Around the Sound: Rayonier Mill cleanup on schedule

By Natalie Graves, public involvement coordinator, Toxics Cleanup Program

 

In January 2014, we announced a revision in our estimated timeline for the Rayonier Mill Study Area cleanup plan.

The update extended the deadline for Rayonier’s draft Interim Action Alternatives Section to June 30, 2014.

The Rayonier Mill cleanup is on schedule. We received the draft Interim Action Alternatives Section by the June 30 deadline and are reviewing it. The draft section describes a range of cleanup options that Rayonier will study in the Interim Action Alternatives Evaluation Report (Volume III).

Rayonier submitted the section to us now, as a preview, to make sure the cleanup options that will be fully proposed in the evaluation report are headed in the right direction. The public will have the chance to review the proposed cleanup options next year in the Interim Action Alternatives Evaluation Report (see below).

What’s Next?

The Rayonier Mill agreed order (legal agreement) does not set calendar due dates because all of the tasks build on earlier tasks. We will likely hold a public comment period on the upland data report (Volume I), marine data report (Volume II), and Alternatives Evaluation Report (Volume III) in spring 2015.

More information about the Rayonier Mill cleanup

Visit: ecology.wa.gov/Spills-Cleanup/Contamination-cleanup/Cleanup-sites/Toxic-cleanup-sites/Rayonier-Mill-cleanup
Contact: Site Manager, Marian Abbett, Marian.Abbett@ecy.wa.gov
Public Involvement Coordinator, Natalie Graves, Natalie.Graves@ecy.wa.gov

Around the Sound: New Olympic Discovery Trail section opened at Rayonier Mill cleanup site

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

The City of Port Angeles (city), in cooperation with Rayonier, has opened a new section of trail across the Rayonier Mill cleanup site in Port Angeles. The new section of the Olympic Discovery Trail (trail) will be easier and safer for trail users, since it removes about 3,100 feet of detoured former trail with sharp bends.

 

How and why did the city build the new trail section?

The city built this new section of trail as part of their combined sewer overflow (CSO) project. About one mile of CSO project pipeline crosses the former mill property. To install the new pipeline, the city:

• Dug trenches for the pipeline, including removing contaminated soil.
• Placed pipes in the trenches and covered them with clean fill material.
• Covered the filled trenches with asphalt. This asphalt surface has become the new section of trail.
• Removed an old bridge across Ennis Creek and built a new 100-foot bridge that carries the CSO project pipes. The new bridge is also part of the new section of trail.

 

How does being on a cleanup site affect the trail?

Ecology, the city, and Rayonier have worked together to protect public health while allowing access to the new trail. 

• The city removed contaminated and potentially contaminated soil under the trail.
• Rayonier disposed of visibly contaminated soil from the project off site. They placed potentially contaminated soil in grass covered stockpiles on the property.
• The city installed 6-foot high chain link fences along the trail so that trail users cannot access the cleanup site where contamination remains.
• The city hung signs every 300 feet along the trail and at every trail entrance. The signs warn users to stay on the trail and out of the cleanup site.

 

Trail users must stay on the paved trail and out of areas posted “No Trespassing” or “Private Property”. 

Pollutants that remain in soils outside the fenced trail include arsenic, lead, PCBs, dioxins, and PAHs. The grassy mounds on the property contain potentially contaminated soil. You can read more about upland contamination in this fact sheet and on our website.

 

 

Around the Sound: Rayonier Mill cleanup schedule update

Rayonier Mill Estimated Cleanup Timeline (pdf)

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

We have revised our estimated timeline for the Rayonier Mill Study Area cleanup plan. Rayonier’s draft Interim Action Alternatives Section is now due June 30, 2014. It will describe the cleanup options that Rayonier will study in their Interim Action Alternatives Evaluation Report (Volume III).

Extension To Help Coordinate Cleanup with Restoration

Rayonier asked for the extension from January 23 to June 30 so they can better study cleanup options that include restoration. This will help them assess the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost of integrating cleanup and restoration.

