The Site has been the location of boat building, boat repair, and machine shop activities since approximately 1937. At the boat yard, commercial fishing and pleasure boats were repaired and marine transmissions were manufactured. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has received numerous pollution complaints alleging that on-Site activities were contaminating the Columbia River and nearby properties. Between September 1991 and June 1999, DEQ received four such Pollution Complaints. Complaints filed include, but are not limited to, allowing oil to drain onto the ground and into the river, improper disposal of paints and solvents, and stripping, sanding, and applying marine paint over the river without containment.
The nearest residence shares the same tax lot as the Site. Other upland residences are located across I-5, about 0.3 mile east-southeast of the Site, and across North Portland Harbor, about 0.4 mile northeast and 0.5 mile north-northwest of the Site. In addition to the upland residences, there are approximately 200 houseboats moored along the north shore of North Portland Harbor, within 0.5 mile of the Site. Nearly 80 percent of these are located either directly across the harbor or downstream from the Site. The nearest is located approximately 525 feet north of the downstream end of the Site.
The entire Site lies within the Columbia River’s 100-year flood zone, so flood waters could mobilize any surface contamination at the Site. The distance from the Site source area to surface water (the Columbia River) is approximately 35 feet. The Site is essentially flat with a wall running along the southern boundary of the Site and the northern boundary sloping toward the Columbia River. The majority of the Site is paved; however, the embankment leading to the river, roughly 50 feet high with a greater than 1:1 slope is covered with vegetation and surface soils.
