Cleaning up: Two pipeline properties close to clean bill of health

By Brook Beeler, communication manager

Northwest Pipeline Meter Stations, Moses Lake and Mead

Public comments are being sought for removing two natural gas meter stations from the state Hazardous Sites List. Soil and gravel were contaminated with mercury on both sites and arsenic was also present at the Mead station. The main source of contamination was most likely from accidental spills during maintenance and calibration of equipment used at the sites.

Northwest Pipeline entered the Voluntary Cleanup Program, which allows property owners to perform cleanup independently and receive technical assistance from Ecology.

Original assessments in 1990 identified the contamination in soil. Contractors removed the contaminated soils and gravels from each site. More than 107 tons of soil and gravel were removed from the Mead site, and more than 132 tons of soil and gravel were removed from the Moses Lake site. Sampling in 2011 indicates no further cleanup actions are required at either site.

You can read more about the effects of mercury and arsenic on human health at the Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Public Comment

Ecology will review and respond to the public comments received about the removal of each site from the Hazardous Sites List. The sites will be removed if no significant changes are made based on public feedback.

Documents are available at Ecology’s office at 4601 N. Monroe St. in Spokane. Call Kari Johnson at 509-329-3415 for an appointment.

Or you can view them online:

Northwest Pipeline Moses Lake Meter Station Site
Send comments by April 15, 2013 to Patti Carter, patti.carter@ecy.wa.gov

Northwest Pipeline Mead Meter Station Site
Send comments by April 20, 2013 to: Patti Carter, patti.carter@ecy.wa.gov

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