BNSF Railway Skykomish

Last updated:  February 2023

Fact Sheet | Postcard (November 2022)

Blog (November 2022)

Legal agreement finalized for the Hydraulic Control and Containment System
Ecology invited review of an amendment to the legal agreement (Consent Decree) between Ecology and BNSF Railway for the cleanup in the town of Skykomish. 

During the 32-day comment period (Nov. 21 - Dec. 22, 2022), Ecology received no formal comments, so the legal agreement amendment is being finalized.

Ecology hosted a public meeting on Nov. 28, 2022 (presentation PDF). Due to power outages on Nov. 28 in the Skykomish community, Ecology recorded the meeting (YouTube video). Ecology staff also joined the Skykomish Town Council on Dec. 5, 2022 for an additional question and answer opportunity.

A major feature of the Skykomish Cleanup Project is a barrier wall and treatment system along the railyard called the Hydraulic Control and Containment (HCC) System. Ecology approved a Pilot Study in January 2019 to evaluate the HCC System’s passive treatment operation (allowing the carbon media to passively treat groundwater without the active pumps). 

The amendment to the legal agreement and the enclosed Cleanup Action Plan allows for additional evaluation of the passive operation of the HCC System. If the results continue to demonstrate that cleanup levels have been met, the passive HCC System operation may continue permanently upon approval from Ecology. 

2022 Cleanup Update Fact Sheet

The community of Skykomish came together and worked with the Department of Ecology and BNSF Railway to accomplish a very complicated cleanup. Monitoring and efforts to improve efficiency continue to this day.

Follow this link for an overview of the entire Skykomish Cleanup Project.

The former railway maintenance and fueling facility in the Town of Skykomish was operated by BNSF Railway Company. Historical activities at the site included refueling and maintaining locomotives and operating an electrical substation. These activities resulted in the release of petroleum and heavy metals to the surrounding environment. BNSF is conducting the cleanup of the contamination at the site with Ecology oversight.

Significant achievements from the Skykomish Cleanup to date:

• Over 350,000 tons of contaminated soil removed;
• Over 218,000 gallons of oil removed and recycled;
• Over 20 million gallons of contaminated water treated;
• 21 properties cleaned with structures moved and restored;
• 2 wetlands cleaned and restored;
• Maloney Creek channel improved for habitat and reduced flooding;
• Completion and operation of a town waste water treatment system;
• Hot-water flushing was used under the historic Skykomish School.
• A barrier wall and treatment system were constructed along the north side of the railyard.

Railyard Barrier Wall (HCC)
The Hydraulic Control and Containment (HCC) system was originally designed to meet cleanup objectives by actively pumping sufficient volumes of contaminated groundwater to prevent northward flow through the carbon filled treatment gates.  The carbon filled gates were designed as a redundant component of the system that would provide treatment should there be a loss of power to the pumps.
 
BNSF initiated a 12-month Hydraulic Control and Containment (HCC) System Passive Operation Pilot Study (Pilot Study) in January 2019.  The purpose of the Pilot Study is to evaluate the HCC system’s ability to meet the cleanup objectives through passive operation.  Passive operation of the HCC system would turn off the pumps and rely on the HCC barrier wall and passive flow of contaminated groundwater through the carbon filled treatment gates as the primary means of treatment.  Passive operation can also utilize active groundwater pumping and treatment operations as a redundant means of containing contaminated groundwater on the BNSF railyard property if necessary.
 
Results of this Pilot Study will be used to inform Ecology’s decision on the future method for operating the HCC System. 


Skykomish School Cleanup
The Department of Ecology approved the completion of operations of the Hot Water Flushing (HWF) Treatment System at the Skykomish School. The system operated in the summers of 2016 and 2017 and met cleanup goals.

Ecology based this decision on data provided in The 2017 Hot Water Flushing Remediation Performance Report, dated April 2, 2018.

In 2018, the treatment system was decommissioned, the sheet-pile barrier around the school was removed, and site restoration took place around the school.
 
Treatment Facts:

• 14 million gallons of contaminated groundwater treated;
• 54 gallons of dissolved oil removed from the contaminated groundwater;
• 98 gallons of oil removed by the oil recovery system. ​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Ecology will continue to oversee vapor monitoring within the school, and groundwater monitoring outside the school to insure the safety of students, school staff, the community, and the environment.

Former Maloney Creek-East (FMC-E) Wetland/Upland Project
Cleanup work was successful on Maloney Creek and the Former Maloney Creek -East Wetland in 2011.  Maloney Creek was dredged and the sediment used to fill in FMC-E Wetland.  In 2009 and 2010,  Ecology worked with BNSF and the Town to develop a new way to approach the cleanup of the FMC-E Wetland.  The Cleanup Action Plan (CAP) originally called for the FMC-E Wetland to be excavated and replaced.  That plan did not address issues such as habitat restoration outside of the wetland, flooding in Skykomish, or land uses envisioned by the citizens of Skykomish in 2005 when they developed the Vision for Skykomish document, which was a major driver of the CAP.  The 2011 cleanup work incorporated those elements and was more consistent with the original vision of the citizens of Skykomish by taking a more global approach to the cleanup of the FMC-E Wetland.

Community Waste Water Treatment System (WWTS)
One of the biggest elements to the Skykomish cleanup was the construction of a new waste water treatment system. Construction on the system got started in 2008, and proceeded through 2010. Now, all hookups are complete on the system, and it is running smoothly. The Town is now moving forward on its own to develop Phase 3 of the WWTS, which will take service across the river to businesses there, and on to the Sky Lane Community. Any questions on these efforts can be directed to the Town of Skykomish at 360-677-2388.