Studying restoration options is part of an ongoing Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process being conducted by the Port Angeles Harbor Trustee Council. The NRDA process is assessing damage Rayonier caused to the harbor and what will restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of damaged natural resources.

Allowing more progress to be made on the damage assessment will help Rayonier know how much restoration will be needed. This will help them evaluate cleanup options that include restoration. Read more about the NRDA process and restoration here.

 

It appears we may have an opportunity to combine these two efforts – cleanup and restoration.  However, we have limited the extension to June 30, even if the NRDA assessment of Rayonier’s damages is not complete. As part of granting the extension, we have asked Rayonier to study specific cleanup and restoration options.

 

Estimated Timeline

 

The Rayonier Mill agreed order does not set calendar due dates because all of the tasks build on earlier tasks. For example, Rayonier’s agency review draft marine data report was due 90 days after they received our final sediment study reports.

 

We will likely hold a public comment period on the upland data report, marine data report, and alternatives evaluation report (Volume III) in spring 2015. The agreed order work will likely finish in late 2015.

 

 

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Around the Sound: Rayonier Mill cleanup schedule update

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Rayonier Mill Estimated Cleanup Timeline (PDF)

We have revised our estimated timeline (PDF) for drafting a cleanup plan for the Rayonier Mill Study Area. Rayonier is still on schedule with their agreed order tasks. However, the work will take longer than we thought because of a delay in finalizing the Port Angeles Harbor Sediments Investigation reports.

Port Angeles Sediments Investigation Shifts Timeline

Ecology finalized the sediment study reports in December 2012. The study became far more complex than we anticipated and took longer as a result. In addition, stakeholders asked for an extended public comment period on the reports. It also took longer than planned to review and respond to all of the questions and comments we received.

The good news is the additional work got us a lot closer to identifying those potentially liable for cleanup in other parts of the harbor. As a result, this year we entered into an agreed order with five potentially liable parties to investigate contamination and evaluate cleanup options for the Western Port Angeles Harbor cleanup site.

Estimated Timeline

The Rayonier Mill agreed order does not set calendar due dates because all of the tasks build on previous tasks. For example, Rayonier’s agency review draft marine data summary report was due 90 days after they received the final sediment study reports.

Rayonier is using the data in the sediment study reports to complete their marine data summary report. Rayonier’s public review draft marine report is due in late September 2013. This means that the agreed order work will likely finish in May 2015.

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Around the Sound: Work Underway at the Rayonier Mill Cleanup Site

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program



Soil stockpiles at the Rayonier Mill site. July 2013

You may have noticed more activity recently at the Rayonier Mill cleanup site in Port Angeles. Rayonier removed the unused guard shack at the entrance to the site. The shack was in the way of new fencing and a gate that the City of Port Angeles (city) plans to build for the Olympic Discovery Trail. Rayonier removed asbestos-containing material from the guard shack before tearing it down. Rayonier will continue removing old structures into the fall, which will improve safety.

Long-term soil stockpile management work to begin

Rayonier will also soon begin moving soil that they have stockpiled on the site. The soil in the stockpiles is from trenches the city dug on the mill property for their combined sewer overflow (CSO) project.

The soil is currently in 13 mounds that are covered with plastic (see photo). The plastic was a temporary cover that Rayonier used during construction to prevent erosion by wind and rain. However, it would likely not last for several years under harsh weather conditions.

Now, Rayonier needs to arrange the stockpiles for long-term management. Until final site cleanup, the new system will:

• Minimize direct contact with contaminated and potentially contaminated soil.
• Keep wind and rain from eroding the soil by stabilizing it with a grass cover.
• Ensure that rainwater that seeps into the stockpiles doesn’t leave the stockpile area.

Stockpile management plan

Click on figure for larger image.

Rayonier will push the soil in some of the 13 stockpiles together to make mounds that are shorter and have less steep sides (see figure). This will make them easier to mow and maintain. They will put plastic sheets between stockpiles so that soil from different piles does not get mixed when they are pushed together.

