Star Lake Elementary

Location
The Star Lake Elementary Property is located east of Interstate 5, in a residential area of Kent, Washington. This property is bordered by residential developments on all sides.

History
In 2020, Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) began redeveloping this property that previously included two separate school campuses, Star Lake Elementary and Totem Middle School. The redevelopment included replacing the two school buildings with one newly constructed building for the elementary and middle school students. This 28.06-acre Property now includes one new school campus for both Star Lake Elementary and Totem Middle School.

Why did the Property need cleanup?
In November 2018, soil testing found the surface soil contaminated with arsenic. This contamination is likely a result of air pollution from the former Asarco smelter in Tacoma. Air pollution from the smelter settled on the surface soil over more than 1,000 square miles of the Puget Sound basin. The contaminated area is known as the Tacoma Smelter Plume and is managed under the Asarco Tacoma Smelter Site. Arsenic and lead in soil can cause adverse health effects with long-term exposure. Developers within the Tacoma Smelter Plume are encouraged to cleanup properties with arsenic or lead contamination during development. Ecology provides free Technical Assistance to developers.

How was the Property cleaned up?
In May 2020, FWPS requested an opinion on the proposed cleanup. Ecology reviewed the Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) which described the use of mixing to remediate the Tacoma Smelter Plume contamination on the Property. Ecology agreed that the plan will meet state cleanup requirements and issued an opinion letter in July 2020.

Between June and November 2020, the soil was remediated in conjunction with Property development. By mixing the upper layer of contaminated soil with deeper, cleaner soil, the concentration of arsenic and lead in the soil is diluted. Mixing is typically used when the concentrations of arsenic and lead are below a certain level. 

How do we know if the cleanup was satisfactory?
In 2020, FWPS, joined the Voluntary Cleanup Program with Ecology, requesting an opinion on the cleanup of the Property. Ecology reviewed the report containing the results of the soil sampling after the cleanup.

The soil sampling adhered to the soil sampling guidance outlined in the Tacoma Smelter Plume Model Remedies Guidance. The arsenic and lead levels met the cleanup standards for unrestricted land use. Ecology determined that the Property was cleaned to satisfy state requirements and issued a No Further Action determination in December 2024.