BNSF Hillyard Lead Soil Site

4800 To 5300 Block N Ferrall St Spokane, Spokane County
Facility Site ID: 960924 Cleanup Site ID: 1371

More about cleanup

Cleanup Complete

Ecology has removed the BNSF Hillyard Lead Soil site from the Hazardous Sites List (HSL) that compiles contaminated properties that have been ranked by their level of potential hazard and their cleanup status. The site was ranked a 1 on the list in 2003 due to lead contamination in soil. A rank of 1 is the highest level of concern compared to other sites on the list, and a rank of 5 is the lowest.

We didn't receive any comments during the public comment period we held April 1-30, 2019, before removing the site from the HSL. You can learn more in the notice that was sent to residents and businesses near the site.

Related documents
  • No further action letter explaining why cleanup is complete.
  • An environmental covenant has been recorded with Spokane County that restricts how the property may be used due to the remaining contamination and requires monitoring of the cap over the containment area.

Site History

BNSF Railway completed cleanup between 2008 and 2010. Contaminated soil was excavated and stockpiled. Samples were collected from the excavation to verify all contaminated soil was removed. Soil with lead concentrations greater than 2,500 milligrams per kilogram were treated and placed into a containment area after being tested to confirm treatment was successful.

After the treated and other contaminated soil was placed in the containment area, it was capped with a low-permeability, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner and at least 2 feet of soil. The containment area was graded to allow precipitation to drain toward an infiltration basin and fenced with a chain-link fence. Excavated areas outside the fenced area were backfilled with soil removed during containment area construction. The disturbed areas of the site were hydroseeded with a mixture of native grasses.

Petroleum-contaminated soil (PCS) and construction debris (wood, concrete, and steel) were found in some areas during excavation activities. PCS, construction debris, and limited amounts of lead-contaminated soil that didn’t make it into the containment area before capping were disposed at an appropriate landfill.

Voluntary Cleanup Program

This site was cleaned up under our Voluntary Cleanup Program, which provides technical help to owners of contaminated sites.

Voluntary Cleanup Program customers pay fees to cover our costs for technical help and reviewing cleanup reports. Sites in this program must meet the same cleanup standards as the sites Ecology manages under legal orders.

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 #: 6784827
County Recording Date: 2/28/2019

Restrictions/Requirements

  • Prohibit Soil Disturbance
  • Restrict Land Use
  • Restrict Sediment Cap Disturbance

Restricted Media

  • Soil
Places to see print documents
Legal 1
Document Title Document Date Document Type
BNSF Hillyard Lead Soil Site- Environmental Covenant 2/28/2019 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
Public Information 1
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Ecology proposes to remove from HSL: BNSF Hillyard Lead Soil Site 3/25/2019 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Technical Reports 2
Document Title Document Date Document Type
BNSF Hillyard Lead Soil Site- 2021 Cap Inspection and Repair 1/12/2022 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Soil Management Plan- Hillyard Rail Lead Site 6/28/2019 Performance/Confirmational Monitoring Plan or Report
Voluntary Cleanup Program 1
Document Title Document Date Document Type
BNSF Hillyard Lead Soil Site- VCP Opinion on Site Cleanup- No Further Action 7/23/2020 VCP Opinion on Site Cleanup – NFA
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

  • Eastern Regional Office
    N 4601 Monroe St
    Spokane, 99205-1265
    Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.

Contaminants 4

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants RA
Halogenated Organics - Polychlorinated biPhenyls (PCB) RA
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum Products-Unspecified RA
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons 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.