Then Rayonier will plant grass seed on the new stockpiles. They will inspect the stockpiles every week until the grass is growing well. Once there is a good grass cover, Rayonier will inspect the stockpiles monthly through the winter, and then every three months to make sure soil is not eroding and that all soil is covered with grass.

• Read the stockpile management plan

Pilot stockpile testing

To find out what general types and levels of contamination are in the stockpiles, Rayonier did some pilot sampling of the existing stockpiles. This very general pilot sampling gave Rayonier and Ecology enough data to develop a plan for managing the stockpiles. Before final site cleanup, Rayonier will develop a plan for fully sampling and cleaning up the stockpiles.

Based on the pilot sampling, most of the stockpiles have some metals and dioxins slightly above the screening levels developed for the upland data summary report. One composite sample found some heavy oil contamination and one found carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs) above the screening levels.

• Stockpilepilot sampling results and the pilot sampling plan

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Around the Sound: Work underway at the Rayonier Mill cleanup site

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed activity on the Rayonier Mill site. The City of Port Angeles (city) and Rayonier have begun work on the part of the city’s CSO project on the mill property.

About one mile of CSO pipeline trenches will be on the former mill property. Some soil and groundwater the city is finding on the former mill property is contaminated, so the city and Rayonier are following special practices to manage contaminated and potentially-contaminated materials when they are found.

To give you an idea of what’s going on behind the fences, here are some photos of the work:

1) The city is digging the pipeline trench you can see on the left side of this photo. The new CSO project pipes, which will go in the deepest area, are on the right.

On the far left you can also see a silt fence. The city is using it to control erosion around the work site. This silt fence surrounds an area identified as a wetland.

2) The city and Rayonier are over-excavating to remove visibly contaminated soil found during construction. In this photo you can see an area where the city found soil contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH).

The deep flat area is the pipeline trench. The area where soil has been dug away below and behind the pipeline trench is where the city found the TPH-contaminated soil.

The water in the hole is exposed groundwater, which will be pumped out and treated.

3) Contaminated and potentially contaminated groundwater is being treated on-site. It is pumped into a temporary storage tank (Baker tank). First, particles are allowed to settle out. Then the water passes through a sand filter that removes smaller particles. Then it goes through a carbon unit to remove organics. Finally, the water is discharged to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

4) The city is placing visibly contaminated soil in roll-off bins. Rayonier is disposing of this soil at landfills or recycling facilities that can take these types of wastes.

5) Rayonier is temporarily keeping potentially contaminated soil in stockpiles on the property. Rayonier is dividing soils by where they are found and how likely it is they are contaminated. They will test the stockpiled soil before final disposal or management.

A special fabric liner and sand covers the ground under the stockpiles. Sandbags hold down the plastic sheeting covering the stockpiles. Rayonier is inspecting the stockpiles daily. Since the stockpiles will remain on the site until final cleanup, Rayonier intends to create a semi-permanent cover after CSO project construction.

6) The city has removed one of the old bridges across Ennis Creek. They are now building a new bridge to carry the pipeline. The new bridge will be 100 feet across to allow for future potential creek restoration.

This photo shows workers building pile caps, which are part of the foundation of the new 100-foot bridge.

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Around the Sound: Public comment period for Rayonier Mill legal agreement amendment

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Ecology is amending the agreed order (legal agreement) for the Rayonier Mill site to include cleanup work during the City of Port Angeles’ combined sewer overflow (CSO) project.

The proposed agreed order amendment and Materials Management Plan describe the interim cleanup action tasks. This includes Rayonier’s and the city’s roles and responsibilities during the part of the CSO project on the mill property.

Why are Rayonier and the city doing this work?

As part of the CSO project, the city is building a new system to reduce sewage overflows to Port Angeles Harbor. About one mile of CSO pipeline trenches will be on the former mill property.

Some soil and groundwater the city finds on the former mill property likely will be contaminated. The CSO project and interim action will reduce exposure to contaminated soil by replacing it with new pipe and clean soil.

What happens next?

