Summary Information
(last updated on: 11/4/2009 2:44:05 PM)
[Feb. 2008] Dennis Beetham, owner of D.B. Western Inc., a company that owns and operates formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde manufacturing plants, illegally buried hazardous waste on his ranch in Powell Butte, Oregon. An emergency removal action, conducted under DEQ’s hazardous waste authority, removed thousands of tons of solid and hazardous waste in October and November 2007. This project has been referred to DEQ’s Cleanup Program to evaluate the residual risk to human health and the environment.
The Work Plan for Investigation of Remaining Areas of Concern was approved by DEQ on April 21, 2008. This work plan is posted on this website.
A work plan for installing water level measuring tubes in water supply wells near the Beetham ranch is posted on this website and was approved on May 28, 2008. This work will facilitate an estimation of groundwater flow direction.
Investigation activities on May 14, 2008 at the hay barn revealed low levels of formaldehyde contamination in shallow soil. Additional investigation in this area may be required pending interviews with ranch workers who reportedly cleaned tanks in this area.
DEQ has also requested additional investigation in the main cinder pit.
[8/25/08] The Voluntary Cleanup Agreement with DB Western was terminated by DEQ on August 25, 2008. DB Western failed to submit a work plan for further investigation in the main cinder pit and hay barn area.
DEQ tried to negotiate a Order on Consent with DB Western to complete the remedial investigation. DB Western declined to complete the necessary work and the site was referred to DEQ's Site Response section on October 1, 2008.
In late October 2008, DEQ requested EPA Removal program assistance to remove six roll-off boxes of formaldehyde contaminated soil and investigate additional areas of the site.
The site was declared an Orphan in January 2009 based on the DB Western's unwillingness to conduct the work.
EPA issued a unilateral administrative order for removal action on October 29, 2009 to D.B. Western and Dennis Beetham to complete the cleanup of hazardous wastes at the Beetham Ranch that began in 2007. This work is expected to start in December 2009.
| Site: |
Beetham Ranch (ECSI Site ID: 4902) |
CERCLIS (EPA) Id | |
| Project Manager: |
Marcy Kirk |
Investigative Status: | Listed on the Confirmed Release List or Inventory |
| PM Phone: |
(541) 633-2009
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NPL(National Priority Listing): | No |
| Address: |
1299 NW McDaniel Rd |
Is this site an Orphan? | Yes |
| Powell Butte,
97753 |
Is this site a brownfield? | No |
| County: |
CROOK |
Action Underway or Needed: |
REMOVAL |
| Region: |
Eastern Region |
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Super Sack of urea-formadehyde
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10/9/2007
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Excavating super sacks
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10/9/2007
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More excavation
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10/9/2007
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U122 federally listed hazardous waste in nineteen container vans awaiting transport to Arlington
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10/16/2007
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Excavation in para-formaldehyde pit
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10/12/2007
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Excavation of debris from a burn pit near the mare barn
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10/9/2007
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Cinder pit after excavations
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12/21/2007
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Formaldehyde storage tanks near mare barn
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12/18/2007
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