a fire hazard.
About 1,500 hazardous waste containers were lined up
at the site, and numerous chemical spills discolored the
ground.
EPA took fast action to secure and stabilize the site by
controlling water accumulation and covering open
containers filled with cyanide and hydrofluoric acid. The
Agency has pumped storm water into above-ground
tanks. It also removed and properly disposed of
approximately 70,000 gallons of hazardous waste
liquids. The Fire Marshall's office expressed
satisfaction with EPA's quick response. The site no
longer poses a threat to neighbors and workers, and
EPA is helping to put the site back into productive use.
The sub-surface barrier wall at McCormick and Baxter will prevent toxic substances from seeping into the Willamette
River.
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Oregon
Getting the Job Done
Reynolds Metals Site, Troutdale, Oregon
Congressional District 3
Reynolds Metals Company is working under EPA
oversight to clean up contamination caused by more
than 50 years of aluminum production at the former
Alcoa smelter. This past summer, the company began
removing contamination, up to four-feet thick, from the
bottom of the 14-acre Company Lake using an
innovative approach that involves de-watering the lake.
Reynolds is also removing soil from two on-site landfills
that are heavily contaminated with fluoride,
polyaromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs, and cyanide. This
work will help keep hazardous substances from moving
into groundwater beneath the site, which is bordered by
the Columbia and Sandy Rivers.
Final Phase of Cleanup Construction
Under Way
Northwest Pipe and Casing Superfund Site,
Clackamas, Oregon
Congressional District 5
EPA began the final phase of cleanup construction at
the Northwest Pipe and Casing Superfund site in
Clackamas, where almost 30 years of pipe
manufacturing and coating operations contaminated the
site with oils, solvents, and coal tars. The estimated
total cost of cleanup is $10.4 million. The cleanup is
important because surface water from the site flows into
the Willamette River where people fish, and wetlands
and endangered species are found. When cleanup is
done, the site will be available for industrial
redevelopment. The cleanup will also restore and
maintain the upper aquifer at the site as a potential
source of drinking water.
Tasks planned in the final cleanup phase include
installing 15 groundwater circulation wells, constructing
a clean soil cap, and restoring a wetland. The
circulation wells will remove volatile organic compounds
and prevent contamination from spreading off site. The
soil cap will be spread two feet deep over an area larger
than 12 football fields. It will protect future occupants
from exposure to coal-tar compounds and PCBs. The
wetland will provide habitat for endangered species.
The Willamette River is an aesthetic and recreational highlight for Oregon.
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Washington
Innovative Cleanup Saves Millions of
Dollars at Toxic Chrome Site
Frontier Hard Chrome, Vancouver, Washington
Congressional District 3
EPA has completed cleanup of hexavalent chromium at
the Frontier Hard Chrome Superfund site in Vancouver.
Years of improper chrome disposal had contaminated
groundwater and threatened the Columbia River.
Today, the property is fenced and ready for light
industrial or commercial reuse. By using innovative
cleanup technologies, EPA spent $3.5 million, rather
than the projected $30 million it could have spent using
traditional methods.
Prior to cleanup, soils at Frontier Hard Chrome were
stained with contamination.
EPA cleaned up the site by injecting a sulfur-based
chemical reactant into the ground. The reactant
converted cancer-causing hexavalent chromium at the
most contaminated hot spot into an inert form of
trivalent chromium. Workers also created an
underground reactive barrier by injecting an iron-based
chemical into the ground outside the hot spot. This
barrier will neutralize hexavalent chromium for years to
come. EPA will monitor the site for the next several
years to make sure chromium-tainted groundwater
eventually reaches drinking water standards.
Third Nuclear Reactor Cocooned
Hanford Superfund Site, Richland, WA
Congressional District 4
The Department of Energy finished cocooning a third
nuclear reactor at the 586-square-mile Hanford Nuclear
Reservation, which is the most contaminated nuclear
waste site in the United States and the site of the
world's largest environmental cleanup. Cocooning
involves tearing the reactor down to the 3-foot concrete
shield wall, and putting a safe, secure structure of
galvanized steel on top of it.
