On May 9, 2003 the City of Portland's Fire Marshals Office (FMO) closed the Columbia American Plating Co. stating that the premises was "imminently dangerous and...unsafe for the purpose for which they are being used and are a fire hazard as defined in Portland City Code" Title 31 Fire Regulations, Section 31.20.050. The FMO ordered all work to cease and evacuation of the building. On this same day (5/9/03) the City of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services terminated sewer system services to Columbia American Plating Co. based on "an imminent danger to the health and welfare of persons or the environment," pursuant to City Code 17.34.110(D)(2)(b).
On Thursday May 15, 2003 DEQ's Emergency Response and Removal Program contacted and requested EPA's Emergency Cleanup Unit for assistance in evaluating and mitigating the imminent threat to human health and the environment posed by the Columbia American Plating Co. EPA was asked to stabilize the site and initiate a removal action if the determination was made that: 1) the site presented an immediate risk to public health or welfare or the environment; and 2) the responsible party was incapable of responding in a timely manner to the actual and threatened releases of hazardous substances from the site.
EPA is responding to the site at the request of the DEQ. Initial activities were directed at securing and stabilizing the site through the management and control of on site water accumulation, the covering of open containers exposed to the environment and determining the secondary hazards that existed on site. Further assessment of site conditions and hazard categorization for unknowns is now occurring.