Rayonier and the city may begin work during the comment period. Meanwhile, the public can comment on the agreed order amendment and materials management plan through September 5, 2012. We will respond to comments and questions at the end of the comment period. If it is warranted, Ecology may ask Rayonier to make changes to the planned interim action based on comments we receive.

How can I find out more?

We have a fact sheet that describes the comment period documents and interim action tasks. Our website  has links to the comment period documents and more background information.

We are holding an open house on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at Olympic Medical Center at 939 Caroline St. in Port Angeles. The open house will be in Linkletter Hall from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., with a presentation starting at 7:00 p.m.

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Around the Sound: Port Angeles Harbor open house recap

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup Program

graphic by Hannah Aoyagi

Last week, Ecology’s Port Angeles cleanup team held an open house to share the results of a major study of contamination in Port Angeles Harbor. Project manager Connie Groven presented the main findings of the study, condensing over 1,000 pages of reports into one slide show (available in PDF or PowerPoint).

The audience asked a number of questions about the results and how the study was done. They also raised some concerns over who would pay for cleanup and whether the harbor would be recontaminated by continuing sources of pollution. These are some of the major questions that came up...

Why is wood debris a problem in the harbor and how much is there?

Wood debris from log rafting, pulping, and other activities cover about 25% of the harbor bottom. We do not know the average depth of woodwaste and cannot estimate a total volume. What we do know is that wood debris degrades habitat for bottom-dwelling creatures, and decomposition releases sulfides and ammonias, which can further harm them.

Who will pay for harbor cleanup?

The parties responsible for the contamination—we refer to them as Potentially Liable Persons, or PLPs—must pay for the cleanup.

What is Ecology going to do to prevent recontamination after the harbor is cleaned up?

One of the three main recommendations of the study is to do “source control.” This means identifying possible sources of recontamination and finding ways to prevent those pollutants from reaching Port Angeles Harbor. We don’t have all the answers yet, but source control will be one of our major goals for cleanup.

Will biomass burning proposed at the Nippon Paper Industries USA plant recontaminate harbor sediments with dioxins?

Past sources produced far more pollution than modern, regulated biomass cogeneration plants, which must meet federal health standards for air emissions. Before the 1970s, air and water pollution were not regulated, so untreated wastewater and boiler ash deposited dioxins directly into the harbor. Also, facilities like the Rayonier Mill burned salt-laden wood, which produced much higher levels of airborne dioxin.

It took decades for contaminants to build up in the sediments to their current level. Several of the sources that produced the contamination found in harbor sediments no longer exist. Remaining sources are regulated in a manner that is much more protective of human health than in the past.

More information on biomass burning

• The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) is the permitting agency for the proposed Nippon Paper Industries combined heat and power cogeneration plant in Port Angeles. See http://news.orcaa.org/2011/04/nippon-noc/.
  
  
• If you have general questions about forest biomass cogeneration, please see Ecology’s fact sheet. If you need further information, Linda Kent (360-407-6239 or Linda.Kent@ecy.wa.gov) can help you find the right contact.
  
  
• For ORCAA documents related to the Nippon permit: http://data.orcaa.org/permits-applications/all-permits-applications-entries/nippon-cogeneration-noc-application-2011/

Reminder: The comment period for the Port Angeles Harbor Sediments Investigation reports runs through May 22nd!

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Around the Sound: March 13 Open House on Port Angeles Harbor Study

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup Program

Tomorrow night, Ecology is hosting a public open house in Port Angeles. The purpose of the event is to share the results of the Port Angeles Harbor Sediments Investigation. The two draft reports from this study are available for public comment until May 22.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012
6:30 - 8:30 p.m., presentation at 7:00 p.m.
Olympic Medical Center, downstairs in Linkletter Hall
939 Caroline St., Port Angeles
(360) 417-7000

Project manager Connie Groven will present the results of the study and what Ecology plans to do next. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.

Come at 6:30 or stay after to browse the posters, review a copy of the reports, and talk to Ecology staff. Light refreshments will be served.

