Washtucna fertilizer plant proposed for removal from Hazardous Sites list

The Washington Department of Ecology is proposing the removal of the Washtucna Fertilizer Plant, located at 135 West North Street in Washtucna, from the Hazardous Sites list.

The list contains contaminated sites throughout the state that have been evaluated and ranked. The Washtucna plant has received a level five ranking, which is the lowest classification on the scale. The rankings are used to indicate the greatest potential threat to human health and environment, according to a letter issued by Ecology.

The property has been used for a variety of agricultural retail and wholesale operations since the early 1950s, and has been vacant since 2000. The uses of the site included bulk fuel storage, retail and hardware supply, vehicle maintenance, bulk feed and storage of agricultural chemicals.

Throughout the past years, steps have been taken to clear away the soil contamination. This included the removal of above ground storage tanks containing petroleum in 1975, and the removal of the storage shed formally used to store herbicides, pesticides, and packaged petroleum and agrichemicals.

Earlier in 2014, nearly 117 cubic yards of soil impacted by petroleum had been removed and disposed of offsite, according to Ecology.

The continuous cleanup of the site since 1994 has now given the site a “No Further Action” determination, which was issued by Ecology. This allows the plant to qualify for removal from the hazardous sites list.

The public is invited to comment on the Washtucna Fertilizer Plant site until Dec. 23. Currently, there are no specific documents as part of the comment period, but files can be obtained through Ecology’s office in Spokane.

All comments regarding the proposed delisting of the site can be sent to Patti Carter at WA Department of Ecology Toxic Cleanup Program, 4601 North Monroe Street, Spokane, 99205. Carter can also be reached at 509-329-3522 or [email protected].

More information can also be obtained on the Ecology website by following the link: http://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/gsp/Sitepage.aspx?csid=1600.

The Washtucna Fertilizer Site is listed under Facility Site ID No. 567, and Cleanup Site ID No. 1600.

If approved, the site will be removed from the list in February 2015.