Upper Columbia River Superfund Site

EPA adds Upper Columbia River site to Superfund National Priorities List

On December 13, 2024, EPA added the Upper Columbia River site to the Superfund National Priorities List. Information about EPA's decision to list the site is available below.

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News and announcements

Upper Columbia River site added to Superfund list

On December 13, 2024, the Federal Register published a notice including the Upper Columbia River site on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).

Listing the site on the NPL will help EPA secure comprehensive and timely cleanup of the river and adjoining uplands, and provide access to critical federal funding. 

Information explaining the basis for EPA's decision and public comments received during the proposed listing process are available in the public docket on Regulations.gov.

Additional information about the NPL listing, including the NPL Site Narrative and Support Document, is available on EPA's website at Current NPL Updates: New Proposed NPL Sites and New NPL Sites.

EPA removes lead-contaminated soil at nine properties near Northport

In October 2024, EPA completed cleanup of lead-contaminated soil on nine residential properties in and around Northport, Washington.

To conduct the cleanup, EPA used $2.8 million in Superfund tax funds earmarked by the Biden Administration for projects to protect young children and women of childbearing age from exposure to high levels of lead contamination in soils on residential properties.

See EPA's press release (November 1, 2024) for additional information about the cleanup.

Video presentations from July community meeting

Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in the July 17, 2024, community meeting in Northport. Videos of the slides and presentations shared at the meeting are now available on EPA's YouTube channel:

Digital copies of the posters shared at the meeting are available upon request by contacting Kristin Ching ([email protected]), 206-900-4344.

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study

Bossburg Flat area of upper Columbia River in Washington, looking north.

Summary

EPA continues to investigate the size and scope of contamination in the Upper Columbia River and affected upland areas. The current study area covers approximately 150 miles of the Columbia River, from the Grand Coulee Dam to the U.S.-Canada border, and contaminated adjacent uplands.

The Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study are underway as part of the 2006 Settlement Agreement between Teck Cominco Metals Ltd., Teck Cominco American Incorporated (together referred to as “Teck”), the U. S. Department of Justice, and EPA.

The Remedial Investigation establishes the nature and extent of contamination and includes findings from human health and ecological risk assessments.

The Feasibility Study develops, screens, and evaluates cleanup actions to address risks identified in the river, lakes, or uplands.

The Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study are funded by Teck through the current settlement agreement. There is currently no settlement agreement for funding of the cleanup.

Human Health Risk Assessment

The Human Health Risk Assessment was completed in 2021. Lead in residential soil is the primary concern for people’s health and the environment. We found that upland soils contain lead in concentrations that pose potential risks to residents in some areas.

Public beaches and the river are safe for recreation, except for Bossburg Beach.

You can read EPA's full report:

We also hosted public webinars on June 10 and July 15, 2020, to discuss to results of the assessment. You can watch a recording of EPA's presentation (YouTube).

Ecological Risk Assessments

In addition to the Human Health Risk Assessment, two Baseline Ecological Risk Assessments are also underway.

Upland Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment

The Upland Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment evaluates risks to plants and wildlife exposed to contaminants such as zinc, cadmium, and lead in upland areas above the river.

Preliminary findings indicate that cadmium, lead, and zinc present the greatest and most widespread risk to plants, invertebrates, mammals, and birds exposed to soil in the upland area. Most impacted areas are remote and relatively steep.

Teck submitted a dispute on January 19, 2024. EPA and Teck are currently discussing Teck's concerns on the document.

You can read EPA's full report:

Aquatic Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment

The Aquatic Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment, currently under review, will evaluate risk to plants, wildlife, fish, and other organisms in and along the river from contaminants such as zinc, copper, cadmium, mercury, and lead found in sediment and slag.

Comprehensive surface water sampling was completed by Teck throughout the Upper Columbia River area, including areas where irrigation water is drawn from the river, to assess concentrations of metals during various river conditions. All water samples were below human health and ecological surface water screening levels.

Residential cleanups

EPA completed several rounds of cleanups on properties with the greatest contamination and potential risk to people’s health.

  • In 2022, EPA completed soil cleanups at 15 residential properties in Northport, with assistance from the Washington Department of Ecology.
  • To date, EPA has cleaned up 59 residential and common use properties in Northport, and Teck has cleaned up 18 additional properties and one tribal allotment.
  • EPA has prioritized cleanups on residential properties that pose the greatest risk and anticipates that more than 150 residential properties could be eligible for cleanup in the future.