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Around the Sound: Rayonier Mill cleanup schedule update

By Rebecca Lawson, regional Toxics Cleanup Program manager

A year after our last update, we are releasing a new estimated cleanup timeline. We now believe it will take until December of 2014 to finish the last task in Rayonier’s current cleanup agreement, instead of the end of 2013.

The Port Angeles Harbor Sediments Investigation has shifted the timeline.

Our study of Port Angeles Harbor sediments has taken longer than expected and the Rayonier’s next steps hinge on the study report being final. Once that happens, Rayonier can use the data to complete their Marine Data Summary Report.

We originally expected to finalize the sediments study in July of 2011. It is currently in a 90-day public comment period that runs through May 22. We will likely finalize the report around July.

Why this is an estimated timeline

Rayonier’s cleanup agreement does not give calendar due dates. All of the tasks build on previous tasks or milestones, such as Rayonier completing its field sampling or Ecology completing the harbor sediments study. We created a graphic with estimated calendar dates to help give a more concrete timeline, and for planning purposes.

A more comprehensive sediment study helps get Port Angeles Harbor cleaned up sooner.

The sediment study became far more complex than we anticipated, and took longer as a result. The good news is the additional work actually gets us a lot closer to identifying those liable for cleanup in other parts of the harbor. Cleanup is a priority for the community and a goal of Governor Gregoire’s Puget Sound Initiative.

One example of why the study took longer is that we needed three separate studies to help explain how sediments might move along the bottom of the harbor. This is crucial information for figuring out where contaminants may have come from, and where they might move in the future.

We also extended the public comment period from 30 days to 90 to accommodate requests from the Olympic Environmental Council, Nippon Paper, Georgia Pacific, the City of Port Angeles, and the Port of Port Angeles. More time will allow for a more thorough review of the reports.

Rayonier has submitted all of its deliverables on time and we continue to work together to find ways to speed up the cleanup process. While it is frustrating to wait longer for the Rayonier cleanup, it is also good to know that we are a major step closer to cleaning up the harbor.

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Around the Sound: Ecology reviewing a draft report on the Rayonier Mill upland

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

On November 15th, on schedule, I received Rayonier’s draft Upland Data Summary Report. This report pulls together all the contamination data we have for contamination on the Rayonier Mill property.

Why is this report important?

We call this report “Volume One” for short. It is the first of four volumes that will make up the cleanup plan for a large piece of the Rayonier Mill site, called the Study Area. The soil and groundwater data will help Rayonier pick cleanup methods that protect human health and the environment.

Rayonier collected soil, groundwater, and surface water samples this past year to fill data gaps from previous studies. Volume One pulls together the new data with the old data.

When can the public see the report?

The draft I have is an “agency review draft.” We will work with Rayonier to ensure they have a “public review draft” early next spring. We will post that public review draft online and make it available at the Port Angeles Public Library and Peninsula College Library.

Will there be a public comment period on Volume One?

No, we will not hold a public comment period until 2013, when we have the marine data report (Volume Two) and Rayonier’s analysis of cleanup options (Volume Three). This will be a good chance to provide comments on Rayonier’s ideas for cleanup before it writes the cleanup plan, called an Interim Action Plan.

You will also have a chance to comment on the draft cleanup plan before Rayonier begins work.

Track cleanup progress and find more Rayonier Mill cleanup information.

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Around the Sound: Soil Dioxin Study public events August 3rd

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator

Ecology is hosting two public events in Port Angeles this Wednesday, August 3rd! They will both be held at the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center at 328 E. 7th St.

3:00 - 5:00 pm Technical Workshop in the Craft Room (upstairs)
The technical workshop is a chance for the public to hear the details of the study analysis. Our consultant, Greg Glass, will give a presentation. Questions and discussion are encouraged.

6:30 - 8:30 pm Open House in the Multi-purpose Room
Ecology's study manager, Connie Groven, will give a presentation, followed by a question and answer session. For those who wish to speak one-on-one with Ecology staff, we will be available before and after the presentation.

