NORTHWEST TRANSFORMER (SOUTH HARKNESS STREET) WASHINGTON EPA ID# WAD027315621

EPA Region 10 Whatcom County Everson 2nd Congressional District Other Names: South Harkness

Last Update: August, 2007

Site Description

The Northwest Transformer Service Company operated a transformer, reclamation, storage, and manufacturing facility on a one acre site in downtown Everson, Washington, from 1958 to 1987. The company used an on-site building to manufacture, recycle, and rebuild transformers and an unpaved lot for storage of transformers, drums, bulk materials, and salvage. The company transferred its main storage and salvage operations from its Mission and Pole Roads salvage yard, which is also on the National Priorities List (NPL), to the South Harkness Street site in 1985. A Washington State Department of Ecology inspection, in 1985, detected high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in on-site soils. The site is bordered by a city park, Main Street businesses, and South Harkness Street. Approximately 2,200 people live within three miles of the site, and over 10,000 people use wells operating within 3 miles of the site for drinking water and irrigation. However, no site-related contamination has ever been detected in off-site wells and there are no drinking water wells downgradient from the site.

Site Responsibility: This site has been addressed through Federal and potentially responsible parties' actions.

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	06/24/1988
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	02/21/1990
Deleted Date:	09/26/1997

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected: Soil & Sludges
Soil and buildings at the site were contaminated with PCBs and heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, and lead. People could have been exposed to contaminants through accidental ingestion of or direct contact with contaminated soil or building contents. The threat was removed when the cleanup was done.


Cleanup Progress

Cleanup is complete and the site has been deleted from the NPL.

Early Actions: The potentially responsible parties (PRPs) conducted an early action under a Consent Order with EPA. Approximately 14 tons of PCB-contaminated soil (>100 ppm) were excavated and incinerated at the Aptus incinerator in Utah, and over 3,750 tons of PCB-contaminated soil (<100 ppm) was disposed of in off-site hazardous waste landfills.

Long-Term Actions: In 1994, under the same Consent Order the PRPs completed an investigation to determine the nature and extent of contamination remaining at the site. Based on the results of the investigation completed subsequent to the early action, EPA determined that no further action was necessary under CERCLA, but that in order to verify that groundwater at the site remained uncontaminated after the response was completed. Five years of groundwater monitoring showed no evidence of migration of contamination.

A five year review completed by EPA on December 17, 1998 concluded that site conditions allow for unrestricted use and unlimited exposure and no further CERCLA periodic (five year) reviews are needed or will be conducted at the site. The State of Washington reviewed that report and concurred with its conclusions.

Although not part of the EPA selected remedy the State of Washington required institutional controls in the form of deed notices to inform future property owners of residual petroleum and PCB contamination. Those notices were recorded in December 1994.


Regional Contacts

SITE MANAGER(S):	Tim Brincefield
E-MAIL ADDRESS:	brincefield.timothy@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	206-553-2100
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:
E-MAIL ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER:

Information pertaining to this site is housed at the following location(s):
Whatcom County Library (Administrative Records)
Public Reference Center
5205 Northwest Road
Bellingham, WA 98226

EPA Region 10 Superfund Records Center (Administrative Records)
1200 Sixth Avenue, ECL-076
Seattle, WA 98101