Facility Site ID: 11687976 Cleanup Site ID: 7906

Status Update - Environmental Covenant Removal

Environmental Covenant Removal
Environmental Covenant Removal

The southern portion of Bothell Former Hertz (18030 Bothell Way NE lies on Tax Parcel 4 (King County Parcel number 9457200015) south of SR 522. 

Tax Parcel 4 had petroleum and arsenic impacts to ground water that exceeded cleanup levels.  Tax Parcel 4 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 Former Hertz  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.

    Site Background

    The Bothell Former Hertz Site (also known as Aarenco, or AA Rentals of Bothell) is generally located on both sides of the newly constructed SR 522 roadway, between Bothell Way NE and 98th Avenue NE / NE 180th Street, in Bothell, Washington. The City of Bothell purchased the property in 2009. They entered into an Agreed Order with Ecology in 2011 for investigation of contamination on the site. The property had been developed from 1918 until 2010, when the City of Bothell demolished buildings on the Site for its SR 522 Bothell Crossroads realignment project. Past property use included automobile repair and dealerships, fueling, and equipment rental. Before the property was purchased by the City of Bothell in 2009, it contained a Hertz equipment rental office, storage yard, and equipment repair shop. The property contained a building used as an automobile dealership. A petroleum company is listed as a lessee in 1930. The building included a gasoline dispensing facility with Underground Storage Tanks (USTs). Three USTs were removed from the property in 1993. Petroleum-affected soils were encountered during the UST removals, and an unknown quantity of affected soils remained at the property underneath buildings. 

    In 2008, the City of Bothell conducted Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) at the Site prior to its purchase of this and adjoining properties. The 2008 Phase II ESA included soil and ground water sampling where three former USTs had been removed in 1993. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in soil and ground water exceeding state cleanup standards. Vinyl chloride and volatile organic compounds (VOC) were detected at concentrations exceeding state cleanup standards in ground water samples. Other VOCs were detected in groundwater at the time, including common solvents - tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene. The concentrations were below state cleanup standards. The VOC detections in groundwater appear to be from Bothell Service Center Simon & Son Cleanup site, which is being cleaned up separately. Arsenic was also detected in one well above cleanup levels. In summer 2010, Bothell completed an independent cleanup action at the Site to remove approximately 12,000 tons of soils contaminated with mostly oil petroleum hydrocarbons from former underground storage tanks. Some limited remedial investigation was also conducted at that time. Interim action soil cleanups were conducted in 2012 and 2013.

    Chemicals of concern remaining in groundwater after the interim action cleanups are:

    • Total petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel and motor oil range)
    • Arsenic
    • Halogenated volatile organic compounds (HVOCs), from the adjacent Bothell Service Center Simon & Son dry cleaning site, which is a separate state cleanup site.

    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.

    Lot D Redevelopment

    Portions of the BSCSS and the Bothell Former Hertz sites has been re-parceled in the Lot D property, requiring modifications to the monitoring well network and the recirculating bioremediation system. Safeguards are in place to protect residents and workers in the redeveloped property, such institutional controls on land use, vapor barriers and vapor mitigation such as venting to prevent vapor intrusion risks to indoor air quality, and indoor air monitoring. However, since a large mass of contamination has already been removed, any human health risks from remaining contamination in groundwater are considered to be minimal or nonexistent.

    Site Use Restrictions Called Institutional Controls Are In Effect Beneath Sr522 Under Memorandum Of Agreement (Moa) Between Ecology And City Of Bothell

    Site use restrictions called institutional controls are in effect

    Institutional controls can be fences, signs, or restrictions on how the property is used. For instance, an institutional control may prohibit installing drinking water wells or disturbing a protective cap that isolates contamination. These restrictions keep the contamination contained and keep people from being exposed to the contamination. The controls are usually listed in environmental covenants recorded with the county.

    Periodic reviews are required when institutional controls are required at a site. Ecology conducts reviews to make sure the controls remain effective and the cleanup still protects human health and the environment. We conduct periodic reviews about every five years.

    Environmental Covenant

    County Recording #: 20200513000357
    County Recording Date: 5/13/2020

    Restrictions/Requirements

    • Control Vapor/Gas
    • Maintain/Protect Monitoring System
    • Ongoing Maintenance of Remedy
    • Prohibit Soil Disturbance
    • Restrict All Ground Water Extraction/Well Installation

    Restricted Media

    • Groundwater
    • Soil

    Environmental Covenant

    County Recording #: 20200513000357
    County Recording Date: 5/13/2020

    Restrictions/Requirements

    • Control Vapor/Gas
    • Maintain/Protect Monitoring System
    • Ongoing Maintenance of Remedy
    • Restrict All Ground Water Extraction/Well Installation

    Restricted Media

    • Groundwater

    Other Upland Instrument

    County Recording #:
    County Recording Date:

    Restrictions/Requirements

    • Maintain/Protect Monitoring System
    • Ongoing Maintenance of Remedy
    • Prohibit Soil Disturbance
    • Restrict All Ground Water Extraction/Well Installation
    • Restrict Domestic Ground Water Extraction/Well Installation

    Restricted Media

    • Groundwater
    • Soil
    Legal 13
    Document Title Document Date Document Type
    Bothell Landing and Bothell Former Hertz - Environmental Covenant removal 5/16/2023 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism - Removed
    Bothell Landing Bothell Former Hertz Termination and Release of EC letter 4/23/2023 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
    City's Response to the NFA Letter 9/12/2022 NFA Letter – non-VCP
    NFA Letter 8/15/2022 NFA Letter – non-VCP
    Memorandum of Agreement between the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the City of Bothell (City) regarding City Streets and Right-of-ways at MTCA Sites 7/9/2021 Interlocal/Interagency Agreement; Memorandum of Agreement or Understanding
    Environmental Covenant for Parcel 4 (South Portions of Hertz and Landing sites) 5/13/2020 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
    Environmental Covenant for Parcel 7 (Service and Northern Portion of Hertz and sites) 5/13/2020 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
    Final Agreed Order No. DE 15747 Bothell Former Hertz (Cleanup) 5/31/2018 Agreed Order
    Bothell Former Hertz Cleanup Agreed Order 2018 (Public Review Draft) 4/5/2018 Agreed Order
    Satisfaction of Agreed Order No. DE 8375 for the Bothell Former Hertz Facility AKA AARENCO 1/31/2018 Order Notice of Satisfaction/Status
    Bothell Former Hertz - Final Agreed Order DE375 - May 5, 2011 (RI/FS) 5/12/2011 Agreed Order
    Bothell Former Hertz - Draft Agreed Order 8375 3/25/2011 Agreed Order
    Bothell Former Hertz - Final PLP Determination Letter 8/16/2010 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
    Public Information 6
    State Environmental Policy Act 2
    Technical Reports 21
    Document Title Document Date Document Type
    Quarterly Progress Report October - December 2020 1/4/2021 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report July - September 2020 10/1/2020 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report April - June 2020 7/7/2020 Progress Report
    Annual Groundwater Compliance Monitoring Report Bothell Paint, Bothell Hertz, and Bothell Landing Sites Bothell, Washington 6/23/2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report
    Quarterly Progress Report January - March 2020 4/1/2020 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #7 Oct 1 - Dec 31, 2019 1/15/2020 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #6 July 1 - Sept 30, 2019 10/1/2019 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #5 Apr 1 - Jun 30, 2019 7/1/2019 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #4 Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2019 4/1/2019 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #3 Oct 1 - Dec 31, 2018 1/3/2019 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #2 10/1/2018 Progress Report
    Quarterly Progress Report #1 April 1 - June 30, 2018 7/2/2018 Progress Report
    Final Cleanup Action Plan Bothell Former Hertz Facility Bothell Washington 5/29/2018 Cleanup Action Plan
    Compliance Monitoring Plan Bothell Former Hertz Facility Bothell, Washington 1/2/2018 Cleanup Action Plan
    Draft Final Cleanup Action Plan Bothell Former Hertz Facility Bothell, Washington 8/10/2017 Cleanup Action Plan
    Draft Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report Bothell Former Hertz Facility Bothell, Washington 8/10/2017 Remedial Investigation / Feasibility Study
    Progress Report for Period Ending June 2013 8/9/2013 Progress Report
    Progress Report for Period Ending March 2013 4/8/2013 Progress Report
    Progress Report for Period Ending December 2012 1/28/2013 Progress Report
    Bothell Former Hertz - Documentation of Soil Cleanup 1/28/2011 Site Specific Technical Document - other
    Bothell Former Hertz - Preliminary PLP Status Letter 7/14/2010 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
    There may be more documents related to this site. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a public records request.

    Places to see print documents

    • Northwest Regional Office
      15700 Dayton Ave N
      Shoreline, 98133
      Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.
    • King County Bothell Regional Library
      18215 98th Ave NE
      Bothell, 98011
      This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.
    • Bothell City Hall
      18415 101st Ave NE
      Bothell, 98011
      This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.

    Contaminants 6

    Contaminant Type
    Soil
    Groundwater
    Surface Water
    Air
    Sediment
    Bedrock
    Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Solvents C
    Other Contaminant - Conventional Contaminants, Organic RB C
    Metals - Arsenic B C
    Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel RB RA
    Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Gasoline RB RB
    Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other RB RA
    S
    Suspected
    C
    Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
    B
    Below Cleanup Levels
    RA
    Remediated-Above
    RB
    Remediated-Below
    R
    Remediated
    This contaminant list was based on our best information at the time it was entered. It may not reflect current conditions at the site.