Evergreen pollution plan nears completion
Trial in March to determine liability
The state hopes have a cleanup plan mapped out this spring, with work to begin in mid-2009 on a contaminated Evergreen area.
A trial is set for March 10 in Helena to clear up the remaining disputes over responsibility for the Evergreen site, according to officials from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality who briefed the Kalispell City Council on Friday about the cleanup project.
Wood preservatives and petroleum products have been soaking the soil for up to 82 years beneath roughly 57 acres between Whitefish Stage Road and U.S. 2. The land is just north of the McElroy & Wilken gravel pit. It stretches east from the old Kalispell Pole & Timber Co. location to the Office Max site on U.S. 2.
The pollutants originated from sites that used to be occupied by Kalispell Pole & Timber, Reliance Refinery and Yale Oil Refinery.
Kalispell Pole & Timber spilled and leaked petroleum, dioxins and wood preservatives containing pentachlorophenol from 1973 to 1990, according to the state. Reliance leaked petroleum and lead from 1924 to the 1960s; Yale leaked petroleum from 1938 to 1978.
The aquifer extends from 15 feet below the surface to 120 feet deep
State calculations estimate that:
-About 180,000 cubic yards of soil are contaminated.
-About 54 million gallons of groundwater are contaminated in the upper aquifer.
-About 2.5 million gallons of groundwater are contaminated in the lower aquifer.
-About 190,000 gallons of contaminants are floating on top of the aquifer.
The state estimates it will take up to $29 million to clean up the area, pump out and treat pollutants, put soil covers on contaminated areas to slow seeping rain, dig up soil to be treated and dig up soil to be shipped away.
The exact plan is expected to be nailed down this spring, said Denise Martin, a hazardous waste cleanup supervisor at the Department of Environmental Quality.
Friday's briefing addressed the current determinations of which companies are legally liable to help with the cleanup and cleanup costs.
The state has named seven companies as potentially liable.
Three defendants - Exxon Mobil Corp., Swank Enterprises and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation - have signed consent decrees saying they will help pay for the cleanup efforts.
The public comment period ends today on similar proposed consent decrees for Kalispell Pole & Timber and Montana Mokko Inc.
Still facing the March 10 trial are BNSF Railway Co. and Klingler Lumber Co.
The state and those two defendants are awaiting a judge's ruling on what issues will be addressed in that trial, said Cynthia Brooks, an attorney for the Department of Environmental Quality.
Kalispell Pole & Timber is defunct, but owes a significant amount of its set-aside insurance money to BNSF, with the exact amount still in litigation.
The state tracks the pollutants with 94 shallow and deep monitoring wells, plus other wells and numerous soil samples.
Groundwater samples show contaminants exceed drinking-water standards at the Kalispell Pole & Timber, Reliance and Yale sites.
Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com