Courtland Place

NEIGHBORHOOD NOTICE

RAINIER COURT PHASE IV
DRAFT CLEANUP GRANT APPLICATION TO EPA

Rainier Court III & IV
Clean up Grants

In 2009, SEED received a stimulus funded grant from EPA through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to begin the cleanup activity for Phase III of Rainier Court.  In 2007, SEED received a regular EPA grant for cleanup of Phase IV of this project and we are in the planning stage for the cleanup action on that land.  In both cases, likely alternative clean up approaches will include:  

• Isolation of contaminants (concrete cap, such as building foundation) and implementation of institutional controls (deed restrictions, etc)
• Isolation of contaminants (concrete cap) and excavation of “hot spots” with concentrated contamination for disposal at regulated site.  Implementation of institutional controls.
• Excavation of all contaminated soil with on-site treatment and reuse of the excavated soil.

As with the first two phases of the Rainier Court project, Phases III & IV are environmentally contaminated sites and were part of an undocumented landfill in the 1930’s and 40’s.  As with the previous phases, the clean up activity is being conducted under the regulations of Washington State  Department of Ecology’s Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP).  The State establishes levels on soil contamination that are safe for humans and the soils and groundwater must be cleaned to that level with methods that are certified and supervised by the State. 

Substantial environmental testing of both the soils and groundwater has been conducted by both EPA and SEED’s consultant, GeoEngineers.  Based on this analysis, it is determined that the sites were leveled out using fill materials from a variety of sources (including household garbage).  This fill contained leachable metal and organic debris with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).  As a result, distribution of contamination is widespread but generally shallow ( .5-7 feet).  The sites remained vacant during the 1950s, and during the 1960s were developed for light industrial uses, including a warehouse and outdoor storage of vehicles, introducing petroleum as a contaminant.  While many of these substances are considered hazardous waste, none can be construed as being of an immediate threat to public health or the environment.
 
Copies of these studies are available for public inspection at the SEED office (5117 Rainier Avenue South).  Comments about the proposed clean up alternatives can be sent to pchemnick@seedseattle.org by December 30, 2009 and will be taken into consideration as we prepare our Cleanup Action Plans (CAP’s) for submittal and approval by the State Department of Ecology in February and March of 2010.