We released our Rayonier Mill Off-Property Soil Dioxin Study in mid-July — see our July 12 blog for more information.

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Rayonier Mill Soil Dioxin Study: What do the dioxin levels mean?

By Connie Groven, Project Manager

Whenever I hear a number or statistic, I instinctively look for a comparison point. I also think about how that number impacts me personally. The soil dioxin study results we released last week probably raised the same questions for many people.

How are dioxin levels measured?

Dioixn levels are usually reported as a toxic equivalents or TEQs. We multiply concentrations of 17 different dioxins and furans by a factor based on how toxic each one is compared to the most toxic one. Then the concentrations are added together. So the number reported represents a mixture.

What were the levels found in the study?

The soil dioxin levels we found ranged from 0.8 to 76.3 parts per trillion (ppt) TEQ. Of the 85 total samples, 45 were below 11.1 ppt. TEQ. So why is 11.1 ppt important?

Using 11.1 parts per trillion as a point of comparison

The 11.1 ppt is what we call the “Method B” direct contact value for protection of human health. In this case of dioxins, direct contact means accidental ingestion of soil. Based on risk calculations, exposure to soil with 11.1 ppt dioxins TEQ increases cancer risk by one-in-a-million.*

Using our state cleanup regulation, Method B values can be calculated for many common contaminants, including dioxins. Depending on the situation, they can be used to set cleanup levels. However, we have not done enough evaluation to know what cleanup levels would be appropriate for Rayonier’s contamination. In this case, we are using 11.1 ppt just as a comparison point.

*There is a direct relationship between cancer risk and soil dioxin level, so 22.2 ppt is a two-in-a-million additional risk, and so on.

What do soil dioxin levels in Port Angeles mean for my health?

We did not design this study to assess health risk from exposure to soils. To do that, we would need to look at areas where people could be exposed, like gardens or play areas. However, at the levels we found, we did not feel that it was necessary to take immediate action.

If you are concerned about your soil, there are several things you can do. The greatest exposure risk for soil is accidental ingestion and not skin contact. This means that things like hand-washing and keeping dirt out of your home are very effective. With any soil contaminant, children are the most vulnerable because of their small size, developing bodies, and behaviors like putting their hands in their mouths. See page three of the fact sheet for a list of tips.

For more information on dioxins, please visit the Toxic Substances Portal (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)

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Rayonier Mill Soil Dioxin Study Report Available to the Public

By Connie Groven, Project Manager

Three years ago, Ecology began a study of dioxins and furans (we refer to them together as dioxins) in surface soils in areas of Port Angeles near the former Rayonier Mill. We looked at two things—the concentration of dioxins in soils, and whether the former Rayonier Mill’s air emissions could have contributed to what we measured. The report is now in and it indicates Rayonier did have a contribution to soil dioxins we found in the study.

Why study soil dioxins?

Ecology is already working with Rayonier on the cleanup of the mill property and nearby marine environment. Ecology did this study to figure out if Rayonier also needed to investigate soil dioxins outside of its property. Under state law, a cleanup site is defined by everywhere contamination has come to be. This means that soil dioxins from Rayonier must be addressed as part of the final cleanup.

What happens next?

Rayonier and Ecology are currently discussing how to use the study results to plan next steps. Meanwhile, the public can comment on the report from July 14 to August 30, 2011. We will respond to comments and questions at the end of the comment period and consider them in finalizing the report.

How can I find out more information?

We have a fact sheet on the study evaluation, plus a “reading guide” that goes into more technical detail. Our website has background information and links to the 2008 study design, 2009 data summary, and older fact sheets.

Ecology is holding an afternoon technical workshop and evening open house on August 3rd at the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center at 328 E. 7th Street. The workshop will be in the craft room (upstairs) from 3-5 pm and will cover more of the technical details of the data evaluation. The open house will be in the Multipurpose Room from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, with a presentation starting at 7:00 pm.

Check back for more blogs on this study and feel free to send me comments or questions at Connie.Groven@ecy.wa.gov.

