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Alcoa Vancouver Site
Significant milestones
The Evergreen - Alcoa smelter cleanup continues at a fast pace.
- The Consent Decree for the river cleanup was lodged in the courts on January 30, 2009.
- The Columbia River sediment cleanup phase is complete. This includes sediment removal, placement of a clean layer of sand in the
dredged areas and work to restore and enhance the shore bank.
- Alcoa and the Port of Vancouver signed agreements for the transfer of the property to the Port of Vancouver at the end of March 2009.
- The Port of Vancouver has started the development of the site. A new rail line is in the planning stages. The site is currently being
used to store wind turbine components.
- Negotiations continue between Ecology and Alcoa over a cleanup plan for TCE-contaminated groundwater beneath the East Landfill.
East Landfill
Alcoa and Ecology are still actively negotiating a cleanup scenario for the TCE-contaminated groundwater beneath the East Landfill. When an agreement is
reached, the public will be notified and invited to comment on the proposal.
Columbia River Work
The Columbia River sediment remediation work at the site is finished.
Alcoa completed dredging the PCB-contaminated sediments from the Columbia River at the end of January 2009. In February, clean sediment was placed in
the dredged areas and in low- level contaminated areas near the smelter dock. This step helps return the dredged areas to their natural grades and
further enhance recovery of the riverbed.
Alcoa received a permit extension from the Army Corps of Engineers to finish its work on bank stabilization. The work included bank armoring and
shaping - which was completed in mid-March - along with the construction of a habitat enhancement area.
Sampling results from the dredged riverbed show the project successfully achieved the PCB cleanup goals. Water quality was checked throughout the
project, and there were no violations of the standards.
Upland Cleanup Work
The demolition of the smelter and final removal of contaminated soils is complete. The final upland cleanup work at the site involved removing ore
unloading and storage buildings near the dock and contaminated concrete and soils from the cable and extrusion plants.
- Removal of PCB-contaminated subfloors at the cable plant is complete. The concrete was crushed and sized for reuse. Alcoa finished the removal
of industrial and sanitary sewer lines in April 2009.
- All ore storage buildings have been demolished and the steel from the buildings was recycled.
- The final piece of the upland cleanup includes grading and covering the two on-site dredged material fills with clean soil. This work will begin
when the upper layer of dredged fill is drier near the end of the summer.
Weather permitting, Alcoa estimates the upland project will be complete this summer.
Crowley Buried Lagoons
The Crowley site consists of two historic covered oily bilge water lagoons which were constructed by a previous barge company.
Work at the Crowley site began in January of 2009. Petroleum-contaminated soils were removed and stockpiled on site. The oily soils were
placed in a land treatment cell in February.
The biological treatment of the contaminated soils should take one year. Petroleum levels have decreased this summer and currently are close
to final cleanup levels. Crowley will continue to farm the site through the summer. When cleanup levels are reached the material will be used as fill on the site.
SITE HISTORY AND CLEANUP ACTIONS TO 2007
The Alcoa Vancouver site is located in Clark County on the north bank of the Columbia River approximately three miles northwest of downtown Vancouver, Washington. Alcoa constructed an aluminum smelter on the western portion of the site in 1940. Between 1944 and 1970, a number of fabrication operations were added to the facility to form aluminum into finished goods such as wire, rod, and extrusions. Alcoa operated the entire facility for approximately 45 years, until its closure in 1985.
In 1985, Alcoa sold the aluminum smelter to VANALCO. VANALCO has since been sold to Evergreen Aluminum (Glencore). While Alcoa has sold or discontinued all operations and divested much of the smelter property, the company has retained ownership of certain parcels, including the dock and alumina unloading facilities. Industrial and solid wastes from construction and operation of the aluminum smelter were stored in waste piles and consolidated in landfills onsite over the years. Hazardous contaminants in these wastes include petroleum hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cyanide, fluoride, trichloroethylene (TCE), low-level organic chemicals, and metals.
Since 1990, Ecology has worked with Alcoa to determine the nature and extent of contamination within and resulting from the operation of the waste piles and landfills. An extensive investigation consisting of soil and groundwater monitoring was performed at the site. Feasibility studies were conducted to determine the best cleanup option for each waste pile, landfill, or other sub-site.
Evergreen Aluminum worked with Ecology in 2007 and 2008 to characterize and clean up the smelter portion of the Site. Evergreen
has since completed the removal of approximately 62,500 tons of contaminated soil and waste to an off-site landfill.
To date, Alcoa has spent approximately $42 million on cleanup at the Vancouver site, including $34 million on cleanup of PCBs.
