Kenmore Industrial Park

What has been happening at the Site?

Kiewitt/General/Manson (KGM), the design-build contractor for the replacement of the SR 520 Bridge, has been leasing the property for construction activities. Most recently, KGM completed the casting of concrete deck sections in August 2015. KGM’s activities at the site now are primarily limited to maintenance and equipment storage. Ecology expects a decrease in barge traffic to and from the bridge construction area, dismantling of the bridge and the cranes that had been set up on site.  

(For more information:  Washington Department of Transportation)  or http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/BridgeAndLandings/KenmoreIndPrk.htm)


KGM signed a lease agreement with the site owner, Pioneer Towing Company, Inc. in October, 2011 to use the 14 westernmost acres. The owner agreed to conduct “deferred industrial maintenance” (see below) to bring the site into current industrial function for KGM. 
 
Results of the 2014 Periodic Review

Ecology conducts periodic review for cleanup sites that have Environmental Covenants and/or Institutional Controls to determine whether these provisions continue to protect human health and the environment.  Ecology held a public comment period for the Site Periodic Review from May 1 to June 30, 2014.

The 2014 results for the five known chemicals of concern and three additional chemicals all showed no detection or very low levels and significantly below those required for cleanup by Washington State’s cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). 
 
These results also confirmed that soil and ground water at the site meet Ecology requirements and that the site can continue to be used for industrial activities, as allowed under the Consent Decree (CD). The CD  protects the integrity of the  cleanup to date by prohibiting excavation or other activity below the ground surface without prior review and approval by Ecology. 


 Frequently Asked Questions 

The Kenmore Industrial Park Site is a 45-acre waterfront site where the Sammamish River joins Lake Washington in Kenmore, King County, WA. Remedial Investigations were conducted in 1990s. The Consent Decree #01-2-22187-6SEA was signed 2001. The proposed Lakepointe Development plan was withdrawn 2002-03. The site owner has kept the Development Building Permit current with the City of Kenmore while pursuing the development option. 
 
The site incorporates a former demolition debris landfill active from 1969 to 1976 under King County Unclassified Use Permit. Ecology and the public are concerned about all landfill sites and many landfills represent a significant hazard to human and aquatic health and the environment. However, this site does not represent a significant environmental risk. During the remedial investigations conducted in the 1990’s, soil and ground water, sediment and landfill gases were tested and the only known chemicals of concern are petroleum oil and diesel, arsenic, barium and lead. Ground-water compliance monitoring was conducted in 2001, 2009, 2010, 2012 and in 2014. Results of all of these studies show that no known chemicals of concern are migrating from the site through groundwater into the adjacent waterways – Sammamish River, Lake Washington, and the Kenmore Navigation Channel.
 
In 1991 Ecology assigned a Site Hazard Ranking (SHA) score of 1 (scale of 1-5, 1 being the highest priority) based on the limited information available at that time.

The current use of the property, known as Lakepointe Development or Kenmore Industrial Park (KIP) Site is restricted under a Consent Decree, a legal agreement between Ecology and the property owner that governs the cleanup of a site.
 
The Consent Decree allows the owner (See Frequently Asked Questions for details about ownership) two options for the use of the site:

1. Complete the cleanup described in the Cleanup Action Plan (CAP) with the proposed development of the site where the development is integrated with the cleanup actions for the entire site or phased with development for sections of the site with Ecology certification for the phased sections, or

2. Continue industrial use with compliance monitoring and restrictive covenant (recorded 2001) if development does not occur.
 
The site is currently used for industrial activities by various tenants: KGM (see above) and others with activities that include sand and gravel storage, top soil and bark storage and sale, shoreline, bulkhead, dock, and wharf construction and repair, and storage for boats, trailers, and recreation vehicles.
 
Development Status

The property owner has renewed development and building permits with the City of Kenmore for a future yet-to-be-scheduled waterfront development. 
 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a new environmental justice (EJ) mapping and screening tool called EJSCREEN. It is based on nationally consistent data and an approach that combines environmental and demographic indicators in maps and reports. See below for information about demographics in the area of the Kenmore Industrial Park.

EJSCREEN Census Block Map - This shows the Census Blocks used to generate the reports below.

EJSCREEN ACS Summary Report Kenmore Industrial Park – This shows the demographic information about the population of the area.

EJSCREEN Report Kenmore Industrial Park – This report shows the values for environmental and demographic indicators and EJSCREEN indexes. These percentiles provide perspective on how the selected block group or buffer area compares to the entire state, EPA region, or nation.

