Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
UPRR Tie Treating Plant - The Dalles
Summary Information
(last updated on: 6/14/2021 11:10:36 AM)
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is overseeing cleanup of historical contamination from past industrial operations at the Union Pacific Railroad Tie Treating Plant Site in The Dalles. Environmental regulations enacted in the 1970s have required the facility to change its operations to ensure the environment is protected. These laws prevent the facility from discharging chemicals onto the ground or into waterways. They also require past operators to clean up contamination from past industrial activities. Cleanup actions at the site since the 1990s include removing contaminated soil, installing a protective cap at Riverfront Park, installing and maintaining a groundwater treatment system, and monitoring contamination to ensure it remains contained to the site. Contamination at this site does not pose a health risk to people or the environment as long as the existing protective systems remain in place.
The railroad tie treatment facility has operated in The Dalles under various owners since 1922. The facility treats wooden railroad ties and other products with chemical compounds to make them weather and insect resistant. The original cleanup site included the tie plant property and areas of Riverfront Park and the Columbia River shoreline north of the plant. Cleanup at the park and river shoreline was completed in 1995. Cleanup at the plant property is ongoing. UPRR’s corporate predecessor owned and operated the plant from 1922 to 1927. UPRR used two different companies to operate the plant from 1927 to 1987. Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation purchased the plant in 1987 and continued wood treating operations through 2004. AmeriTies acquired the plant in 2005 and currently operates the plant. UPRR still owns the plant property and is responsible for the environmental investigations and cleanup.
DEQ began investigations of the site in 1984. Creosote components, pentachlorophenol, fuel oil, ammonia, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and arsenic from historic operations were found in soil and groundwater near the plant. Contamination was also found in soil and sediment in Riverfront Park and along the shoreline of the Columbia River; the offsite contamination at the park and river was cleaned up in the 1990s.
DEQ required UPRR to investigate the nature and extent of contamination at the site in 1989. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the site on the National Priorities List, which is also known as Superfund, in 1990. DEQ remains the lead agency for overseeing the investigation and cleanup of the site. Under an agreement with DEQ, UPRR is responsible for paying all cleanup and investigation costs.
DEQ issued a cleanup plan, known officially as a Record of Decision, for the site in 1996. The plan involves removal and capping of soil and sediment, extraction and treatment of contaminated groundwater, recovery of creosote from the groundwater, and preventing the migration of existing contamination. Approximately 127,253 gallons of creosote oil have been recovered from groundwater under the site through June 2018. Recovery and monitoring at the site will continue indefinitely.
DEQ and UPRR are currently evaluating the operation of the treatment systems. Currently the recovery system is operating as designed and is effective in meeting the remedial action objectives.
General Site Information
Site:
UPRR Tie Treating Plant - The Dalles (ECSI Site ID: 54)
CERCLIS (EPA) Id
009049412
Project Manager:
David Anderson
Investigative Status:
Listed on the Confirmed Release List or Inventory
PM Phone:
(541) 633-2012
NPL
(National Priority Listing):
Yes
Address:
Tie Plant Rd.
Is this site an Orphan?
No
The Dalles
,
97058
Is this site a brownfield?
