Ecology seeks comments on action plan for Camp Bonneville cleanup

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - June 8, 2009

09-134

Ecology seeks comments on action plan for Camp Bonneville cleanup

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) encourages the public to review and comment on a draft action plan for cleanup of munitions and explosives at the Camp Bonneville military reservation.

Camp Bonneville takes in almost 4,000 acres of forested land about five miles northeast of Vancouver city limits in Clark County. From 1910 to 1995, the Department of Defense owned Camp Bonneville, which it used for firing range practice and training.

Later investigations found soil contaminated with unexploded ordnance, explosive compounds, lead, petroleum products, pesticides and volatile organic compounds. Chemicals contaminated the groundwater.

Ecology proposes:

A draft Cleanup Action Plan for new work in Remedial Action Unit 3. This unit includes the entire site where munitions and explosives could be found, as well as the area considered for future county park development.
A proposed State Environmental Policy Act determination of non-significance related to this cleanup phase.

The comment period starts today, June 8, and ends July 8. Ecology will review all comments.

The public can talk with Ecology staff about the Camp Bonneville cleanup at an open house from 4:30 to 8 p.m. June 25. An informal presentation and question-and-answer period will begin at 6 p.m.

The open house will be held in the Clark County Public Works Operations Center’s Conference Room, 4700 NE 78th St., Vancouver.

Here’s where you can view the draft documents:

Vancouver Mall Public Library, 8700 NE Vancouver Mall Drive, Suite 285. Phone (360) 892-8256.
Washington State University Vancouver Library, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave. Phone (360) 546-9680.
Department of Ecology, Toxics Cleanup Program, 300 Desmond Drive in Lacey. For appointments, contact Carol Dorn at (360) 407-7224 or cesg461@ecy.wa.gov .
Ecology’s Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/camp_bonneville/camp_bonneville_hp.htm

bfor461@ecy.wa.gov .

Note: These draft documents and comment period are separate from those related to the Central Impact Target Area, a former artillery target area that is included in Remedial Action Unit 3. That comment period continues until June 29.

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Seth Preston, Ecology communications manager, 360-407-6848; 360-584-5744 cell; spre461@ecy.wa.gov