Facility Site ID: 450 Cleanup Site ID: 12095

  • Site Status

  • Cleanup Started

Site Description And History

Boise Cascade Mill with log ponds circa 1959, view to west - photo from Yakima Valley Museum
Boise Cascade Mill with log ponds circa 1959, view to west - photo from Yakima Valley Museum
The Boise Cascade Mill site is located in the northeast portion of the City of Yakima at 805 North 7th Street. The site is bordered by residential neighborhoods to the west, commercial businesses to the north and south, and Interstate 82 and the Yakima River to the east. The site consists of 20 parcels and is ~211 acres in size. 
 
A ranch existed on the property up until the early 1900s. The Cascade Lumber Company began developing and operating a lumber mill on the property in 1903. In 1957, the Cascade Lumber Company merged with Boise Payette Lumber Company to form Boise Cascade. The mill reached full build-out in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, facilities used for lumber manufacturing operations on the property included two sawmills, a plywood mill, a planer building, kiln buildings, a boiler house, a machine shop, an auto shop, two large log deck areas, and other support buildings.

Three log ponds covered approximately 60 percent of the property until the 1960s. The southern log pond located south of the railroad tracks was drained around 1963 and was used as a municipal landfill by the City of Yakima until around 1970 (see Interstate Exit 33A Yakima City Landfill cleanup site). The north and central log ponds were drained from 40 to 6 acres in 1969 and then completely drained and filled in 1994. Five smaller ponds still exist on the property today.
 
In February 2004, LeeLynn, Inc. and Wiley Mt., Inc. acquired portions of the property and leased the remainder from Boise Cascade Corporation. LeeLynn, Inc. and Wiley Mt., Inc. leased the mill to Yakima Resources who continued mill operations until August 2006. After the mill closed in 2006, sale, salvage, and demolition of the buildings and equipment have been ongoing.

Environmental Contamination

Boise Cascade Mill buildings, date unknown
Boise Cascade Mill buildings, date unknown
The site was included on Ecology's Confirmed and Suspected Contaminated Sites List based primarily on contamination documented within the 2008 Phase II Environmental Site Assessment draft report prepared by Parametrix for Leelynn, Inc. and Wiley Mt., Inc. 
 
Possible sources of contamination include former underground and aboveground storage tanks, fuel dispenser islands, equipment storage and repair areas, a fly ash accumulation area, and ongoing mill operations.
 
Various contaminants have been confirmed to exceed Model Toxic Control Act (MTCA) soil, groundwater, and surface water cleanup levels (Table 1) at multiple locations on the site.  These hazardous substances may pose a threat to human health and the environment.

Groundwater on the site may be impacted by petroleum contamination based on observations in test pits and detections in the surface water ponds. Installation and sampling of additional monitoring wells was recommended by Parametrix to characterize any contamination. Parametrix also recommended further investigation of the petroleum contamination detected through analytical methods in the ponds. Vinyl chloride was detected in groundwater, but below Method A cleanup levels. Chromium was detected above MTCA Method A soil cleanup levels, but below Yakima Basin background concentrations.

Table 1. Boise Cascade Mill site contaminants confirmed to exceed MTCA cleanup levels.

Soil

Groundwater

Surface Water

Arsenic

Arsenic

Arsenic

Cadmium

Diesel Range Organics

Cadmium

Copper

 

Copper

Lead

 

Iron

Zinc

 

Lead

Diesel Range Organics

 

Manganese

Gasoline Range Organics

 

Nickel

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate

 

Zinc

Pentachlorophenol

 

Diesel Range Organics

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)

 

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate

BaP (TEQ)

 

Pentachlorophenol

Note: Surface Water includes North First Lateral Drain, Spring Diversion Ditch, and River Water Intake, which feed into the Yakima River.


Contaminants within the groundwater originating from the Boise Cascade Mill site appear to be comingled with those originating from the adjacent Interstate Exit 33A Yakima City Landfill site. Methane produced from wood waste debris and the adjacent municipal landfill site is also a concern.

Future Site Characterization, Cleanup, And Re-Development

Boise Cascade Mill site, 2008, view to north (photo from Bing)
Boise Cascade Mill site, 2008, view to north (photo from Bing)
In April 2013, the City of Yakima contracted with an environmental consultant to collect additional data to further characterize contamination at the site. This additional data will help determine what types of cleanup actions will need to occur at the site in the future to allow for re-development.
 
