Bothell Paint & Decorating

The southern portion of the Bothell Paint and Decorating site, located at 18004 & 18005 Bothell Way NE, lies on a part of Tax Parcel 3 (King County Parcel number 9457200072) south of SR 522. 

Tax Parcel 3 had petroleum and arsenic impacts to ground water that exceeded cleanup levels.  Tax Parcel 3 is under a May 13, 2020 environmental covenant.  

All petroleum contaminated sources have been removed at Tax Parcel 3 and Tax Parcel 4. Groundwater monitoring data collected between 2020 and 2022 shows localized and naturally high arsenic in some groundwater wells, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs-diesel and heavy oil) are sporadically detected.  The sporadic detections are due to degradation products (polar metabolites) of TPHs in groundwater.  Ecology has determined that the naturally occurring arsenic and petroleum degradation products do not pose any threat to human health and the environment.

Responsiveness Summary now available

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the City of Bothell (City) held a 20-day comment period (January 19 - February 7, 2023) to remove the environmental covenant for portions of the Bothell Landing, Bothell Former Hertz, and Bothell Paint & Decorating sites.

Ecology received seven comments regarding removing the environmental covenants for

• Bothell Paint and Decorating  (18004 & 18005 Bothell Way N.) - Tax Parcel 3 – King County Parcel # 9457200072.
• Bothell Former Hertz (18030 Bothell Way NE) and Bothell Landing (18120, 18126, 18132 Bothell Way NE) - Tax Parcel 4 – King County Parcel # 9457200015. 

Ecology has reviewed and considered all the public comments. No significant changes will be made to the environmental covenants.  Ecology will remove the environmental covenants from the respective Tax Parcel 3 and Tax Parcel 4.  

A copy of the termination of the Environmental Covenants will be posted on our website and available at the repositories.

Bothell Paint & Decorating site is one of six sites in the historic downtown area that have received grant funding from Ecology to help with the cost of cleanup.

The City of Bothell (Bothell) owns the Bothell Paint & Decorating Site located at 18004 and 18005 Bothell Way NE and the adjacent parcel to the east (King County Tax Parcel Nos. 945720-0081 and 945720-0072). Bothell acquired the property from Victory Development LLC, and from Leonard P. Giannola in 2008. They entered into an Agreed Order with Ecology in 2009 to investigate contamination at the site.

Historical operations on the property included automobile repair and dealerships, retail
paint and flooring, and sandblasting. This site was used by a former sandblasting operation and contained at least one petroleum underground storage tank (UST). A 1,000-gallon UST was removed near the northeast corner of the west building at the site in 1988. A hole in the UST was observed at the time of removal. Petroleum liquid (free product) was reported in the excavation on the surface of ground water. A soil sample collected from the sidewall of the excavation during tank removal contained petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline-range) above the MTCA cleanup levels.

Further environmental investigations were conducted at the property in February 2008. During these investigations, low concentrations (below MTCA cleanup levels) of volatile organic compounds were detected in ground water adjacent to the former leaking underground storage tank.

Additionally, sandblasting operations were conducted at this site in the southern portion of the property by a former tenant. Sandblast grit and petroleum staining associated with a compressor were observed in that vicinity.  Shallow soils in the sandblast area contain petroleum hydrocarbons and metals exceeding MTCA cleanup levels. One soil sample contained cadmium exceeding Washington State Dangerous Waste requirements. One ground water sample contained arsenic concentrations exceeding MTCA cleanup levels and possibly exceeding natural background levels.

Interim action excavations that removed petroleum contaminated soils were conducted in
September-October 2010 and March 2013. Following the excavations, confirmation
samples were taken. Oxygen Release Compound (ORC) was placed in the 2010.  Chemicals of concern remaining at the site after the interim action cleanups are:

In soil: Gasoline and motor oil-range petroleum hydrocarbons.
In groundwater: Diesel and motor oil range petroleum hydrocarbons, and arsenic.

Confirmation sampling in the excavations confirmed that most of the contamination was removed, save for a single sample above cleanup levels but now beneath the new SR 522 roadway.

Groundwater monitoring for petroleum hydrocarbons and arsenic was also carried out as part of the cleanup plan. Groundwater monitoring data collected between 2020 and 2022 shows localized and naturally high arsenic in some groundwater wells, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs-diesel and heavy oil) are sporadically detected.  The sporadic detections are due to degradation products (polar metabolites) of TPHs in groundwater. 

Ecology has determined that the naturally occurring arsenic and petroleum degradation products do not pose any threat to human health and the environment.