PCB Cleanup and Source Control Actions to Date
| 2009 | Alcoa and Ecology lodge a consent decree for the upland soil and
Columbia River sediment cleanup. Alcoa and Ecology continue to negotiate on the cleanup of contaminated groundwater
found beneath the East Landfill
Columbia River sediment removal and bank enhancement complete
Alcoa building demolition and soil cleanup complete
Alcoa transfers the site to the Port of Vancouver for development
| | 2008 | Alcoa submits application to Army Corps. of Engineers for permit to
work in the Columbia River
Ecology issues an Order to begin upland work along Columbia River bank
Alcoa begins demolition of Rod Mill/Wire Mill/Extrusion Mill Building
Alcoa begins dredging of PCB contaminated sediments from Columbia River
| | 2007 | Ecology starts negotiations on Consent Decree for cleanup of
Evergreen (site info) and Alcoa property
Ecology learns of PCB-contaminated clams in Columbia River adjacent to Alcoa property
Department of Health issues health advisory prohibiting clam harvesting on Columbia River near Alcoa property
Ecology assigns sediment & toxicology specialists & attorney to work on Alcoa cleanup
Contaminated clam warming signs in 8 languages placed at boat launches
Ecology holds public meeting to discuss cleanup actions to date at Evergreen & Alcoa properties. Ecology reviews
progress of cleanup at Crowley site
Alcoa posts additional clam warning signs on the smelter river bank
Ecology reviews risk data to determine final sediment cleanup standards and action levels
Alcoa & Ecology agree on, and announce, an accelerated cleanup schedule to complete site cleanup as soon as legally
possible
| | 2006 | Alcoa installs rip rap to stabilize at the lower portion of East Landfill shoreline embankment
| | 2005 | Alcoa completes additional design work to further stabilize
embankment of the East Landfill and completes in water habitat restoration required by state resource agency.
| | 2004 | Alcoa completes capping of East Landfill & construction of adjacent
shoreline embankment
| | 2003 | Ecology issues Interim Action Agreed Order to cap East Landfill,
excavate PCBs from south bank, & construct shoreline embankment to prevent release of PCBs to river
Excavation of south bank PCBs is completed; area is back-filled with clean material
| | 2002 | Alcoa completes engineering design for the East Landfill cap, south
bank excavation & shoreline embankment; receives aquatic resource permit
| | 2001 | Alcoa completes Phase II river sampling & submits report to Ecology
| | 2000 | Alcoa completes phase I river sampling & submits report to Ecology
| | 1999 | Ecology requires Alcoa to conduct PCB sampling in Columbia River
| | 1998 | Ecology requires Alcoa to sample soils adjacent to East Landfill &
on adjacent river bank. PCBs discovered in river bank just downstream of landfill
Alcoa applies to Corps of Engineers for Joint Aquatic Resource Permit to remove PCB-contaminated soils from the south
bank area of concern
| | 1997 | Ecology issues Agreed Order to Alcoa to clean up Northeast Landfill
Alcoa completes removal of waste from Northeast Landfill. High level PCBs sent off-site. Low level PCBs consolidated
in East Landfill
Ecology is notified that Clark County discovered PCBs in Columbia River
| | 1995 | Alcoa removes PCB-contaminated soil & concrete from Rod Mill building
| | 1988 | Alcoa completes voluntary cleanup of hydraulic oil & PCB-contaminated
soils adjacent to Rod Mill
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Other Site Cleanup Actions to Date
| 2009 | Evergreen Aluminum completes final upland demolition and cleanup
of smelter. Land transferred to the Port of Vancouver
Crowley soil remediation site begins active land faming of oily soils. First round of summer samples indicate the oil
levels are near cleanup levels. Crowley continues to apply nutrients and tills soil until the summer fall growing
season is complete
Port of Vancouver starts development of the site, now called Terminal 5. Port of Vancouver begins engineering for
the development of new rail link for Terminal 5 and modification of the cover on the East Landfill to store automobiles
| | 2008 | Evergreen Aluminum completes cleanup of aluminum production area
of the smelter property. Approximately 62,500 tons of contaminated soil and industrial waste is removed from Site to
an off-site landfill. All aluminum production buildings are removed from the Site
| | 2007 | Ecology issues order to Evergreen Aluminum to characterize the
aluminum production area of the Site. Evergreen conducts investigative sampling and begins demolition of smelter and
cleanup
| | 1996 | Alcoa completes excavation & soil bioremediation of former
hydraulic oil disposal site and contaminated soils adjacent to Extrusion Mill & present day power plant
| | 1994 | Alcoa removes sludge from process water settling lagoon & constructs
new lined lagoons
| | 1992 | Ecology issues Consent Decree for cleanup of spent potliner
site. Waste removed & site capped by December
| | 1990 | Ecology issues Agreed Order to determine source of TCE in drinking
water
| | 1988 | Ecology directs Alcoa to supply fresh water to workers in response
to trichloroethylene contamination in plant production well
| | 1986 | Ecology issues administrative order to conduct a clean up
investigation and feasibility study for cleanup of spent potliner at Vancouver smelter
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Related Information
Additional Resources
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SITE INFORMATION
Facility Site ID:
# 21
Location:
Vancouver, Clark County
Contact:
Paul Skyllingstad, project manager
(360) 407-6949
Status:
Active
ADDITIONAL INFO
Alcoa Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Applications (JARPA) (pdf)
Alcoa Vancouver Focus Sheet (pdf)
Progress Report (html)
Final Enforcement Order (pdf)
Updated schedule in process
SITE NEWS
Alcoa News Releases:
12/16/2008 - Dredging underway at former Alcoa aluminum smelter
Ecology News Releases:
9/10/2008 - Agreement on consent decree reached; public comment period underway
6/5/2008 - Prep work for river sediment cleanup at Alcoa subject of meeting
2/15/2008 - Alcoa submits federal application for environmental dredging at Vancouver site
12/06/2007 - Agreement reached on river cleanup strategy for Vancouver's Alcoa site
11/09/2007 - Ecology, Alcoa announce accelerated cleanup of Vancouver site
Media Contact:
Kim Schmanke, Ecology communications
(360) 407-6239
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