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Inchelium Wood Treatment Plant

 
Site Contact:
Jeffrey Fowlow
On-Scene Coordinator

(fowlow.jeffrey@epa.gov)

Site Location:
18 Blackbird Drive
Inchelium, WA 99138
 response.epa.gov/IWTP

The Inchelium Wood Treating Plant (IWTP) Site is located at 18 Blackbird Drive, Inchelium, Ferry County, Washington, 99138 on the Colville Reservation. The Site is mostly located in Section 12 (with a small portion in the Section 1) of Township 32 North, Range 36 East, Willamette Meridian (latitude 48° 17' 40" north, longitude 118° 12' 23" west). The IWTP is a former wood treatment plant that operated from the early 1980s to 2005.

Although the IWTP is no longer operational, most of the buildings and equipment remain. Buildings that are still present at the Site include the Treatment Building, the North and South Drip Pads (Drip Pads), an Underground Concrete Vault (UCV), and other structures. There also is a Maintenance Building on the property; however, that building was not used during wood-treating operations. This building contains ACM and will be addressed by the EPA in a separate removal action, the Blackbird Drive Maintenance Building.

Substantial environmental information exists about the Site. Environmental investigations completed at the Site in the 2000s show that soil and groundwater are contaminated with arsenic, chromium, and copper and that the source of these metals is wood treatment operations using chromated copper arsenate (CCA). CCA-contaminated sludge and wastewater are present in containers at the Site, including above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) and sumps. Spent formulations, residuals, drippage, and other wastewaters from wood preserving processes that use arsenic or chromium (i.e., CCA) are RCRA listed hazardous wastes (waste code F035).

In addition to arsenic, chromium, and copper, lead is also a contaminant of concern (COC) at the Site. Although the source of the lead contamination has not been determined, lead has been detected in Site soil at concentrations as high as over 100 times the natural background levels for Washington State and over 10 times the Site cleanup level. The lead contaminated soil known to be at the Site is mostly collocated with contamination from wood treating chemicals.

On August 14, 2014, EPA signed an Action Memo authorizing the removal of CERCLA hazardous substances at the Site, Under this action, EPA will remove and dispose of contaminated soil, concrete, waste water, sludge, and chemicals.

EPA mobilized to the site to begin removal activities on September 8, 2014. The removal action is expected to continue until November 8, 2014.


