Chemicals found at former Hambleton site

Several contaminants have been found in the soil of the previous Hambleton Lumber Sales LLC location. They include total petroleum hydrocarbons, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, poly-chlorinated biphenyls, lead and mercury. In 2012, the level of benzo(a)pyrene was .232 mg/kg and TEC was .327 mg/kg, at 335 S. “A” St., Washougal. Cleanup levels for both are 0.1 mg/kg. The highest concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons was 7,920, compared to a cleanup level of 2,000. Other levels include PCBs (1.869 mg/kg, with a cleanup level of 1); lead (438 mg/kg, with a cleanup level of 250); and mercury (9.53 mg/kg, with a cleanup level of 2). Investigators from the port’s consultant, Maul Foster Alongi, did not find contamination from the site in Columbia River sediment. The levels were provided Monday by Guy Barrett, a hydrogeologist and site manager with the Washington State Department of Ecology toxics cleanup program. He was among the presenters at an open house June 11, at the Port of Camas-Washougal office. The estimated cleanup costs are $439,030. The port, which will hire a contractor, is receiving a $300,000 remedial action grant from the DOE to help with cleanup costs. The cleanup is expected to occur next year. In 2011, the port received a $200,000 integrated planning grant from the DOE, to pay for investigation of contamination and cleanup options. The mill closed in the summer of 2010. The property was owned by the port in the 1940s and leased to Hambleton from the 1950s to the 1970s. It was purchased by Hambleton in 1977. Last year, the property sale from Hambleton Brothers Lumber Company, Inc., to Killian Pacific totalled approximately 26.5 acres. The port purchased one-half of the parcel with $6.07 million in reserves. Individuals who attended the open house had an opportunity to provide written comments regarding a legal agreement between the DOE and the port, requiring the port to carry out the cleanup action plan. The deadline to submit comments is Wednesday, June 26.

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