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Around the Sound: Sampling data from the Rayonier Mill property now available

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager

We have reached another milestone in the cleanup of the Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles on schedule! On June 15, Rayonier submitted the draft Upland Data Collection Technical Memo. This memo pulls together most of the data Rayonier collected on its property between August 2010 and March 2011.

Rayonier collected soil, groundwater, and surface water samples from across the former mill property to fill data gaps from previous studies. This was done in four phases, with lab analysis between each phase. Read more about this work in earlier Rayonier blog posts.

What happens next?
Rayonier will use the information from the technical memo to draft their Upland Data Summary Report. This report, combined with information about sediment contamination, will help Rayonier develop a plan for cleaning up the Study Area—the mill property and nearby marine environment. Rayonier is still on track to complete the plan in 2013.

On a side note…
In April, we removed an old restrictive covenant from the property. A 1992 Ecology enforcement order required cleanup in the area of the Finishing Room along Ennis Creek. As part of the partial cleanup, a restrictive covenant was placed on the property to protect the remedy. In 1998 and 2002, Rayonier removed the remaining contamination from that area, making the restrictive covenant no longer necessary.

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Around the Sound: Phase Four of Upland Investigation at the Rayonier Mill site

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator

In early March, Rayonier started its fourth phase of investigation work on the former mill property. This phase involves drilling more groundwater sampling wells. “Infill wells” are going into areas of the property where we need more information, and to complete the groundwater monitoring network.

Phase four is actually the last phase of the upland investigation, assuming the new data do not suggest we need more sampling. Phase five is ongoing monitoring. Rayonier has been taking samples from its groundwater wells every three months. It will use this information to develop a long-term monitoring plan.

Once the phase four data are back from the lab, Rayonier can write its Upland Data Summary Technical Memo. This memo will summarize the findings from all four phases of sampling. Once we have done our review, we will make it available to the public.

Keep checking back for more information on the Rayonier cleanup...

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Around the Sound: Updates to the Rayonier Mill sampling timeline

By Rebecca Lawson, regional Toxics Cleanup Program Manager

Ecology has an updated timeline for the Rayonier Mill cleanup.

Back in February 2010, we put together an estimated timeline for completing the work under our Agreed Order with Rayonier. One of the big uncertainties was the time it would take to sample the upland property. The Agreed Order did not specify a timeline for Rayonier to complete upland data collection because it was part of the work plan that Rayonier was to develop as a deliverable of the Agreed Order.

Phased sampling takes longer but provides better results

In order to provide the public with a more concrete schedule, we estimated that it would take six months to finish upland sampling. At the time, we thought that Rayonier would do the work all in one stage. As we negotiated the details of Rayonier’s work plan last summer, both parties decided a phased sampling approach would be better. It wasn’t clear at the time if it would take a bit longer. The advantage it offered was that each phase would build on the results of the previous phase, resulting in a more thorough data report.

Rayonier is in its final phase of upland sampling. Given our experience with the first three phases, we estimate it will take about three more months for Rayonier to finish sampling, get lab results, and process the information. Rayonier will then submit a technical memo to Ecology around mid-June 2011. We will make this memo available for public review.

What does this mean for the overall schedule?

Rayonier will complete the upland data summary report in early 2012 instead of late 2011, as we originally estimated. This pushes evaluation of cleanup options to later in 2012. Ecology will likely hold a public comment period on the upland and marine data summary reports and cleanup alternatives in mid-2013. As we move forward, we will look for opportunities to shave time off the schedule—both Ecology and Rayonier want to get this site cleaned up soon.

We are still on track to end this investigation and be ready to negotiate the terms of cleanup for the study area with Rayonier by the end of 2013.

Why didn’t we make an announcement earlier?

Environmental work can be unpredictable, particularly sampling. Unanticipated results are always a possibility and could possibly change the length of work. With this in mind, we weren’t certain how long phased sampling would actually take when we finalized the work plan in August 2010.

