McCormick and Baxter Superfund Cleanup Site

Environmental Cleanup Site Information Number (ECSI):   74
County:  Multnomah
City:  Portland
Region: Northwest  

Contact Information

Project Manager:  Scott Manzano
Phone: 503-229-6748
E-mail: 

Site Summary

The McCormick and Baxter site is located on the northeast shore of the Willamette River in north Portland. The site includes 41 acres of land and 23 acres of sediments beneath the Willamette River.

McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company operated between 1944 and 1991, treating wood products with creosote, pentachlorophenol, and inorganic (arsenic, copper, chromium, and zinc) preservative solutions. Historically, process wastewaters were discharged directly to the Willamette River, and other process wastes were dumped in several areas of the site. Significant concentrations of wood-treating chemicals have been found in soil and groundwater at the site and in river sediments adjacent to the site.

In March 1996, EPA and DEQ issued the Record of Decision for the site to address contaminated soil, groundwater, stormwater, and Willamette River sediment. The selected remedy required:

• Excavation and consolidation of the contaminated soils
• Soil capping
• Extraction of groundwater and nonaqueous phase liquids (also known as NAPL)
• Installation of a vertical subsurface barrier wall to contain mobile NAPL as a contingency
• Sediment capping
• Monitoring
• Institutional controls

In March 1998, EPA and DEQ issued an amendment to the Record of Decision to remove additional contaminated soils encountered during remedial design work for the soil cap.

In August 2002, EPA and DEQ further modified the remedial action approach by installing the contingency vertical barrier wall to contain mobile NAPL and effectively manage overall costs for the groundwater remedy. In 2002, a fully encompassing, impermeable subsurface barrier wall was constructed.

In September 2005, DEQ and EPA issued a preliminary close-out report to document the completion of construction of all remedial action required by the Record of Decision, the Record of Decision amendment, and other changes.

Current Documents and Supporting Information

Regulatory information and reports

Find regulatory background information in the following documents at:

• EPA McCormick and Baxter Web page

• Record of Decision, McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Portland Plant, Portland, Oregon, EPA and DEQ, March 1996
• Amended Record of Decision, McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Portland Plant, Portland, Oregon, EPA and DEQ, March 1998
• First Five-Year Review Report, McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Superfund Site, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, September 2001
• Explanation of Significant Difference (OU3 – Final Groundwater), McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Superfund Site, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, EPA and DEQ, August 2002
• Preliminary Close-Out Report, McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Superfund Site, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, EPA, September 2005
• Second Five-Year Review Report, McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Superfund Site, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, September 2006
• Third Five-Year Review Report, McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company Superfund Site, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, September 2011

Technical reports

Find post-remedy construction monitoring and maintenance information in the following documents at:

• EPA McCormick and Baxter Web page

• Operation and Maintenance Report, McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, January 2010 to December 2010
• Operation and Maintenance Report, McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, January 2009 to December 2009
• Operation and Maintenance Report, McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, January 2008 to December 2008
• Operation and Maintenance Report, McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, January 2007 to December 2007 (part 1)
• Operation and Maintenance Report, McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, January 2010 to December 2007 (part 2)

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