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Department of Ecology News Release - August 23, 2007
07-242
OLYMPIA - The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) has added nearly 50 properties in 22 counties to its list of hazardous sites targeted for cleanup.
As part of its twice-a-year update of contaminated sites in Washington, Ecology listed 49 newly assessed sites. They range from railroad facilities in several counties and a former iron plant in Jefferson County to rural stores.
Ecology continues to build on the state's successful cleanup record and to work with landowners to rid the state of its worst contamination. In Washington, some 10,000 toxic sites have been identified. Nearly 60 percent of the sites have been cleaned up or require no further action; 31 percent are actively being cleaned up or monitored. A little over 1,100 toxic sites are awaiting action.
Site assessments determined no further action will be taken on another 20 sites. An additional seven sites have joined the Voluntary Cleanup Program, through which the site owners will clean up their properties under Ecology-approved plans.
Cleanup is required whenever toxic contamination is above limits set in the state's Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), a 1989 citizen initiative that established a broad-based program for cleaning up and preventing toxic contamination.
"We are continuing to do what the taxpayers expect from us - to identify contaminated sites and work to clean them up, so the sites can be returned to productive, valuable uses such as economic development and recreation," said Jim Pendowski, manager of Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program.
Pendowski said the sites list continues to grow because more site investigations are being done as Ecology works to accelerate its cleanup efforts throughout the state.
Because resources are limited, contaminated sites are ranked according to the risks they pose to people and the environment. The properties on Ecology's list of hazardous sites are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. A rank of 1 represents the highest level of concern.
Ranks do not necessarily reflect the severity of the contamination. They are based on a site's location and the potential paths through which humans and sensitive environments could be exposed to the hazardous substances. For example, a site with a 1 ranking may have less contamination or less-hazardous contaminants than lower-ranked sites, but the risk of exposure is higher and cleanup needs to happen quicker.
MTCA specifies that those responsible for polluting a site must pay for its cleanup. The state pays for cleanup only when a liable person cannot be found or when identified liable parties can't afford to pay for the work.
The Hazardous Sites List is updated in February and August each year.
Following are the newly added sites for August 2007. They are listed by their
official site names and by the nearest city; ranks are noted in parentheses:
Benton County - Columbia Basin College-Washington State University Nurse
Training Facility, Richland (3); Jerry's Custom Mechanics, West Richland (3).
Chelan County - BNSF Wenatchee Railroad (5); Budget Rent a Car Performance Auto
Sound, Wenatchee (5); Chelan County Fire District 1, Wenatchee (5). Clallam
County - Sequim Bay General Store (3).
Columbia County - Skyline Fluid Power Inc., Dayton (2).
Clark County - Tosco Corp. Site 257323-31299, Vancouver (3).
Franklin County - Air Trac Waste Management Area 1, Pasco (5); Radar Hills Sewer
System, Othello (4).
Grant County - Nicholson Development Properties, Moses Lake (5).
Jefferson County - Former Irondale Iron & Steel Plant, Irondale (1); Mount Baker
Block Building, Port Townsend (5).
King County - Former Burger King, Seattle (5); King County Garage, Seattle (5);
Mobil Service Station 19-748, Seattle (3); UW Bioengineering (5).
Kitsap County - City Hand Laundry, Bremerton (5); Keyport Mercantile (5);
Robinson Property, Bremerton (5).
Klickitat County - BNSF Track Switching Facility, Wishram (3); Goldendale Glass
(5).
Lewis County - Chevron 96942, Centralia (3); Mayfield 76, Silver Creek (5).
Mason County - Grapeview Country Store (3).
Pierce County - U.S. Army WSMC Pier 23, Tacoma (1); BNSF Tacoma Fueling Facility
(5); Breakwater Marina Inc., Tacoma (5); Pax Associates, Tacoma (5); Precision
Pattern Inc., Tacoma (5); Smurfit Stone Container Corp., Tacoma (5); Stadium
High School, Tacoma (5); Tacoma Central No. 1 (3); Tacoma City Convention Center
Garage (5).
Skagit County - Reisner Distributing Co. Inc. 2, Anacortes (4); Safeway Fuel
Center 0593, Anacortes (5).
Snohomish County - BNSF Stanwood (4); Casino Road Mixed Use Project, Everett
(5); Grand Building Valetor Cleaners, Everett (5).
Spokane County - Spokane Transit Authority Former Railroad Property, Spokane
(2).
Stevens County - Lower Bonanza Mine, Evans (4); Upper Bonanza Mine, Evans (4).
Thurston County - South Sound Chevron USA Inc. SS 94687, Olympia (2).
Walla Walla County - Stubblefield Salvage Yard, Walla Walla (1).
Whatcom County - Gibson Property, Lummi Island (5); Washington Department of
Transportation Parcel 1-14702, Bellingham (2); Yorkston Oil Co. Inc. UST 1309,
Bellingham (5).
Whitman County - Colfax Grange Supply Inc. Main & Tyler, Colfax (3); Food Mart
041, Colfax (3).
Meanwhile, site assessments determined no further action is required at 20
locations:
Chelan County - Chelan County PUD 1 Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee.
Clallam County - Richard J. Niichel Property, Port Angeles.
Clark County - Electro Heavy Equipment, Vancouver.
Cowlitz County - Hansen Property, Kelso.
Grays Harbor County - Bettie Richardson Property, Westport; Ocean Shores Car
Wash; Zierman Property, Elma.
Island County - Diamond Property, Oak Harbor.
Jefferson County - Quilcene Fish Hatchery.
King County - Metro Self Storage, Bellevue.
Klickitat County - Temple Dist. Inc., Goldendale; Washington Department of
Transportation, Goldendale.
Mason County - Storey Property, Hoodsport.
Okanogan County - Washington Department of Transportation Tonasket Maintenance
Site.
Pierce County - Key Bank A Street Property, Tacoma; Tacoma Port Warehouse Demo,
Tacoma; Wauna Post Office & Store, Gig Harbor; University of Washington Pack
Forest, La Grande.
Skamania County - Stevenson Texaco.
Thurston County - West Bay Marine, Olympia.
Seven other sites entered the Voluntary Cleanup Program:
Island County - Oak Harbor City Shops.
King County - Leather Care Inc., Seattle; Miller Property, Bellevue.
Okanogan County - Katie Win Enterprises Property, Oroville.
Pierce County - Wagon Wheel Market, Spanaway; Floyd Equipment Rental, Tacoma.
Thurston County - 1515 Division Former Nursery, Olympia.
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Media contact: Seth Preston, 360-407-6848
Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/cleanup.html
Current Hazardous Sites List and past lists: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/mtca_gen/hazsites.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
