News Releases Article
Officials Seek Public Opinion
Originally published in The Reflector, 19 September, 2001. Reprinted with permission.
by Heidi Wallenborn
State Department of Ecology officials are seeking public input regarding an estimated $50 million clean up of a toxic chemical soup underneath Port of Ridgefield property.
The public may review and give their opinion at the Ridge-field library on Fri., Sept. 21 about the clean up agreement regarding the 40 acre Lake Riyer Industrial site.
The agreed order, and partial funding, is under the umbrella of state Model Toxic Control Act, and formalizes the agreement between Ecology and potentially liable persons to ensure that site cleanup activities are conducted in a timely fashion, say Ecology officials.
The industrial site is located on the former Pacific Wood Treating facility which operated from 1964 until declaring bankruptcy in 1993.
The land, bordered on the east by Burlington Northern Railroad tracks, on the west by Lake River, and to the north by Carty Lake on the. National Wildlife Refuge, is saturated with wood treating chemicals including, creosote, pentachiorophenol and copper/chromium/arsenic solutions.
After the company’s bankruptcy, the Port of Ridgefield acquired the land it had leased to the business for 30 years, and inherited a host of environmental problems.
According to Ecology officials, the extent of the contamination is greater than first thought.
Groundwater deeper than 60 feet is contaminated, and sampling results from April 2001 showed the plume of contaminated groundwater extends into the Refuge.
In addition to groundwater contamination, the aquifer beneath Carty Lake is contaminated with wood treating chemicals at low levels.
In order to prevent further contamination of the Refuge, the lake, and Lake River, the agreed order provides partial funding for Port officials to take the following actions:
- Clean up the worst of the contamination in the former tank farm area, as well as between the tank farm and wildlife refuge;
- Remove free floating product and soil and groundwater contamination in the former tank farm area, as well as between the tank farm and the wildlife refuge;
- Improve stormwater quality;
- Demolish structures to provide access so areas of contamination may be identified and clean up made easier.
In addition, the agreed order requires the Port to conduct a study of the nature, extent, and magnitude of site contamination, poisoned soil, and groundwater.
According to Ecology officials, public comment about the proposed agreed order will be considered. The agreement may be modified if necessary, based on the comments received. The first phase of the cleanup work should be completed by July 2003, officials said.
Further formal public comment periods will occur as additional work is considered necessary.
Comments and requests for updates may be directed to Dan Alexanian, site manager, at Ecology. Southwest Regional Office Toxics Cleanup Program, P.O. Box 47775, Olympia, 98504-7775, or the Ridgefield Community library located at 210 N Main St., Ridgefield. For more information, contact:
Alexanian at 360-407-6300 or by -e - mail at dale46l@ecy.wa.gov
