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Department of Ecology News Release - January 14, 2009
09-013
SPOKANE - Comments are welcome on documents that discuss how the BNSF Railway Co. will approach cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater at the Parkwater Railyard site in Spokane. The site was contaminated with petroleum and petroleum-related products from leaking underground fuel-storage tanks, as well as petroleum and metals from a landfill at the site.
An “agreed order” formalizes BNSF’s agreement with Ecology to take the necessary actions to clean up the site. Documents that accompany the order include a scope of work and a public participation plan. The scope of work outlines the cleanup work the BNSF plans to do, and the public participation plan addresses how the public will be involved and informed of the cleanup.
The Parkwater Railyard site, at 5302 East Trent Ave. in Spokane, has been used for nearly a century to fuel and switch rail cars. In 1990, a fuel spill was discovered during the removal of underground storage tanks. BNSF has partially investigated the soil contamination and cleaned up some of it. The contamination also reached the underground water table. There are no drinking water wells in the area.
Ecology will accept comments on the agreed order and associated documents through Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.
The documents available for public comment are located at:
Comments may be submitted to Sandra Treccani, site manager, Toxics Cleanup Program, Washington Department of Ecology, 4601 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA, 99205; or by e-mail at satr461@ecy.wa.gov .
Ecology will review and respond to all comments. The documents could be amended based on comments Ecology receives.
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Media Contact: Cathy Cochrane, communications manager, 509-329-3433; ccoc461@ecy.wa.gov or Jani Gilbert, communications manager, 509-329-3645; jagi461@ecy.wa.gov
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/parkwater/railyard_hp.htm
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
