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BNSF Former Maintenance and Fueling Facility, Skykomish, Washington

SITE DESCRIPTION

The former railway maintenance and fueling facility in the town of Skykomish was operated by BNSF Railway Company. Historical activities at the site included refueling and maintaining locomotives and operating an electrical substation. These activities resulted in the release of petroleum and heavy metals to the surrounding environment. BNSF is conducting a cleanup of the contamination at the site with Ecology oversight.

Here you can find historic information, documents, activities, and current events for the cleanup.

Current Cleanup Activities - April 2008

2008 cleanup work starts in May with contractors mobilizing and setting up in Skykomish.  The 2008 work will include the installation of a Hydraulic Control and Containment System along the north boundary of the BNSF Rail yard, the cleanup of two properties, Railroad Avenue and the installation of a Waste Water Treatment System for the town.  Cleanup alternatives for the Skykomish School will also be tested to determine which is best for that work, which is set to be done in 2010.

Ecology is hosting a public meeting in Skykomish on April 29 from 5:30pm to 8pm to present and discuss the scope of work, its impacts, and projected timeline for 2008.  For more information regarding the cleanup, please see the Final 2008 Engineer Design Report, the Skykomish Cleanup Webpage, or visit any of the site information repositories.  You may also request information by calling Brad Petrovich at (425) 649-4486.

Final documents available -- April 2008

• Final 2008 Engineer Design Report
• Final Master Engineer Design Report -
• 2008 Construction Plans and Specifications -
• 2008 Hydraulic Control and Containment Special Design Report –
• 2008 Compliance Monitoring Plan –

Past Studies, Reports, and Plans

During the cleanup process, Ecology requires investigations and studies to determine the nature and extent of contamination on the site and to identify ways of cleaning it up.  This process is explained in the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study and additional documents.  Based on Feasibility Study, a cleanup action plan is developed, and a legal agreement called a Consent Decree (CD) is negotiated between Ecology and the Potentially Liable Party (PLP).  For this site BNSF is the PLP, and a CD was agreed to and entered in court in October 2007.  The Consent Decree also contains and Cleanup Action Plan, Schedule, and Public Participation Plan, all of which outline how the cleanup will be conducted.  An Environmental Impact Statement is also prepared to make sure the cleanup addresses key environmental concerns and issues.  These documents have been completed in past years and are listed here:

• Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study - 2005
• Interim Action 2001 and 2006
• Consent Decree - 2007
• Cleanup Action Plan
• Cleanup Schedule
• Public Participation Plan
• Final Environmental Impact Statement - 2007
• Response to Public Comment (Excluding original comments due to file size. The full document is available at the information repositories.)

Public Participation

Public participation is an important part of the cleanup process.  This section includes the detailed Public Participation Plan prepared by Ecology and used to guide community involvement during the cleanup. In addition, this section includes information on public meetings, the town's visioning process, facts sheets, letters and other communications with the public, and cleanup timelines and responsiveness summaries.

Legal Information

The Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) is a hazardous waste cleanup law that guides the cleanup activities of Ecology.  This section includes legal agreements for cleanup and other legal information.

Consent Decree and exhibits for BNSF Skykomish cleanup.

Final Environmental Impact Statement for BNSF Skykomish Cleanup.

Interim Action for cleanup of the Levee Zone, legal documents.

Related Information

• Watershed Information for WRIA 07

Additional Resources

• Acronyms used by the Toxic Cleanup Program
• Cleanup Process: Major Steps & Definitions
• Data Submittal Requirements for All Cleanup Sites
• Facility/Site Atlas
• Toxics Cleanup publications