Facility Site ID: 403 Cleanup Site ID: 4905

Public Comment Period March 15, 2024-April 15, 2024

Ecology is providing an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the Site's Proposed Removal from the Hazardous Sites List.

Review:

•  No Further Action Letter, dated March 31, 2020

The Hazardous Sites List is a list of sites Ecology reviewed for their potential threat to human health and the environment. This review is based on how much contamination is present, how toxic it is, and how easily it can come in contact with people and the environment. Sites must go through cleanup and meet state standards before Ecology can remove them from the list.

Submit comments to Frank Winslow, Site Manager by April 15, 2024, 11:59 p.m.

Email:    Frank.Winslow@ecy.wa.gov 
Mail:      1250 W. Alder Street, Union Gap, WA 98903
Online:   Comment form

Public Meeting

Join us for a public meeting either in-person or online.* We will provide information about the site and an opportunity to have your questions answered.

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 – 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

In-person: White Salmon Valley Community Library at 77 NE Wauna Avenue, White Salmon
Online*: Zoom. See Registration information below.
*Online Registration: To attend virtually, register for the Zoom meeting. Visit https://bit.ly/Ecology-TownPumpGasStation
Questions: Please submit questions in advance. The form is open now. Visit https://bit.ly/Ecology-TownPumpGasStation-MeetingQuestions

Next Steps

After the public comment period ends, Ecology will review and respond to comments received. After review and consideration of comments received, the site will be removed from the Hazardous Site List.

Site Description

Former Town Pump Station - from the southeast. Photo by J Newschwander, Ecology.
Former Town Pump Station - from the southeast. Photo by J Newschwander, Ecology.
The Town Pump Station Site is located at 521 East Jewett Boulevard, in White Salmon. The Site currently operates as a wholesale bakery. It does not serve the public as a retail storefront. The former trailer park to the south of the Site is being developed as residential housing.

Contaminated soil has been documented at the Site since 1989, when gasoline contaminated water was observed seeping into the trailer park located directly downgradient of the site.

Cleanup Activities

The cleanup and removal of pumps, piping and tanks at the former Town Pump service station site and the associated bulk fuel storage was generally completed in two phases. 

Gas Station

The first of two work phases was to clean up the former Town Pump service station. This was largely completed in 1994. Actions at the station included the removal of underground storage tanks and removal of accessible petroleum contaminated soils.

Bulk Fuel Storage

The second phase of work, completed late in 1996, addressed the bulk fuel storage area that supplied fuel to the Town Pump Station. This consisted of the removal of four underground storage tanks and most of the associated piping from the hillside across Jewett Boulevard, above the Town Pump station.  Some of these tanks supplied fuel to the pumps at the former Town Pump through piping buried under the road. 

Soil samples collected from the vicinity of the tanks and lines were included in this phase of work, however no contaminated soil was found. Petroleum contamination is known to exist beneath Jewett Boulevard, beginning at a depth of approximately 3 feet below the ground surface. This contamination is thought to have been released from the two pipelines joining the tanks and the pumps. That portion of the lines traveling underground just north of the station and beneath Jewett Boulevard does remain in place.

Finishing the Cleanup

To address petroleum contaminated soils remaining at the base of the retaining wall behind the service station site, a geomembrane barrier (similar to landscaping cloth) has been placed over the contamination to isolate it. Further requirements include addressing the remaining petroleum contamination should the old service station building be demolished. 

Update December 2023

In December 2023, Ecology and a representative of the Upper Weyers HOA met at the site. Sampling locations were selected collaboratively, and Ecology collected several samples. The results revealed no contaminants were detected in soil or groundwater and no odor or staining of gasoline were noted.

Periodic Review

Periodic reviews are conducted every 5 years by Ecology for sites that have Environmental Covenants and/or Institutional Controls. The review is intended to examine the effectiveness of cleanup activities and to assure the continued protection of human health and the environment.

Periodic Review Results

Based on the 2020 periodic review, the cleanup actions completed at the Site are protective of human health and the environment.

Soil cleanup levels have not been met at the Site; however, the cleanup action for the Property is determined to comply with cleanup standards under WAC 173-340-740(6)(f). Requirements for containment technologies have been met and the long-term integrity of the containment system (i.e. onsite structure) is provided for through institutional controls.

The Restrictive Covenant for the property is in place and is expected to be effective in protecting public health and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances and protecting the integrity of the cleanup action.

No additional remedial actions are required by the property owner.  It is the property owner’s responsibility to continue to inspect the Site to assure that the integrity of the cap (i.e. onsite structure) is maintained.

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 #: 242770
County Recording Date: 8/18/1994

Restrictions/Requirements

  • residual contaminated soil required if former Town Pump building is demolished

Restricted Media

  • Soil
Legal 10
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Town Pump Gas Station - No Further Action - Soil Model Remedy #3 3/31/2020 NFA Letter – non-VCP
Town Pump - Environmental Convenant 8/16/1994 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
Town Pump Gas Station EO DE 94TC-C161 1st Amendment 8/16/1994 Enforcement Order Amendment
Town Pump Gas Station Cleanup Implementation EO No. DE 94TC-C161 3/17/1994 Enforcement Order
Town Pump Watson PLP ltr 8/14/1992 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Town Pump Morin PLP ltr 8/14/1992 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Town Pump Gas Station RI/FS AO No. DE 92TC-C323 5/13/1992 Agreed Order
Town Pump Osborne PLP ltr 1/28/1992 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Town Pump Harp PLP ltr 1/28/1992 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Town Pump Johnson PLP ltr 1/28/1992 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Public Information 5
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Town Pump Gas Station - Delisting Fact Sheet 3/15/2024 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Town Pump Gas Station - Response to Comments 1/30/2024 Responsiveness Summary
Town Pump Gas Station - Delisting Fact Sheet 12/1/2023 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Town Pump Gas Station cleanup fact sheet 8/1/1997 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Town Pump RI/FS AO fact sheet 5/13/1992 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Technical Reports 8
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Town Pump Gas Station - Analytical Lab Results 1/18/2024 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Town Pump Station - Notice of Periodic Review - Woosley 9/3/2020 Periodic Review (5 Year)
Town Pump Station - Notice of Periodic Review - Smart Development 9/3/2020 Periodic Review (5 Year)
Town Pump Gas Station 2020 Periodic Review 8/1/2020 Periodic Review (5 Year)
Town Pump Gas Station 2014 Periodic Review 3/1/2014 Periodic Review (5 Year)
Town Pump Gas Station 2008 Periodic Review 9/16/2008 Periodic Review (5 Year)
Town Pump Gas Station UST Decommissioning Report 12/16/1996 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Town Pump soil removal rpt 7/8/1994 Remedial Action Report
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.
  • White Salmon Valley Community Library
    77 NE Wauna Ave
    White Salmon, 98672
    This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.

Contaminants 2

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel RA
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Gasoline 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.