QUENDALL TERMINAL WASHINGTON EPA ID# WAD980639215

EPA Region 10 King Renton 8th Congressional District Other Names:

Last Update: November, 2009

Site Description

The Quendall Terminals Superfund Site is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Washington, in Renton, Washington. The site is a former creosote manufacturing facility and has been contaminated with coal tar, pitch, creosote, and other hazardous chemicals.

Altino Properties and J. H. Baxter & Company, two of the site’s Responsible Parties, have begun a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) to better understand the contamination and develop a cleanup plan. The study includes sampling of soils, groundwater, and lake sediment along the shoreline of the site. EPA expects to review the sampling results, complete the RI/FS and select a cleanup plan in about three years. Earlier sampling showed that contamination at Quendall Terminals could pose a risk to people and the environment.

The facility began operating in 1917 as the Republic Creosoting Company, which became Reilly Tar and Chemical Corporation in 1956. Creosote was manufactured onsite for about 53 years until 1969. This creosote manufacturing facility refined and processed coal tar and oil-gas tar residues. The tars were purchased from the Seattle Gas Company on Lake Union and were shipped or barged to the site. The tars consisted of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, phenolic compounds, light aromatic compounds (including benzene, toluene, and xylenes) and other organic compounds. At the facility, tar distillates were refined to creosote and other chemical products. Releases of tars and creosote products to the environment occurred in portions of the site where the transport, production and/or storage of the products were performed. In 1971, the site was sold to Quendall Terminals. Between 1969 and 1978, the site was used intermittently to store diesel, crude and waste oils. Since 1977, the site has been used as a log sorting and storage yard.

Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through an administrative order on consent with two potentially responsible parties (PRPs).

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	09/14/2005
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	04/19/2006
Deleted Date:

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected:
The primary contaminants of concern are carcinogenic PAHs and benzene. These contaminants are found in the soil and ground water throughout the site. These compounds are found at concentrations well above State cleanup levels for residential and industrial sites. At some locations on the site, creosote product has been found under the surface. In some areas the product is four to six feet thick. Releases of these contaminants to Lake Washington are of particular concern.

Lake Washington is used for a variety of recreational purposes including fishing and swimming. The southern end of Lake Washington, including the area where the site is located, is considered prime habitat for rearing of juvenile Chinook, which is a Federal Threatened Species, and other salmon stocks. The Cedar River, which enters Lake Washington approximately two miles from the site, supports the largest sockeye run in the contiguous United States. Lake Washington also supports several sensitive environments including habitat for bull trout and the bald eagle. In addition, there are two swimming beaches located within one half mile of the site.


Cleanup Progress

Until 2006, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) was the lead regulatory agency for overseeing the cleanup. A Remedial Investigation report and a draft Risk Assessment/Focused Feasibility Study were completed by Quendall under oversight by Ecology. No removal actions have taken place to date. In May 2005, Ecology requested EPA take the lead for overseeing the cleanup at the site. EPA assumed the role of lead agency at that time and in 2006 the site was added to EPA's Superfund National Priorities List. In September 2006, Altino Properties and J. H. Baxter & Company, two of the site’s Responsible Parties, entered into an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with EPA. The AOC requires the Responsible Parties to complete a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS). Based on the RI/FS EPA will propose a preferred cleanup remedy, and after seeking public comment will select a final cleanup remedy. The Responsible Parties have collected additional data during July through October 2009. That data will be used to fill data gaps identified during the review of historic site data. EPA expects that the RI/FS will be completed by December 2010.


Regional Contacts

SITE MANAGER(S):	Lynda Priddy
E-MAIL ADDRESS:	priddy.lynda@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	206-553-1987
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:	Suzanne Skadowski
E-MAIL ADDRESS	skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	206-553-6689

Information pertaining to this site is housed at the following location(s):

EPA Quendall Terminals webpage: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/CLEANUP.NSF/sites/quendall

EPA Region 10 Records Center
1200 6th Ave, Ste 900
Seattle, WA 98101
Call for appointment: 206-553-4494

Renton Public Library
100 Mill Ave South
Renton, WA 98057
Call ahead for hours: 425-430-6610