EPA to Conduct More Soil Testing in Northport

Details

Published: Tuesday, 20 July 2021 18:14

EPA will conduct more voluntary soil sampling in the town of Northport on properties not sampled in 2003-2004. Click here for EPA flyer.

EPA reports that in Summer 2021, they “…will offer voluntary soil sampling to property owners located within the Northport town limits. Eligibility is currently limited to residential properties that have not been previously tested. We are reaching out to eligible property owners by the end of July to offer participation in this sampling event. For those properties where the landowner or property representative provides consent for voluntary soil testing, EPA plans to sample in Summer/Fall 2021. Soil sampling results will be provided to the landowner as soon as they are available. EPA will analyze lead and arsenic levels in sample results to determine which properties may need additional action.”

This builds on 2004 EPA testing where soil sampling that was done on 191 properties, of which 33 had soil removed and replaced. In 2020, EPA cleaned up an additional 15 properties. These properties became eligible for cleanup when EPA lowered the removal action for lead due to advances in scientific understanding of lead exposure to young children and babies.

EPA offered Teck American Inc. (TAI) the opportunity to perform the soil sampling. TAI declined the opportunity, noting that they believe the source of this contamination (the Le Roi/Northport smelter) is a separate source of contamination than what TAI agreed to evaluate as part of the Upper Columbia River RI/FS.  

A determination as to what properties may receive additional soil cleanup will be made after the testing process is complete. If EPA identifies potentially responsible parties, the agency may seek cost recovery for these efforts.  Click here for EPA’s Upper Columbia River Remedial Investigation & Feasibility Study web site.