This year the Department of Energy cocooned a third
nuclear reactor.
EPA and the Department of Energy made headway in
dealing with more than 12,000 drums filled with soils
and sludges contaminated with radioactive and
chemical wastes. By applying regulatory flexibility, EPA
developed plans to have these wastes safely treated
and disposed of at a hazardous waste disposal facility.
As a result, the drums will no longer remain in storage
where they could deteriorate and cause further
contamination.
In the coming year, construction will continue on
Hanford's tank-waste vitrification plant, which will be
used to treat high-level wastes now stored in 167
extremely large underground tanks. The vitrification
process turns wastes into glass. Current plans call for
disposing of treated wastes at Yucca Mountain in
Nevada.
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Washington
People can watch the cleanup of Pacific Sound Resources from the public-access park and viewing tower at the site.
Clean Sediment Cap to Cover 58 Acres in
Elliott Bay
Pacific Sound Resources Superfund Site, West
Seattle, Washington
Congressional District 7
At the Pacific Sound Resources Superfund site on the
south shore of Elliott Bay, EPA is overseeing cleanup
of sediments contaminated with creosote,
pentachlorophenol (PCP), and metals, the result of
years of wood-treating operations. EPA expects the
cleanup to be done in three to five years. Tasks include
removing about 700 wood pilings and related structures
that make up several old piers. About 10,000 cubic
yards of contaminated sediments will be dredged near
the shore to maintain the water depth needed for barge
loading. In addition, a clean sediment cap will be
placed over approximately 58 acres of contaminated
sediments in the bay.
Work at Pacific Sound Resources is scheduled around
the migration of juvenile salmon. The gently sloped cap
will provide a habitat preferred by salmon. Plans also
include adding logs and plants, such as beach grass
and willows, along the shore to improve habitat for
native animals. About five feet of clean fill will be placed
near the shore to enable people to, once again, harvest
shellfish from this area of the bay.
Major Sediment Cleanups to be Done in
2004 and 2006
Harbor Island Superfund Site, Elliott Bay, Seattle
Congressional District 7
EPA is overseeing the cleanup of contaminated
sediments at the Harbor Island Superfund site on Elliott
Bay in Seattle. Areas adjacent to two shipbuilding
operations are contaminated with heavy metals, PCBs,
and other contaminants. Lockheed Martin Corporation
has begun cleanup next to its former shipyard on the
island. Todd Pacific Shipyards is installing a new
water-pollution control system at its shipyard, and will
start dredging contaminated sediments next to the
shipyard. Work at Lockheed will be done by spring
2004. Work at Todd will be completed two years later.
EPA signed two legal agreements this past year that
make these major cleanups possible. Cleanup plans
include removing four-plus acres of piers, removing
about 8,000 creosoted piles, dredging more than
300,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments,
capping more than four acres of contaminated
sediments, and improving habitat for salmon.
Cleanup at the Harbor Island Superfund site includes
removing about 8,000 creosoted piles.
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Washington
Early Cleanups on the Way
Lower Duwamish Waterway Site, Seattle,
Washington
Congressional District 7
At the Lower Duwamish Waterway, jointly managed by
EPA and the Washington State Department of Ecology,
one early sediment cleanup is under way, and three
others are being planned. The areas selected for early
work are those with the highest PCB levels and those
where chemical concentrations exceed state standards
that protect clams, worms, and other mud-dwelling
animals. Protecting such animals preserves important
links in the food chain, and protects fisheries for the
Muckleshoot and Suquamish Indian tribes.
Top Left: In May 2003, chinook salmon were collected
from the Lower Duwamish Waterway and tested for
contamination.
Lower Right: Government agencies tour the Duwamish
area with the Community Coalition for Environmental
Justice.