In our commitment to keep the public informed of our progress, we’ve posted blogs on Ecology’s EcoConnect site for each round of sampling, issued news releases for key deliverables and come to Port Angeles to meet with citizens and local leaders.

We strive to meet the public’s clearly stated expectation that the Rayonier site be cleaned up thoroughly and quickly. We will continue to keep you updated through the blog.

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Around the Sound: Rayonier Mill investigations continue

By Connie Groven, project manager

Over the last few weeks, you may have noticed heavy equipment and activity on the Rayonier property again. What is going on now?

Here are some photos of the test pit process…
1. An excavator digs a pit and sorts the material by layers.


2. The pits allow sampling and observation of the layers of material.


3. The side walls of shallow pits are sampled from inside the pit.


4. Samples from deep pits are collected from the bucket.


5. If visibly contaminated soil is found, it is separated...


6. ...and placed in a container for removal.

Questions remain about some areas of the Rayonier property. Project managers, engineers, and archeologists need to better understand what is below the ground surface and where contamination is before Rayonier can plan cleanup of the Study Area. Rayonier is digging pits in certain areas of the property where more information is needed.

Targeted test pits

An excavator digs the pits in selected areas, stopping to allow sampling at different depths. A field geologist or engineer keeps a written record of the subsurface conditions in the test pits. On the Rayonier property, an archeologist also watches for anything of historical significance. Soils removed from the pit are separated by layers so they can be replaced in the order removed.

Taking a sample

Samples are collected from each pit at several depths. Samples of the soil are scraped from the side walls of the pit, placed into clean glass jars, labeled and sent to the lab. When the pit is shallow, the sampler can collect the samples while standing in the pit. When the pit is deeper, it would not be safe to enter the pit, so the sample must be collected from the bucket of the excavator. The excavator bucket and all the tools used are cleaned between pits.

Some types of contamination cannot be seen and must be determined by the results from the lab. Other types of contamination leave a visible stain on the soil, produce a sheen on water, or can be detected by a photoionization detector (PID). If work crews saw or detected contamination, they separated the material and placed it in a container to be removed from the property.

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Around the Sound: Rayonier groundwater sampling

By Steve Teel, Hydrogeologist

If you’ve walked by or ridden your bike down the Olympic Discovery Trail recently, you may have seen trucks at the Rayonier gate and people out on the property. Work is underway, but what’s actually going on at the property?

One of Rayonier’s main tasks is collecting groundwater samples. They are looking for contamination in the water that sits under the ground’s surface. To do this, they use a special type of well.

Groundwater sampling wells

The wells are drilled from the ground surface straight down into groundwater. On the Rayonier property, the depth to groundwater varies from about 3 to 17 feet. Groundwater depths can change throughout the year, so the well must be deep enough to reach the lowest groundwater levels.

The well casing can be plastic or metal. The upper part of the well casing is solid, but the lower part—the screen—has slits to allow water into the well (see diagram). Materials such as concrete and clay are used to seal around the outside of the solid casing. Also, sand is placed around the outside of the screen to make sure that it does not become plugged with silt or clay.

Taking a sample

The sampler first cleans the well of any stagnant water and waits for fresh groundwater to flow into the well. The sample can then be pumped up or a container can be dipped into the water.

The samples are processed, labeled and sent to the lab for analysis. The lab will look for the level of contaminants such as pesticides, metals, petroleum-related chemicals, and more.

Here are some photos of the sampling process...

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Around the Sound: Follow up on the October 27 Rayonier open house

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator


In late October, the Rayonier cleanup team came up to Port Angeles to watch sampling at the property, and to share that information at an open house. We showed slides of what the property looks like today, and how sampling works. We also brought posters on the upland sampling work plan and details on groundwater sampling.

For those who missed the event, I will be making all of these visuals available soon through our blog and website. Please click on the image to the right to view a larger version of the upland sampling process.

Next week, I will post a blog from our hydrogeologist about how groundwater sampling works.

For more information about the cleanup, please visit http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites_brochure/rayonier/rayonier_hp.htm.

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