09/04/2008: "Ecology Adds FH Sites To Cleanup List"

The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) has added 41 sites in 19 counties to its list of hazardous sites planned for cleanup, and part of the Friday Harbor Front St. right-of-way, and part of the San Juan Marina, also in Friday Harbor, have made it onto the list.

The good news is that Ecology has ranked the two areas at the bottom of the risk scale “to people and the environment.” The bad news is that the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) specifies that those responsible for polluting a site must pay for its cleanup.

Both of the sites are believed to be related to property the Toucan Oil Trust purchased, and is now being developed by Tukang Enterprises LLC. The building is located in front of Vinny’s Restaurant, and has been under construction for a couple of years now.

In 2006 Tukang Enterprises struck oil while excavating for the foundation. While there is some irony in this, the finding of oil on the property came as no surprise to the locals, who recall that the site once held 85,000 gallons of gas and diesel/heating oil in bulk storage tanks back when Standard Oil had leased the property.

When the incident occurred, Town Administrator King Fitch "informed Misty Todd that the Town was expecting the current property owner to bare the expense for the clean up." Now Ecology has added Port of Friday Harbor property to the list, and that site has a one step higher rating than the Tukang property has.

Ecology’s Seth Preston stated the state pays for cleanup only when a liable person cannot be found, or when identified liable parties can't afford to pay for the work.

Because resources are limited, contaminated sites are ranked according to the risks they pose to people and the environment. The properties on Ecology's list of hazardous sites are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. A rank of 1 represents the highest level of concern. Ranks reflect the severity of risk to hazardous substances that humans and the environment face. For example, a site with a 1 ranking poses a higher risk of exposure so cleanup needs to happen quicker.

As part of its twice-a-year update of contaminated sites in Washington, Ecology included the newly assessed sites on the Hazardous Sites List.

"Cleanups make it possible for economic development to pick up in areas that might have been abandoned otherwise," said Jim Pendowski, who manages Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program. "We continue working to protect human and environmental health, which in turn can contribute to economic health."

The Hazardous Site List continues to grow because more investigations are being done as Ecology works to accelerate its cleanup efforts throughout the state. In Washington, more than 10,000 toxic sites have been identified. More than 80 percent of the sites have been cleaned up or are now being cleaned up. The rest are awaiting action.

Cleanup is required whenever toxic contamination is above limits set in the state's MTCA, a 1989 citizen initiative that established a broad-based program for cleaning up and preventing toxic contamination.

The latest list update includes seven sites with a 1 ranking. Two sites are in Pierce County. Clallam, King, Kitsap, Skagit, and Yakima counties have one site each.