EPA and Ecology meet often with the Duwamish River
Cleanup Coalition, a Community Advisory Group that
represents the interests of the community. Many
residents in the Lower Duwamish area have low
incomes and are Hispanic, Asian, South Pacific
Islander, or Russian-speaking immigrants. To engage
a diverse public, EPA and Ecology developed
community involvement plans for building trust and
participation by community members. The plans reach
out to high-risk and under-represented minority
communities. They include a Hispanic supplement and
a draft Asian-Pacific Islander supplement. EPA
publishes fact sheets for the site in Spanish, as well as
English.
Settlement Provides $100 Million for Cleanup
Asarco Superfund Site, Ruston and North Tacoma,
Washington
Congressional District 9
r
About 100 properties contaminated by the former Asarco
smelter will be cleaned up in 2004.
With EPA assistance, the Justice Department reached
an agreement with Asarco to fund an independent
environmental trust to be used for the next seven years
to pay for cleanup of sites around the country where
Asarco is liable. Initial funding of the trust is more than
$100 million. The trust fund is a major achievement
because Asarco had been struggling financially due to
low copper prices. Further complicating the settlement
is the fact that Asarco is now fully owned by Grupo
Mexico, a Mexican corporation.
In Region 10, trust monies will be used to clean up the
Asarco smelter and Town of Ruston. Contaminants of
concern include lead, arsenic, copper, and zinc. About
100 properties will be cleaned up in 2004, and
significant progress will be made on the smelter
cleanup.
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Washington
End of Cleanup in Sight
Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats, Tacoma,
Washington
Congressional Districts 6 and 9
The Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats
Superfund mega-site has entered the final stages of
cleanup, with all sediment cleanup work to be finished
in the next three years. To date, more than 60 sources
of contamination have been controlled and more than
20 areas have been cleaned up. The Bay is recovering
from being one of the nation's most polluted water
bodies. Contamination at the site was caused by 100
years of chemical manufacturing, refineries, aluminum
smelting, boat building, log yards, concrete production,
and other industrial activities. By cleaning up this
industrial contamination, EPA is creating a cleaner
environment for marine organisms and people.
Responsible parties, including businesses, the Port of
Tacoma, and the City of Tacoma, will pay for 85 percent
of the $300 million cleanup. Work under way includes
removing enough sediment to fill 21/2 Tacoma Domes.
The sediment will be shipped off site for disposal, or
safely disposed as fill in nearshore areas, which will
become newly created Port and industrial facilities.
Dozens of acres of fish habitat are being rejuvenated,
and sunken log rafts that blocked fish passage to
nearby rivers have been removed.
Along the Thea Foss Waterway, which is part of the
site, cleanup has gone hand-in-hand with
redevelopment. Cornerstones of the revitalization effort
include The Museum of Glass, Thea's Landings
condominiums, and increased public access. The Foss
Waterway Development Authority estimates that
cleanup has facilitated $200 million in investment along
the waterway.
Emergency Toxic Vapor Release
Axel MaerskShip Response, Tacoma, Washington
Congressional District 9
In July 2003, EPA responded to an emergency on the
Axel Maersk cargo ship, docked at the Port of Tacoma.
The U.S. Coast Guard asked EPA to help when a toxic
vapor release of unknown origin sickened seven
longshoremen and one crew member as they prepared
to unload cargo containers. The personnel went to
local hospitals, complaining of nausea, vomiting, and
chest pains.
When EPA staff arrived on board, they helped to find,
isolate, and contain the source of the hazard. EPA also
monitored the air to protect Port employees and the
surrounding community. EPA and the Coast Guard
determined that one of the containers on the ship
released vapors due to high internal pressure. EPA
helped move the container to a quarantined area on the
dock for re-certification. Due to the fast response by all
parties, the Axel Maersk was able to resume business
and leave Tacoma three days after the incident.
EPA monitors vapors on the Axel Maersk cargo ship to
protect Port of Tacoma employees and the surrounding
community.
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For More Information
Contact:
Deborah L. Neal
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
206-553-0115
neal.deborah@epa.gov
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101-1128
EPA Region 10 Toil-Free Telephone Number
1-800-424-4372
EPA Region 10 Website
www.epa.gov/r1 Dearth/
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