Check out What’s in My Neighborhood to find out about other cleanups in your area. 

The chemicals of concern (COCs) for groundwater:

• petroleum oil and diesel
• arsenic
• barium 
• lead

Chemicals of concern for soils:

• petroleum oil and diesel
• arsenic
• barium 
• lead
• selenium 

 

The site was tested for other chemicals including PCBs. The results showed no detections or levels significantly below the State of Washington Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) cleanup levels. Testing in sediments did not indicate COCs.

The Remedial Investigation (RI)was conducted to determine the location and extent of the contamination.  The RI included extensive testing of soil, ground-water, air, and sediments. (See Chemicals of Concern.)

These results showed most substances were below laboratory detection levels. The Remedial Investigation ruled out volatile organics and semi-volatile organic substances including poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), other metals, and PCBs. 
 
Past site preliminary evaluation forms list various materials, such as medical waste and transformers, as possible contents of the landfill. To date none of these have been found in soil or groundwater. 
 
PCBs and Dioxins were tested
 
Extensive soil and ground-water testing show no PCBs in groundwater (20 samples across the site) and no PCBs in soil (12 samples across the site) with one exception. The one PCB exception is reported as one erroneous sample of poor quality from a wood chip in boring AW-7 and the result was 2.4 mg/kg slightly above twice the unrestrictive cleanup level (1 mg/kg) and significantly below industrial cleanup level at 10 mg/kg. The sample was dismissed as a chemical of concern as reported in the Remedial Investigation Report (AMEC 2001). AW-7 is located in the northeast part of site substantially east of the deferred maintenance work and interior to the site. In 2011 and 2012 additional PCB sampling was conducted (20 additional soil samples) and again the results showed no detection. So all PCB testing at the KIP site shows that there are no known PCBs present at the KIP site.

Sediment testing for PCBs and metals showed no detection or very low levels of detections at the Navigation Channel, and two samples were tested for arsenic and lead at the Sammamish River. Ecology will continue the required monitoring so that all concerns are addressed within the authority of the state’s cleanup regulations and the consent decree. 
 

Periodic reviews are conducted every 5 years by Ecology for sites that have Environmental Covenants and/or Institutional Controls. The review is intended to examine the effectiveness of cleanup activities and to assure the continued protection of human health and the environment.  For results of the Kenmore site periodic review and groundwater monitoring between 2009-2014 see below. 

2009 Groundwater Compliance Monitoring 

2010 Groundwater Compliance Monitoring
2012 Supplemental sampling
2014 Periodic Review


              

Deferred Industrial Maintenance

Under Ecology's oversight in 2012, work was done so that the western 14 acres of the site could be used for the current industrial functions, including the staging of the bridge decks for the 520 bridge construction. It was conducted under the Ecology Consent Decree and general construction NPDES permits and with permits from City of Kenmore. Activities included:

• Grading and contouring the western 14 acres. 
• Installation of three storm water drainage areas with storm water sediment traps draining into the subsurface to minimize surface water flow into adjacent waterways. The soils excavated for the drainage areas were isolated and disposed off-site at a certified facility. 
• Removing surface stockpiled soils from the west to the southeast area of the site to test them and approve for off-site disposal.
• Installing geofabric and 1-foot of clean gravel.
• Restoring existing dock and wharf by increasing structural capacity.

To ensure the deferred maintenance didn't cause contaminants to migrate into the Sammamish River, Lake Washington, and Kenmore Navigation Channel, Ecology asked the owner to conduct baseline and performance ground-water monitoring. In addition to monitoring the chemicals of concern the owner tested for copper, cadmium, zinc, and semi-volatile organic compounds. There are no known violations and no increased risks due to chemicals of concern migrating from the site.

The April 2012 results for the five known and the three additional chemicals all showed no detection or very low levels and significantly below the MTCA cleanup action levels. The deferred industrial maintenance has not caused changes to the subsurface and has not caused migration of petroleum diesel and oil, arsenic, barium, lead, copper, cadmium, zinc, and semi-volatile organic compounds to the adjacent waterways.

Surface stockpiled soils tested

Surface stockpiled soils were moved from the west to the southeast part of the site.  The soils were tested for organic compounds, petroleum including poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs) and pesticides. The results showed no detections of these chemicals.

