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Issue #21 SUPERFUND ORDER WA DUWAMISH SEDIMENTS On October 17, the Port of Seattle agreed to perform extensive soil sampling in the 3 -acre upland portion of the area known as Terminal 117, which is part of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site. The terminal is located in Seattle's South Park neighborhood. Under the order, the Port agreed with EPA to conduct sampling across the entire property. This past fall, the Port completed soil sampling for PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) at the northern part of Terminal 117. The samples taken under the October 171' order will be analyzed for more chemicals than just PCBs, including petroleum byproducts and metals. Results from recent Port sampling activity at Terminal 117 ranged from 500 to 1600 parts per million for PCBs. The new soil sampling is anticipated to start this winter. Based on the results, the Port will recom- mend ways to manage and clean up this soil in 2006, under EPA authority. Higher PCB contamination in the top of the riverbank is expected to be cleaned up this summer along with the soil. Cleanup of the contaminated mud and other areas will occur in 2007. For info: Ravi Sanga, EPA, 206/ 553- 4092 or email: sanga.ravi @epa.gov HAZARDOUS WASTE CA GLIDDEN SETTLES The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently settled with paint manufacturer Glidden Company for $95,000 in cleanup costs at an abandoned drum site in Riverside County, outside of Los Angeles. In June 2004, EPA investigated four abandoned 48 -foot tractor trailers that contained resins, polymers, paint wastes, solvents and heavy metal sludge, located in Perris. The EPA determined that the trailers were holding hazardous substances, and subject to response under of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or Superfund law. The trailers were owned by John Jones, a trucker The Water Report who had previously operated a waste hauling business from 1960 to 1980. Three trailers were located on Jones' property and while another vehicle was parked on a parcel belonging to his brother, Robert Jones. EPA removed approximately 1,000 containers, ranging in size from 5- gallon paint cans to 55- gallon drums. The containers were severely deteriorated and had to be carefully packaged for ship- ment and disposal. EPA's cleanup at the trailers cost approximately $206,396. Because it is believed that at least some of the paint cans were transported under the orders of a paint manufacturer since acquired by Glidden, Glidden Company will share in the clean up costs. For info: Dean Higuchi, EPA, 808/ 541- 2711 or email: higuchi.dean @epa.gov; EPA's Superfund website: www.epa.gov /superfund /action /law/ cercla.htm DAM BREACH WA Sediment Impact The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) recently released a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) that addresses the affects of removing Condit Dam on the White Salmon River. The document primarily addresses water quality concerns and is a supplement to environmental impact studies on the proposal by PacifiCorp to remove the hydroelectric project, submitted to the Federal Energy Regula- tory Commission (FERC). Ecology is accepting public comments on the document until November 15. The dam is proposed to be breached in October 2008. Demolition of the 125 - foot high dam would open 33 miles of steelhead habitat and 14 miles of salmon habitat, which have been blocked since the dam was constructed in 1913. Ecology is in the process of making a decision on whether the proposal to remove the dam will meet state water - quality and other environmental man- dates. The state must approve water - quality certification and a state construc- tion stormwater permit before the dam can be removed. Ecology hired URS Corporation, a Seattle consulting firm, to independently evaluate the FERC document to determine whether it met state environmental regulations. According to Ecology's document, the plume released when the dam is breached could kill fish and other aquatic species downstream. Ecology's report said that the project might violate the Endangered Species Act due to the sediment problems. "While the FERC document covered most of the issues, more information was needed on both long -term and short -term water - quality concerns surrounding dam removal," explained Derek Sandison, central region director for Ecology. "Concerns included how backed -up sediments and debris would be managed, as well as what effects dam removal would have on wetlands, endangered fish and fish passage." The draft SEIS may be viewed at www.ecy.wa.gov /biblio/ 0506022.html; Call Ecology for a compact disk or hard copy, 509/ 575- 2808. For info: Joye Redfield - Wilder, Ecology, 509/ 575 -2610 BROWNFIELDS RULE US EPA ANNOUNCES In a press release dated Novem- ber 1, EPA noted that Stephen L. Johnson, administrator of the Environ- mental Protection Agency, is sched- uled to announce the All Appropriate Inquiries rule November 2 at this year's Brownfields Conference in Denver, Colorado. The new rule establishes clear standards for environ- mental due diligence that will encour- age more urban redevelopment, according to EPA. "President Bush and EPA are committed to putting both property and people back to work through our successful brownfields program," said Johnson. `By making risk manage- ment less of a guessing game and more of a science, we are expanding the number of problem properties that will be transformed back into community assets." The All Appropriate Inquiries rule is expected to increase private cleanups of brownfields while reduc- ing urban sprawl, affecting more than 24 Copyright© 2005 Envirotech Publications; Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited.