Boeing to study Kent facility for possible cleanup under proposed state Ecology order

Published 1:08 pm Friday, November 20, 2015

The Boeing Co. would investigate potential contaminated soil and groundwater at its Kent Space Center under a proposed agreed order with the state Department of Ecology.

Ecology, which announced the proposed legal agreement with Boeing in a Friday media release, seeks public comment about the order, issued under the state’s cleanup law, through Dec. 28.

The order requires Boeing to investigate the soil, groundwater, and sediment in the storm drain system at and around its facility. The investigation is to determine the type and extent of hazardous waste contamination. The findings will be used in a report called a remedial investigation (RI).

The 123-acre Space Center, 20403 68th Ave. S., was developed in the 1960s. Boeing has conducted aerospace-related activities there, which involve the use and handling of various dangerous chemicals and wastes, including volatile organic compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons and metals. Boeing conducted four cleanups from 1999 to 2013 under Ecology’s Voluntary Cleanup Program in response to specific releases.

The investigation will examine eight locations where pollution may be present:

• Six locations in various parts of the site where eight former underground storage tanks were located.

• An area in a building that housed a milling machine.

• The site’s stormwater drainage system.

Site investigations are the first phase in the cleanup process, according to the release. The data gathered will be used in two later steps, if necessary: proposing and evaluating cleanup alternatives, then developing a cleanup action. All parts of the process will be made available for public review and comment.

The investigation would be part of a process under which Boeing seeks to remove the facility from coverage under the federal dangerous waste management law. Because the site once contained a dangerous waste storage facility, the investigation also serves as part of a corrective action under the federal law, which Ecology administers in Washington.

Ecology also reviewed the proposed investigation under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Ecology has issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS), having found that there would be no harmful environmental impact. The DNS and its accompanying SEPA checklist are up for public review.

The proposed agreed order and all related documents and materials are available at Ecology’s website; the Kent branch of the King County Library, 212 Second Ave. N.; and at Ecology’s Northwest Regional Office, 3190 160th Ave. SE, Bellevue, by appointment: 425-649-7190.

Comments should be sent to Byung Maeng, site manager, Department of Ecology, 3190 160th Ave. SE, Bellevue WA 98008-5452 or email Byung.Maeng@ecy.wa.gov.

A public meeting or hearing is not scheduled for this comment period. If enough people are interested, Ecology may host a meeting. To request a public meeting, contact Maeng, Ecology’s site manager.