UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

REGION 10 


1200 Sixth Avenue. Suite 900 


Seattle wA 98101-3140 

 


OFF CE OF THE REGIONAL 

AD'.1 ~i STRATOR 

()EC 11 ZUl4 

The Honorable Jay Inslee 

Office of the Governor 

Post Office Box 40002 

Olympia, Washington 98504-0002 

Dear Governor Inslee: 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is considering proposing the Grain Handling 

Facility at Freeman site in March 2015 on the Superfund National Priorities List, pursuant to its 

authority under Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and 

Liability Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9605. The NPL contains a list of high priority sites with 

releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that require long-term remedial evaluation 

and response. It is EPA 's policy to determine the state's position on sites that the EPA is considering 

placing on the NPL. With this letter, the EPA is seeking the concurrence of the State of Washington on 

adding the Grain Handling Facility at Freeman site to the NPL. 

In April 2014, the EPA conducted a site assessment in response to requests by state, local, and Freeman 

School District authorities for an investigation of ground water contamination at the Freeman School. 

The contaminants of concern found in the School District's water supply well are carbon tetrachloride 

and chloroform. Monitoring of this well revealed the presence of carbon tetrachloride at concentrations 

exceeding the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act Maximum Contaminant Level on multiple occasions. This 

well is used as the sole source of potable water to the Freeman School Campus which contains a preschool, elementary, middle and high school. This well serves approximately 900 students, teachers, and 

workers. It is also used to irrigate the district's campus grounds and for fire protection. 

The Freeman School District's primary water supply well has been fitted with a water treatment system 

to remove carbon tetrachloride and chloroform contamination prior to distribution. Sampling conducted 

by the EPA identi tied a source of contamination: the grain handling facility situated between State 

Route 27 and a Union Pacific Railroad line in Freeman, Washington. The EPA site assessment 

confirmed the presence of carbon tetrachloride and chloroform contamination in subsurface soils on the 

grain handling facility property. Adding the Grain Handling Facility at Freeman site to the NPL will 

help guarantee a comprehensive enforceable agreement with the responsible party/parties and will be an 

important milestone in protecting human health and ground water resources. 

The EPA is requesting a written response to this letter from your office by December 30, 2014. The EPA 

has set this date to allow adequate time to meet the proposed rule schedule. The response letter should 

indicate whether the state supports placement of the site on the NPL. If the state does not support listing, 

the state should describe the alternative approach to placement on the NPL that will ensure the identified 

high priority site and associated release(s) will be addressed. 
We will continue to work closely with the state as the listing process proceeds. We appreciate your 

consideration ofthis matter. If additional information is needed, please call me at (206) 553-1234, or 

your staff may wish to contact Richard Albright, Director of Office of Environmental Cleanup at (206) 

553-1847. 

;;:rcr1i1+-­

Dennis J. McLerran 

Regional Administrator 

cc: Maia D. Bellon, Ecology 

Jim Pendowski, Ecology 

James Woolford, Director, Office ofSuperfund Remediation and Technology Innovation 

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