Ecology also required testing by the site owner to determine the proper disposal following the Ecology petroleum guidance for stockpiled soils.  The contractor for SR 520 Floating Bridge construction collected additional soil samples for analysis (including organic compounds, petroleum, PAHs, metals, PCBs and pesticides.)  These results showed no detection.

Final disposal for all stockpiled soils will require Ecology review and approval. These soils will not be sold for re-use.

For more results, the following are in the Periodic Review Report, April 2014, Appendix B.

Floyd Snider, January 14, 2011, Site Maintenance and Restoration to Prepare for lease [520 Bridge work Kiewit General Manson] soil Sampling Results for Pioneer Towing Company, Inc.

KPFF Consulting Engineers, October 10, 2011, SR 520 Evergreen Point FBL Project Six Soil Sample Results for Petroleum-gasoline, -diesel and - oil, metals, pesticides, benzene, and Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Below is information about Kenmore Navigation Channel and northeast nearshore Lake Washington. This is not related to the Kenmore Industrial Site formal cleanup site. It is included here for information purposes only.  It can also be found  on the Harbor Village Marina website.  
 
Memorandum for Record - Suitability of Proposed Dredged Material from Kenmore Navigation Channel, January 27, 2015.  (US Army Corps of Engineers conducted sediment sampling at the Kenmore Navigation Channel in summer 2014.)

• Sampling and Analysis Results Memorandum: Kenmore Sediment and Water Characterization, March 2013. Anchor QEA, 2013 (The City of Kenmore and Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) conducted near shore sediment sampling at two public parks, northeast Lake Washington, and the lower reaches of the Sammamish River in the Kenmore area in November 2012.)
• Kenmore Area Sediment & Water Characterization Environmental Evaluation Report, Publication No. 13-09-174, in May 2013.  Ecology, 2013. (City of Kenmore, Ecology Sediment sampling report.)
• Washington Department of Health, Health Consultation Health Consultation – [LT(5] Kenmore Area of Lake Washington and Sammamish River Evaluation of Sediment, Surface Water, and Groundwater, King County, Washington, DOH 334-333, in July 2013 (add link) and DOH Fact Sheet.
• City of Kenmore, Shoreline Substantial Development Permit (SDP)- 2015-NW-3078 

This list is meant to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the various entities involved in the use, development or regulatory oversight of the Kenmore Industrial Park Site.

Agency Wide Contact List (July 2012)

Lakepointe Inc. (represented by Pioneer Towing, Company Inc.): Site owner. Responsible for maintaining the site and obtaining permits for site activities. See Frequently Asked Questions 

City of Kenmore: Responsible for issuing construction and all city permits for the site. 

• Bryan Hampson at bhampson@kenmorewa.gov or call (425) 398-8900 
• Nancy Ousley at nousley@kenmorewa.gov or call (425) 398-8900 

City Update February 23, 2012

Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology):  Provides the following regulator roles.

• Toxics Cleanup Program to ensure that chemicals of concern which may exist in soils and groundwater do not migrate into adjacent water ways.
• Administers Consent Decree to ensure that property is used in accordance with agreements to prevent potential migration of chemicals of concern. Monitors groundwater to evaluate potential levels of chemicals of concern in the soils.  See sidebar for contact information. 
• Water Quality Program administers the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System – NPDES – regulates stormwater runoff into water ways. Monitors wells to ensure groundwater is not leaching chemicals into Lake Washington. 

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT):

Oversight of construction activities being conducted on the western 14 acre area of the site by the design-builder for the SR 520 Floating Bridge and Landings Project. Responsible for updates to NEPA and SEPA documentation related to project use of the site.

For more information about the SR 520 Floating Bridge and Landings Project: “What’s Happening Now” page

www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/SR520Bridge/BridgeandLandings

E-mail: SR520Bridge@wsdot.wa.gov

Stacey Howery, HoweryS@consultant.wsdot.wa.gov or call (425) 576-7069.

Kiewit/General/Manson, a Joint Venture (KGM): Design-builder for the SR 520 Floating Bridge and Landings project. Responsible for obtaining construction permits. KGM Construction Hotline: 425-576-7098

Washington State Department of Health (DOH): Responsible for responding to public health questions regarding potential contaminants coming from the Kenmore Industrial site. See below for 2013 Health Consultations.

Department of Health - Kenmore Area Lake Washington and Sammamish River Evaluation of Sediment, Surface Water and Groundwater Health Consultation Fact Sheet (July 2013)