How to protect you and your family from lead contamination

There are simple, healthy actions that you and your family can do to decrease contact with arsenic, lead, or other harmful chemicals that may be in dirt. The Washington Department of Ecology's Dirt Alert program provides information on how you can protect yourself and your family.

Site background

Historic discharges of wastes and emissions from smelter operations have contaminated portions of the Upper Columbia River. Decades of smelter processes and facility operations have caused releases of hazardous substances, granulated slag, liquid effluents, emissions, and accidental spills in and around the river.

The primary facility known to have contributed to hazardous substance contamination to the Upper Columbia River is the Teck Metals Ltd. (Teck) facility located in Trail, British Columbia, Canada, on the Columbia River, approximately 10 river miles upstream of the international boundary. The former Le Roi smelter located on the Columbia River in Northport, Washington, also contributed to hazardous substance contamination.

Residential properties where soil is contaminated with lead and arsenic may pose a health risk to current and future residents, especially young children and pregnant mothers. Health risks may result from direct contact with contaminated soil or incidental ingestion of soil from yards, gardens, and play areas.

High levels of zinc, cadmium, and lead contamination found in upland soils are a threat to invertebrates, small birds, and mammals. River sediments and riverbanks are contaminated with levels of slag and metals including lead, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, chromium, copper, and mercury that exceed Washington State Freshwater Sediment Management Standards.

In August 1999, the Colville Confederated Tribes petitioned EPA to conduct an assessment of environmental contamination in the Upper Columbia River. The petition expressed concerns about risks to people’s health and the environment from contamination in the river.

In 2001, EPA collected samples of river sediment to learn more about the types and amounts of pollution that exists. The results showed that contamination is present in the lake and river sediments, and that a more detailed investigation is needed to evaluate possible risks to human health and the environment.

In 2006, Teck American, Inc. signed an agreement with EPA to pay for a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study. The current study area covers approximately 150 miles of the Columbia River, from the Grand Coulee Dam to the U.S.-Canada border, and contaminated adjacent uplands.

Documents

Many site documents are available online, including technical reports, legal documents, and fact sheets:

  • Reports and Documents
  • Administrative Records (What is an Administrative RecordA compilation of documents supporting an administrative action; under Superfund, administrative actions often compel Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) to undertake or pay for hazardous waste site cleanups.?)

Some documents are also available on Teck American's Upper Columbia River Project website.

Community information repositories

Information about this project is also available at the following locations throughout the project area, including access to technical documents, fact sheets, and other site information. Before you visit, please call ahead for business hours.

  • Northport: Northport Town Hall, 315 Summit St., 509-732-4450.
  • Northport: Northport Public Library, 521 Center Ave, 509-732-8928.
  • Colville: Colville Public Library, 195 S. Oak Street, 509-684-6620.
  • Inchelium: Inchelium CCT Library and Resource Center, 12 Community Loop Road, 509-634-2791.
  • Nespelem: Colville Confederated Tribes Office of Environmental Trust, 21 Colville Street, 509-634-2413.
  • Grand Coulee: Grand Coulee Public Library, 225 Federal Street, 509-633-0972.
  • Wellpinit: Spokane Tribe Department of Natural Resources, 6290 D Ford-Wellpinit Road, 509-626-4400.
  • Spokane: Spokane Public Library, 906 W. Main, 509-444-5300.

Community technical assistance

EPA’s national Technical Assistance Services for Communities program provides independent assistance through an EPA contract to help communities better understand the science, regulations and policies of environmental issues and EPA actions. Under the program, a contractor provides scientists, engineers and other professionals to review and explain information to communities. This assistance supports community efforts to get more involved and work productively with EPA to address environmental issues.

EPA has awarded Citizens for a Clean Columbia with a technical assistance contract funded by Teck American to participate in the RI/FS process. For more information, visit Citizens for a Clean Columbia.

Learn more about EPA's Technical Assistance Services for Communities Program

Contacts

For site contacts at the Washington Department of Ecology, visit Ecology's Upper Columbia River/Lake Roosevelt website.

To join our mailing list for this site, contact Kristin Ching ([email protected]). Please indicate whether you'd like to receive information by email or printed version by mail (if by mail, please provide your mailing address).

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Last updated on January 15, 2025