South Drip Pad in foreground and North Drip Pad in background. South Drip Pad, with retort door to the right. Inchelium Wood Treatment Plant, North and South Drip Pads in the foreground under the aluminum pavillion. Cutting the concrete floor of the North Drip Pad. Removing the asphalt berm on the periphery of the North Drip Pad. Cutting the concrete floor of the North Drip Pad. Cutting the concrete floor of the North Drip Pad. Cutting the concrete floor of the North Drip Pad. Removal of the North Drip Pad. Concrete from the North Drip Pad (background) stockpiled. Contaminated bedding sand exposed after removal of the concrete from the North Drip Pad. Central Treated Wood Storage Area (right) and West TWSA (left) preparation for excavation. Removing the soil covering the Underground Containment Vault. ASTs in the Maintenance Building after removal of pumps, motors, and piping. Truck decontamination station and scales. Excavation in the Central Treated Wood Storage Area. Building a truck road through the Western and Central Treated Wood Storage Areas. Cutting the retort in the Treatment Building. Cutting the retort in the Treatment Building. Cutting the retort to salvageable size. Cutting the concrete South Drip Pad. Excavated North Drip Pad. South Drip Pad, removal of concrete and exposed soil. Treatment Building, removal of ASTs. Northern Treated Wood Storage Area, removal of contaminated soil. Stockpiled ASTs ready for recycling. West and Central Treated Wood Storage Areas showing truck access roads and stockpiles of contaminated soil. South Drip Pad, removal of contaminated concrete and underlying soil. Excavation in the Northern TWSA Removing the concrete floor of the south Drip Pad. Contaminated soil stockpiles in the Central TWSA. Excavating concrete floor in the South Drip Pad. Breaking up the concrete ceiling of the Underground Containment Vault. South Drip Pad after backfilling and compaction. South Drip Pad after backfilling and compaction. North and South Drip Pads after backfilling and compaction. Northeast Road (left), contaminated soil stockpiles in the Central TWSA (foreground) and Northern TWSA (background). Western TWSA and the remainder of the contaminated soil stockpile from the Western TWSA. Removing the ceiling of the Underground Containment Vault (UCV). The UCV is 40' x 40' x 10' deep, had a 120,000 gallon capacity, and was used to contain wastewater. Removing the ceiling of the Underground Containment Vault (UCV). The UCV is 40' x 40' x 10' deep, had a 120,000 gallon capacity, and was used to contain wastewater. Inside the Treatment Building after removal of 9 ASTs, retort, and other pumps, motors, and piping. Inside the Treatment Building after removal of 9 ASTs, retort, and other pumps, motors, and piping. Rebuilding West Road. Central Treated Wood Storage Area on left; Western Treated Wood Storage Area on right. All areas excavated and backfilled with clean gravel. START collecting analytical data on a UCV wall using an X-Ray Fluorescence instrument. Jackhammering perforations into the wall of the UCV to delineate contaminated sections of the wall (below the perforations) vs. uncontaminated sections of the wall (above the perforations). Jackhammering perforations into the wall of the UCV to delineate contaminated sections of the wall (below the perforations) vs. uncontaminated sections of the wall (above the perforations). Jackhammering into the wall of the UCV delineating contaminated sections of the wall from uncontaminated sections of the wall. Contaminated parts of the wall will be disposed of while uncontaminated parts of the wall will be recycled. Jack hammering the southern wall of the UCV in preparation of removing it. The area below the penetrations is contaminated with metals and will be disposed of as a haardous waste. The area above the penetrations is uncontaminated and will be removed and recycled. Removal of the UCV walls. Creating access ramp into the UCV. Example of stained and contaminated concrete from the Treatment Building. Jackhammering the Retort Chamber Sump within the Treatment Building. The rebuilt West Road delineating the boundary between the Western Treated Wood Storage Area (background) and the Central Treated Wood Storage Area (foreground). Excavation of Blackbird Drive between the former Maintenance Building and the NE Treated Wood Storage Area. Backfilling recently excavated Blackbird Drive. Backfilling the recently excavated area of Blackbird Drive and the NE Treated Wood Storage Area. Backfilling Blackbird Drive. Contaminated soil stockpile awaiting disposal on the left. Excavation and backfilling Blackbird Drive. Excavating Blackbird Drive. Excavation of the UCV. Loading trucks from the Northeast TWSA. Decontamination of the west wall of the UCV using mechanical abrasion. Collecting a sample of the west wall of the UCV using a roto-hammer. Collecting sample of Treatment Building stem wall using a roto-hammer. Breaking up concrete floor of the Treatment Building. Treatment Building floor after jack-hammering. Contaminated concrete floor in the Treatment Building. Removing contaminated concrete in the Treatment Building. START conducting XRF analysis of soil in the Northern TWSA. ERRS grinding surface contamination from the stem wall of the Treatment Building. Collecting a core sample from the East stem wall of the Treatmetn Building. Backfilling the UCV. North Treated Wood Storage Area after removal of contaminated soil. Note existing monitoring well in center. Floor of the Treatment Building after breakup of the concrete surface. Former UCV area in foreground; Northern TWSA at left; and Northeast TWSA in background after backfilling and grading. Former UCV area and Northern TWSA after backfilling and grading. Loading trucks from the Central TWSA stockpile. Loading trucks from the Central TWSA stockpile. Loading trucks from the Central TWSA stockpile. Final grading in the Western TWSA (left). Treatment Building floor after break up of the concrete surface. Contaminated soil stockpile in the Central TWSA. Sample core hole locations; East wall of the Treatment Building. Inside the Treatment Building; repairs made to close the former retort opening. Inside the Treatment Building after backfilling and compaction. Excavator in the background breaking concrete rubble to remove rebar. Boarding the access hole in the South Wall of the Treatment Building after all removal and backfilling have been completed. Central TWSA after removal of contaminated soil, backfilling, and re-grading. Western TWSA after removal of contaminated soil, backfilling, and re-grading. Northern area of the Central TWSA (foreground), drip pads (center), and Northern TWSA (background) after backfilling and regrading.
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.