The Colville Tribal Drum (Colville Drum) site is located at 63A Schoolhouse Loop Road in Nespelem, Washington, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, approximately 2.5 miles southwest of the town center. The site serves as offices for the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Department (TFWD), the tribal logging group, and the tribal roads group. The site is approximately 10 acres in size and is located within the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Colville Tribes).
There are Tribal interests in the site. EPA received a request from the Colville Tribes as part of the Comprehensive Response Strategy on Indian Lands project to conduct a removal site evaluation at this site of abandoned drums located within the tribal reservation. The Tribe expressed concerns that the abandoned drums on site may release causing exposures to tribal members. The Tribe has agreed to fund the removal of non-hazardous materials from the site.
Surface water from the site drains south by mean of manmade and natural drainage routes to the Nespelem River, located approximately ¾ of a mile south of the site. The Nespelem River flows to the south and west to the Columbia River, located approximately 2 miles downstream from the confluence of the drainage routes.
Seven test well logs are on file with the Department of Ecology. The logs are incomplete, however, in general the wells were drilled to approximately 120 feet and static water level was near 60 feet below ground surface. According to the Colville Tribe, all the residences in the area have domestic wells, however, installation of a drinking water supply line is planned for the area. The Colville Tribe indicated that there
were likely three homes and one business to the south and five homes to the north that use
well water. In addition the Fish and Wildlife department drinking water is supplied by a well
onsite. It is estimated that there are approximately 10 to 15 wells within a one mile radius of the site.
The removal evaluation conducted in July 2002 identified 122 drums and 90 5-gallon containers containing hazardous and non-hazardous materials, 40 containers of various hazardous laboratory chemicals, a 55-gallon drum of formaldehyde, and lead-acid batteries.
January 13, 2003: (ERRS-7, START-2, EPA-1)ERRS, START, and EPA mobilize to the site to conduct a removal action to address abandoned drums and containers of hazardous and non-hazardous materials including: flammable liquids, corrosives, toxic substances, waste oils, and gasoline mixtures. The ERRS, START, and EPA conducted a site walk, planned removal activities, and discussed site health and safety concerns. Tribal members working onsite were informed of planned removal activites.
January 14, 2003: (ERRS-7, START-2, EPA-1) ERRS and START collect samples from drums and containers and conduct hazard categorization on samples. Based on hazard categorization results wastestreams were identified and hazardous and non-hazardous substances were segregated. Hazardous substances (including corrosives, laboratory chemicals, flammable liquids, and toxic materials) were placed in drum overpacks for offsite transportation. Paint-related Materials and 5-gallons containers of waste oils were placed in square Maverick Shipping containers.
Material in drums and containers will be sampled, analyzed by field hazard categorization, and segregated into waste streams. The drums will be placed inside of Salvage Drums for shipment off site. Petroleum containers and non-petroleum waste will be packed for shipment, and waste debris will be consolidated in square Maverick shipping containers. Waste materials will be transported off-site for final disposal and samples will be collected to assess impacts to site surface soils.
Continue to segregate wastes into waste streams.
Pack waste material into appropriate shipping containers for transportation offsite.
Transport wastes off-site for final disposal.
Conduct soil sampling to assess impacts.
1/13/03 Observed tribal members continuing to place containers of waste oil onsite amongst drums and containers to be removed as part of the removal action; Gary Passmore was notified and agreed to coordinate with tribal members to assure waste are stored and disposed of properly in the future, notice will be sent to tribal workers describing proper disposal procedures. 1/13/03 Drums and containers were reportedly removed from the unclaimed building; all drums in this area observed during the removal evalauation were accounted for. The unclaimed building onsite was identified as previously containing a wood treatment operation; Gary Passmore from the Tribe confirmed the wood treatment building had been removed and cleanup occurred at the former location. The planned disposal method of bulking waste oil mixtures for transportation offsite was altered do to observed site conditions; ice has formed in drums as a result of cold weather, preventing bulking with vacuum trucks, the drums will be overpacked for offsite transportation. This method will allow removal action to be completed within schedule.
The tribe has agreed to fund the removal of non-hazardous materials (waste oils) as part of this removal action. Funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs will be used via a purchase order with EPA's contractors to address transportation, disposal, and some labor.
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