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Department of Ecology News Release - Dec. 29, 2003
03-240
SPOKANE - A report on the extent of contamination and cleanup options for the city of Moses Lake's maintenance facility is available for public review and comment.
The city has submitted a draft report that provides details about petroleum and other contamination found in soil and ground water at the facility. The report also provides an evaluation of possible cleanup alternatives for the site.
The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) invites the public to review and comment on the draft Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) through Jan. 23, 2004.
The city of Moses Lake conducted the study as part of a formal legal agreement issued by Ecology under authority of the state's cleanup law.
The facility is located on a four-acre parcel on East Penn Street in Moses Lake that has been used for storing and maintaining city vehicles since the 1950s. Fueling took place on the site until 1992.
Petroleum was discovered several times over the years in soil and ground water, coming from leaks in fuel-storage tanks that were kept underground at the site. Lead also was found in soil at the site. Several underground storage tanks and some contaminated soil were removed between 1970 and 1990.
In 1990, Ecology formally named the city of Moses Lake as responsible for the contamination and, as such, the city is responsible for cleanup.
Moses Lake then completed investigations to find out where and how much contamination was on the property. The investigations led to removing more soil and all underground storage tanks.
By 1997, the cleanup efforts were working and ground water met state cleanup standards. However, in late 2001, the city purchased an adjoining piece of property, installed some test pits, and discovered more petroleum-contaminated soil. Ground water at this new property was not tested but was assumed to have some contamination.
In November 2002, Ecology and the city of Moses Lake entered into a second legal agreement to again study the entire site, including the new property.
In the spring of 2003, four groundwater monitoring wells, 30 temporary soil borings, and six test pits were installed at the site.
Results of the studies showed certain areas of soil at the site are contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and lead, and that one small area of ground water is contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons.
The city studied several options for cleaning up the site, choosing as its preferred option removing contaminated soil and disposing of it in a permitted landfill. Areas where soil has been removed would be backfilled with clean soil; and monitoring would continue to be sure the cleanup actions are effective.
The public can review the draft RI/FS report in several locations. Call (509) 329-3415 for more information or for an appointment to review the documents at Ecology's office in Spokane.
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Contact: Jani Gilbert, public information manager, 509-329-3495; pager, 509-622-3073
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