Proposed plans for future re-development of the site include new retail space, commercial, light industrial, high density residential housing, and public venues with access provided by the proposed Yakima East-West Corridor roadway, including a freeway interchange on the site.
Legal 9
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Boise Cascade Mill Agreed Order No. DE 13959 2/17/2017 Agreed Order
Boise Cascade Mill-Final PLP Determination Ltr-Office Depot 4/26/2016 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Final PLP Determination Ltr-Yakima Resources 4/26/2016 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Final PLP Determination Ltr-Dunollie 4/26/2016 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Final PLP Determination Ltr-LeeLynn & Wiley Mt. 4/26/2016 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Combined 30Day Notice & ENL-Yakima Resources 3/4/2016 Early Notice Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Combined 30Day Notice & ENL-Office Depot 3/4/2016 Early Notice Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Combined 30Day Notice & ENL-Leelynn 3/4/2016 Early Notice Letter
Boise Cascade Mill-Combined 30Day Notice & ENL-Dunollie 3/4/2016 Early Notice Letter
Public Information 2
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Boise Cascade Mill 2017 Agreed Order Responsiveness Summary 3/9/2017 Responsiveness Summary
Boise Cascade Yakima Mill RI/FS Agreed Order Fact Sheet 1/18/2017 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
State Environmental Policy Act 1
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Ecology comment letter on road extension project SEPA 8/3/2018 SEPA Documents
Technical Reports 39
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Boise Cascade Mill - Path Forward 2/27/2024 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Ecology Response to Barr Engineering Slug Testing Work Scope 11/27/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Ecology Response to Barr September 29, 2023 Letter 10/9/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Change of Arsenic Groundwater Preliminary Cleanup Level 9/27/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Ecology's Response to PLPs Engineering Registrant Reviewing the City of Yakima's IA 8/30/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Time Extension Approval 8/18/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - ECY Response to PLPs June 8, 2023 Letter 7/18/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Barr Response to ECY May 4, 2023 Letter 6/8/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Time Extension Approval 6/2/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - ECY Response to PLPs Steps on East Side of I-82 6/2/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Barr Engineering Response to ECY 2/27/2023 Historical Log Use Letter 5/4/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - PLP Declining Proposed Interim Action 5/4/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Planned Bravo Company ROW Interim Action 5/4/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - MW 101 Replacement Installation Report Approval Letter 4/27/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - MW 101 Replacement Installation Report 4/7/2023 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Boise Cascade Mill - Notice of Proposed Interim Action 3/14/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - New Site Information - Historical Log Use 2/27/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - ECY Comments on Monitoring Well 101 Work Plan 2/9/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - MW101 Replacement Work Plan 2/8/2023 Groundwater Monitoring Report
Boise Cascade Mill - Draft Feasibility Study Schedule 1/13/2023 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Screening Determination 12/6/2022 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - ECY Comments on Tech Memo 9/22/2022 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Revised Draft Remedial Investigation 12/3/2021 Remedial Investigation Report
Boise Cascade Mill - Ecology Comments on Revised Draft RI 10/25/2021 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Ecology Draft RI Comments 3/23/2021 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Project Coordinator Change 1/20/2021 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - Interim Action Work Plan - Roadway Project Closed City of Yakima Landfill Ssite 7/29/2019 Interim Action Documents
Boise Cascade Mill - Comments on Revised Final RI Work Plan 1/29/2019 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill - ECY Comment on Log Yard Recovery 1/11/2019 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Boise Cascade Mill RI Work Plan 1/1/2019 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Boise Cascade Mill - Ecology approves RI WP Extension 12/17/2018 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Boise Cascade Mill Ecology Comments on Revised Final RI WP 10/12/2018 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Transportation Corridor Wood Debris and Landfill Gas Investigation 9/12/2018 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Boise Cascade Mill Ecology Comments on Draft RI Work Plan 7/13/2018 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Boise Cascade Mill - Fulcrum-Ecology Yakima Mill Site Log Yard Material Operations Summary 11/29/2016 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Boise Cascade Mill Phase II Investigation rpt 11/26/2013 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Boise Cascade Yakima Summary of Property Use and Environmental Impacts 9/20/2012 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Boise Cascade Yakima Vinyl Chloride GW Sampling rpt 9/18/2012 Groundwater Monitoring Report
Boise Cascade Yakima draft ESA 12/1/2008 Site Specific Technical Document - other
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

  • Central Regional Office
    1250 W Alder St
    Union Gap, 98903-0009
    Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.

Contaminants 11

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals - Other C C C
Halogenated Organics - Polychlorinated biPhenyls (PCB) S
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons C
Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Solvents C
Metals - Arsenic C C C
Metals - Lead C C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Benzene C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Other Non-Halogenated Organics C C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel C C C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Gasoline C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other C
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.