EPA: Soil, Water, and Columbia River bottom near US Army Corps facility are contaminated with PCBs, PAHs, heavy metals and other contaminants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed adding Bradford Island to its Superfund list of the country’s highest priority contaminated sites requiring cleanup on Sept. 8.
Bradford Island, an Island in the Columbia River, is part of the Bonneville Dam complex operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps). “The Corps’ historical operations and maintenance practices at the site caused the soil, groundwater and stormwater to be contaminated,” according to the EPA. “Sediments in the Columbia River are also contaminated with PCBs and other contaminants.”
PCBs were widely used in industrial and commercial applications until they were banned from further production in the U.S. in 1979. They are human-made chemicals that persist in the environment and are known to affect the immune system and may cause cancer in people. PCBs can also affect learning abilities in children. Other contaminants at the site also have known health and environmental risks.
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation) celebrated the plan to list the site for cleanup in a press release, which stated, “The Bradford Island Site is one of the most polluted sites on the Columbia River, exposing people, plants and animals to a variety of contaminants. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in fish tissues at the site are the highest in the country. PCBs are long-lived chemicals that were banned in 1979 due to their toxicity to human health and the environment.
“If consumed by humans, PCBs can cause skin disease, liver damage, immune suppression, hormonal issues, and neurological damage; and may cause cancer. Based on PCB levels in resident fish, the area surrounding Bradford Island has been under an Oregon Health Authority and Washington Department of Health ‘Do Not Eat’ resident fish consumption advisory for years.”
Congressional support
On July 14, Congressman Earl Blumenaurer, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, and United States Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley wrote a letter in support of Yakama Nation, Oregon and Washington’s joint request that the Bradford Island site be added to the national priorities list.
“Congressional support on this matter was critical to getting this site listed,” said Rose Longoria, regional Superfund project manager with Yakama Nation. “We are grateful to the elected officials, the states and the Columbia Riverkeeper (who campaigned for the listing) for partnering with us to make it clear to EPA that cleanup at the Bradford Island site must be the agency’s priority.”
Davis Washines, government relations liaison for Yakama Nation Fisheries, said, “Salmon and the health of the Columbia River are of paramount importance to our people. The Columbia River and its salmon are central to our religion, our culture. The Columbia River has given its resources to sustain the Yakama people; in turn, the Yakama honor and protect the salmon and the Columbia River.”
The Columbia River, Bradford Island, and its surrounding areas are part of the Yakama history, culture and people, Yashines explained. The Yakama Nation will continue to participate in and oversee the cleanup efforts at the Bradford Island site to ensure that our waters and lands are protected and restored, he said.
“Our goal is clean, healthy fish that is safe to eat,” Washines said.
Cleanup begun
The Corps, as the owner and operator of the site, will be the federal agency responsible for the cleanup process, according to a press release from the U.S. EPA. Since 1998, the Corps has been leading investigation and cleanup efforts at Bradford Island. Action has been taken to remove electrical equipment and some contaminated sediment from the river, and the Corp has also conducted several studies aimed at characterizing sources of contamination in the river and uplands portion of the site.
The work followed “over 40 years” during which the Corps “dumped toxic pollution in and along the Columbia River at Bradford Island,” according to information provided by the Yakama Nation.
The EPA proposes sites to the National Priorities List, and after considering public comments may designate them as final Superfund sites. If added as final, the Superfund designation would bring EPA into a more formal role of overseeing the Corps’ cleanup work.
The EPA received requests from multiple parties to make this proposal of Bradford Island to the National Priorities List, including the Yakama Nation the states of Oregon and Washington, and community and environmental groups.
“The timing is critical. Adding the Bradford Island site to the national Superfund list will add structure and an enforceable schedule with milestones which are desperately needed,” said Longoria.
The EPA will take public comments on the proposal of this site to the Superfund list for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register, which is expected in the next few days. Instructions for how to submit comments, will be available at www.epa.gov/superfund/bradford-island.
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