Qwest Communications W00161

Environmental cleanup is complete at the site and the periodic review in 2019 shows that cleanup work remains effective in protecting the health of people and the environment.

After cleanup, concentrations of diesel and oil-range petroleum hydrocarbons remain in soil and groundwater at the site. To prevent possible exposure to that contamination, a restrictive covenant was filed for the site in 2007. The covenant restricts property use and requires that no groundwater can be taken for any use from the property. The owner cannot alter, modify, or remove the existing structure without prior written consent from Ecology.

When an environmental covenant exists for a cleanup site, Ecology reviews site conditions about every five years to ensure the long-term effectiveness of the cleanup action.

Ecology inspected the site on March 13, 2019, and investigated current conditions, which continue to eliminate possible exposure to contaminants.

From June 6 to July 7, 2019, Ecology held a comment period to give the public an opportunity to comment on conditions at the site. After responding to the comment received, Ecology finalized the periodic review report.

Documents related to the 2019 Periodic Review:

• Responsiveness Summary.
• Second Periodic Review Report - Final.

The Qwest Communications site is located at 1305 Washington Way in downtown Longview. The site consists of an office/commercial building with several paved parking areas located along the south side of the property. The Cowlitz River is about 1 mile east of the site.

Leaking underground storage tanks on the southeastern portion of the site caused petroleum contamination of soil and groundwater. 

• Tank 1, a 1,680-gallon diesel fuel and heating oil tank.
• Tank 2, a 300-gallon heating oil tank.
• Tank 4, a 6,000-gallon diesel fuel tank.

About 130 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil were removed from the area around Tank 1 and 2. Some contaminated soil near Tank 2 could not be removed because it was located close to the building foundation and further excavation would have jeopardized the structural the integrity of the building. About 100 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil were excavated from the area around where Tank 4 was located. The pits dug to remove Tanks 1, 2 and 4 were filled with clean soil and paved over with asphalt. 

Tank 3 was a 2,000-gallon diesel fuel storage tank located inside the building. This tank was decommissioned and closed in-place. Clean soil was backfilled around the tank and the area was paved over with asphalt. 

Groundwater has been monitored for petroleum contamination since 2003. For the nine groundwater sampling events since 2015, petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations were below Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Method A cleanup levels in four of five monitoring wells. Diesel-range hydrocarbon concentration in groundwater at one monitoring well exceeded cleanup levels in two of seven sampling events.  Currently groundwater is monitored every 18 months.

A soil vapor pathway is not a problem at this site because no volatile organic compounds, gasoline, or BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, or xylenes) were found in soil or groundwater.

The owner recorded an environmental covenant for the property in 2007. The covenant prohibits activities that might cause the release of contaminants contained as part of the cleanup.

Ecology held a public comment period for the first periodic review from April 17 to May 19, 2014, and received no comments. For the second periodic review, Ecology held a public comment period from June 6 to July 7, 2019, and received one comment.