OSWER/OSRTI

Washington, DC 20460

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) 

***Proposed Site*** March 2015 

GRAIN HANDLING FACILITY Freeman, Washington

AT FREEMAN Spokane County

 Site Location:

The Grain Handling Facility at Freeman is located in the town of Freeman, WA, approximately 20 miles southwest of 

Spokane, between State Highway 27, and an active Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) railway line that roughly parallels the 

highway. UPRR currently owns the property. 

 Site History:

The seasonally active grain handling facility is equipped with silos, a grain elevator, and a subterranean receiving pit. 

Rockford Grain Growers was the original operator of the facility which was constructed in 1955. CHS/Primeland purchased 

the grain handling facility from Rockford Grain Growers in 1993. Given the widespread use of carbon tetrachloride as a 

fumigant in grain operations beginning in 1911 and continuing until 1986, coupled with the age of the facility, it is very 

likely that carbon tetrachloride was used in the silos at this location. Carbon tetrachloride was found in soils outside of the 

silos.

 Site Contamination/Contaminants:

Contaminants found in soil samples collected at the grain handling facility property include carbon tetrachloride and 

chloroform. Contaminants found in ground water samples collected from the nearby Freeman School primary drinking 

water supply well located downgradient of the grain handling facility property include carbon tetrachloride and chloroform 

at concentrations above the Safe Drinking Water Act’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for carbon tetrachloride and 

chloroform. 

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: 

The Freeman School includes 900 students (pre-K through Grade 12), teachers, and workers. Carbon tetrachloride and 

chloroform has exceeded MCLs in the school well for several years. The school used its own funds to install a water 

treatment system. Sources and extent of the ground water contamination must be further evaluated. Funding is not secure 

for continued maintenance of the treatment system.

 Response Activities (to date):

No response actions have taken place. 

 Need for NPL Listing:

The state of Washington Department of Ecology and Washington State Department of Health referred the site to the EPA 

because they want the EPA to help investigate and address ground water contamination that is contaminating Freeman 

School’s primary and only drinking water supply well. Other parties that petitioned the EPA to investigate and address the 

contamination are the Stevens County Regional Health District and the Freeman School District. The EPA received a letter 

of support from the state for listing the site on the NPL. 

[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change 

as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent FR notices.]

For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these 

substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet 

at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.