HARBOR OIL INC. OREGON EPA ID# ORD071803985

EPA Region 10 Multnomah Portland Congressional District Other Names: Chempro of Oregon Inc.

Last Update: May, 2008

Site Description

Harbor Oil is a waste oil reprocessing facility located on approximately 4.2-acres in an industrial area of northeast Portland, Oregon. A tank truck cleaning facility also previously operated on the part of the property. Wetlands located west and south of the site connect to Force Lake, where recreational fishing occurs.

Major events at the site:

* March 1974 - a major waste oil spill from on-site storage tanks resulted in a fish kill in Force Lake.

* October 1979 - a severe fire destroyed the facility and melted/ruptured five 20,000- gallon aboveground used oil tanks, causing large volumes of used oils and smaller volumes of waste paints to flow across the site, into wetlands bordering the site and Force Lake.

* 1980 - the facility was rebuilt and a new tank farm was constructed.

In July and August 2000, consultants for EPA conducted a Preliminary Assessment/Site Inspection at the facility. Using historical documentation, sampling, and analytical results, the PA/SI documented the presence of several hazardous substances on-site including volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Waste oil storage tanks and contaminated soil were identified as two primary sources of contamination.

*2007- Negotiated two AOC's to investigate the site and a large holding tank.

* 2008-2009 Conducted two phases of sampling for the remedial investigation. Prepared the Draft Human Health and Draft Ecological Risk Assessments.

Present day operations: Used oil recovery and recycling, biofuels production.

Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through federal and potentially responsible parties' actions.

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	09/05/2002
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	09/29/2003
Deleted Date:

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected: Soil, sediments and shallow groundwater are contaminated with metals, PCBs, pesticides, and oil.



Cleanup Progress

EPA negotiated a Settlement Agreement and Administrative Order on Consent with a group of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) in May 2007 to conduct a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) for the site. EPA negotiated a Settlement Agreement Administrative Order on Consent with the current operator to characterize a 300,000 gallon tank to determine its contents. Tank 23 was sampled and determined to be non-hazardous per RCRA. The contents were removed and recycled as used oil per Oregon regulations and the tank was cleaned. The operator satisfied all the requirements of the AOC. The PRP's conducting the RI have completed two phases of sampling and EPA is currently reviewing the Draft Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments. EPA provided a Technical Assistance Grant to the Harbor Oil Community Action Group and Cooperative Agreement Grants to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribe for technical oversight of the Site.


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