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
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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.
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