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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIdaho Pole Superfund Site Update.pdf Commission Memorandum REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission FROM: Brian Krueger, Associate Planner Chris Saunders, Interim Planning Director Chris Kukulski, City Manager SUBJECT: Idaho Pole Superfund Site Update ( Located near the northern limits of Bozeman around Cedar, Wallace and I-90) MEETING DATE: January 25, 2010 AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Special Presentation RECOMMENDATION: No Action Required. Consider the presentation on the 5 year review and update on the Idaho Pole Superfund Site. BACKGROUND: The Idaho Pole Site is located near the northern limits of Bozeman, Montana and occupies approximately 60 acres in the east half of Section 6 and the west half of Section 5, Township 2S, Range 6E of Gallatin County. The Site includes Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) property right of way, which is leased to Montana Rail Link; land owned by Northwestern Energy, including the East Gallatin substation; privately-owned land west and east of Rocky Creek, industrial areas to the south and west and a portion of I-90, Cedar Street and Bohart Lane which transect the site. The Site was listed on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund national priorities list (NPL) in 1986. The main reason for putting this Site on the NPL was that groundwater beneath the Site had become contaminated with oily wood treating fluid that had spilled, dripped or discharged onto the ground surface. Cleanup efforts have been ongoing since that time. The EPA conducts a review of the site every five years to determine if the remedy at that site is protective of human health and the environment. The last five year review was completed in 2005. Roger Hoogerheide, EPA Remedial Project Manager and Lisa DeWitt, MDEQ Project Officer will present to the Commission the progress to date regarding completion of the 5 year review final report anticipated this spring. Les Lonning, Technical and Environmental Affairs Director, McFarland Cascade Pole and Lumber Company and Rebecca Fabich, McFarland Cascade will also be available for questions. FISCAL EFFECTS: Not Applicable. ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission. Attachments:5 year Review Report Idaho Pole Superfund Site Report compiled on: January 20, 2010 74 The soil cleanup at the Idaho Pole Company site has been completed. How- ever, the remedy left treated waste in place on approximately 6 acres on Site above unrestricted use and unlimited exposure levels. Groundwater contin- ues to be treated. A Five-Year Review of the remedy is underway to evaluate the implementation and performance of the remedy to determine if the rem- edy continues to be protective of human health and environment. This is the Site’s third five-year review and is required under Federal Superfund Law. SITE STATUS UPCOMING COMMUNITY M EETING EPA and DEQ will hold a public infor- mation meeting in Bozeman in the near future to dis- cuss the Idaho Pole Site cleanup. FACILITY AND SOIL CLEANUP OVERVIEW Idaho Pole Company (IPC) operated a wood treating facility near the northern limits of Bozeman from 1945 until the plant's closure in 1997. Plant operations included using creosote and later pentachlorophenol (PCP) in carrier oil to preserve wood. These opera- tions resulted in releases of PCP, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzo- furans to soil and groundwater. Site soils and groundwater were listed on the Superfund Na- tional Priority List (NPL) in June 1986. In Sep- tember 1992, the Montana Department of Envi- ronmental Quality (DEQ) in cooperation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), specified cleanup actions in a Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD estab- lished cleanup levels for the contaminants of concern and outlined a selected remedy. The remedy was later modified in Explanations of Significant Differences issued in May 1996 and in November 1998. A lined Land Treatment Unit (LTU) and reten- tion pond were constructed for biological treat- ment of contaminated soils and disposal of oily wood treating fluids. All accessible contami- nated soils, comprising an approximate 24,100 cubic yards, were excavated and treated on the Land Treatment Unit. Soil treatment was complete once the soils met the ROD soil treatment levels. Two pits were then excavated on-site and the treated soil, along with the filter sand from the LTU, was placed in each of the pits and covered with 12 inches of clean fill to prevent direct contact. EPA has certified that the soils cleanup has been fully performed and completed in accordance with the ROD. I DAHO POLE SUPERFUND SITE FORMER POLE TREATING PLANT B OZEMAN, MONTANA DECEMBER 2009 75 U.S. EPA Region 8 - Montana Office 10 W. 15th St., Suite 3200 Helena, MT 59626 Attn: Roger Hoogerheide Return Service Requested Contacts: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Roger Hoogerheide, Project Manager 1-800-457-2690 (toll free) MT Department of Environmental Quality Lisa DeWitt, Project Officer (406) 841-5037 Idaho Pole Company Les Lonning, Project Manager 1-800-841-7809 BNSF Railway Company Dave Smith, Project Manager (406) 447-2307 Information Repositories: Bozeman Public Library 220 East Lamme Street Bozeman, Montana 59715 U.S. EPA Montana Office Federal Building, Suite 3200 10 West 15th Street Helena, Montana 59626 GROUNDWATER CLEANUP OVERVIEW WWW.EPA.GOV WWW.DEQ.MT.GOV A groundwater remediation system (GRS) was installed to accelerate the removal of dissolved phase PCP and PAH compounds from the groundwater beneath the Site. Construction of the GRS began in 1996 and was completed in 1997. Approximately 392 million gallons of ground- water have been treated to date. Using this pump and treat system, concentrations of PCP and PAH in the groundwater have decreased significantly over the past 12 years. A Controlled Groundwater Use Area was created in 2001 to prevent construction of new wells in the vicinity that may pose a threat to human health and to protect the groundwater remedy. Since the groundwater has not yet been restored to its intended beneficial use as a drinking water source, the Idaho Pole Company is required to continue to pump and treat groundwater until groundwa- ter has been restored to its intended use. FACILITY AND SOIL CLEANUP OVERVIEW — CONTINUED The approximate 6-acre area where the treated soil was placed is restricted use area and a survey has been completed to iden- tify the area. The Idaho Pole Company will file a Notice of Institutional Control with the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder that certifies completion of the soil component of the remedy. With the filing of the Notice of Institutional Controls, develop- ment of this 6-acre area is prohibited (including utilities) without specific approval from the property owner and the EPA. FUTURE A CTIONS Idaho Pole Company will continue to operate the groundwater treatment system and conduct groundwater monitoring. 76