Cameo Residential Development

This site is a proposed residential development. The property was former orchard land that was sampled in 2019 and results confirmed arsenic and lead levels above Washington State cleanup standards under the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). Under MTCA, Ecology maintains a list of known or suspected contaminated sites, Confirmed or Suspected Contaminated Sites List. Ecology has added this site to that list as the site is known to be contaminated by hazardous substances.

Further investigation or cleanup actions are required to comply with state laws and regulations. As a result of the confirmation of lead and arsenic above state cleanup levels, actions required include:

• Proper notifications: Owners, potential buyers, construction workers and contractors, and others should be of the sampling results. Sellers and realtors must comply with real estate disclosure laws, such as the seller disclosure statement (Form 17), which asks if the seller knows of any soil contamination. Sellers are also required to disclose "adverse materials" which include soil contamination.

• Reduction of environmental impacts during site development: As a result of lead and arsenic contamination in the soil, extra precautions should be taken to avoid dust, soil erosion, and water pollution during grading and site construction. Protective measures include isolation or removal of contaminated soil from public spaces, yards, and children's play areas. Any contaminated soil generated during site development and construction must be managed and disposed of in accordance with state and local regulations.

• Mitigation Measures: Contaminated soil with lead and arsenic must be mitigated. Independent cleanups and Ecology-supervised cleanups are the two main options for cleaning up sites under MTCA. Ecology's Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) can offer technical assistance. Successful cleanups through VCP can receive a No Further Action (NFA), which can be helpful when selling a property or applying for a loan.

In 2020, Ecology convened a varied group, the Legacy Pesticides Working Group (LPWG), that included local and state government officials, health officials, real estate and financial industry representatives, current and former orchard property owners and sellers. This group met several times throughout the year to specifically address the lead and arsenic issue on former orchard lands. More information and final recommendations from the LPWG are available at the above link.