No
County:
WASCO
Action Underway or Needed:
REMEDIAL ACTION
Region:
Eastern Region
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Site Documents
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File Name
Category
File Size MB
Document Date
Upload Date
0054-ODEQ-letter-07-09-1996.pdf
Correspondence
0.1328
7/9/1996
4/19/2017
54-UPRR-TD-UPRR-Amerities-EES-addendum-AppE-6-19-2006.pdf
E&ES documents
0.7232
6/19/2006
12/10/2019
54-UPRR-TD-UPRR-KMCC-EES-AppE-2-20-1997.pdf
E&ES documents
1.2151
2/20/1997
12/10/2019
54-UPRR-TD-UPRR-Port-IC-agreement-Riverfront-Park-AttC-10-4-1996.pdf
E&ES documents
0.5494
10/4/1996
12/10/2019
54-UPRR-TD-UPRR-Port-Parks-land-transfer-agreement-AppD-12-13-2000.pdf
E&ES documents
17.2626
12/13/2000
12/10/2019
54-UPRR-TD-UPRR-Port-Quit-claim-deed-AppB-9-13-1984.pdf
E&ES documents
0.6710
9/13/1984
12/10/2019
0054-UPRR-TD-Cleanup-FactSheet-2020.10.05.pdf
Fact Sheets
0.2946
10/5/2020
10/5/2020
0054-UPRR-TD-Cleanup-FINAL-Memo-Mod2-3-Unit2-ShutDown-5-20-2021.pdf
Memos
1.7969
5/20/2021
6/14/2021
0054-UPRR-TD-Unit-Shutdown-DEQ-Memo-6-11-2021.pdf
Memos
0.1939
5/25/2021
6/14/2021
0054-UPRR-TD-Sediment-Cap-Memo-12-8-2020.pdf
Memos
4.3231
12/8/2020
6/14/2021
54-UPRR-TD-NPL-State-Lead-Letter-9-4-1991.pdf
Miscellaneous
0.0996
9/4/1991
3/29/2017
0054-Consent-Decree-01-31-1997.pdf
Orders/Consent Judgments
2.7804
1/31/1997
4/3/2018
0054-Consent-Decree-Mod-05-13-2002.pdf
Orders/Consent Judgments
0.3592
5/13/2002
4/3/2018
0054-Unconfined-GW-Zone-DNAPL-Conditions-Rpt-10-21-2016.pdf
Reports
4.6661
10/21/2016
2/23/2017
0054-Columbia-River-Shore-RI-10-00-1994.pdf
Reports
8.6096
10/1/1994
3/9/2017
0054-DNAPL-Recovery-Design-Basis-Report-06-00-1998.pdf
Reports
5.0551
6/1/1998
4/19/2017
0054-Sand-Hollow-I-Water-Bearing-Zone-Assess-11-00-1998.pdf
Reports
7.0469
11/1/1998
4/19/2017
0054-Soil-Remedial-Action-Plan-08-00-1998.pdf
Reports
4.9900
8/1/1998
4/19/2017
0054-alternate-endpoint-DNAPL-systems-memo-08-24-2010.pdf
Reports
1.5944
8/24/2010
4/20/2017
0054-Mod-1-endpoint-memo-06-04-2010.pdf
Reports
2.5225
6/4/2010
4/20/2017
0054-Mod-1-shut-down-DNAPL-alternate-endpoint-03-25-2010.pdf
Reports
0.9001
3/25/2010
4/20/2017
0054-Monitoring-Plan-Revisions-06-04-2013.pdf
Reports
1.5907
6/4/2013
4/20/2017
0054-Groundwater-Remedial-Action-Plan-July-1997.pdf
Reports
8.5441
7/1/1997
9/7/2017
0054_2013 The Dalles annual rpt (Oct. 2013).pdf
Reports
7.0647
11/1/2013
12/28/2017
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume3-July1993-Complete.pdf
Reports
10.3581
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume2a-July1993-Complete-PART1.pdf
Reports
19.3015
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume2a-July1993-Complete-PART2.pdf
Reports
14.9846
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume2b-July1993-Complete-PART1.pdf
Reports
15.6468
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume2b-July1993-Complete-PART2.pdf
Reports
15.6120
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume2b-July1993-Complete-PART3.pdf
Reports
17.7971
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume1-July-1993Complete-PART1.pdf
Reports
12.3911
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-FinalRemedialInvesitgationReport-Volume1-July-1993Complete-PART2.pdf
Reports
13.0584
7/1/1993
5/23/2018
0054-ATSDR-PreliminaryHealthAssessmeent-Report-12-09-1991.pdf
Reports
3.1934
12/9/1991
10/8/2018
0054_UPRR_NPDES Report_Q1_2021_20210423.pdf
Reports
1.5344
4/23/2021
5/4/2021
0054-UPRR-TD-Annual-2020-Progress-Report-9-1-2020.pdf
Reports
4.0463
9/1/2020
6/14/2021
0054-UPRR-TD-3rd-5yr-ROD-Review-2011.pdf
RODs/Staff Reports
1.9113
11/1/2011
5/5/2016
0054-first-5-Year-ROD-Review-Feb-2002.pdf
RODs/Staff Reports
4.6132
2/1/2002
9/7/2017
0054-Second-5-Year-ROD-Review-12-20-2007.pdf
RODs/Staff Reports
7.8922
12/20/2007
9/7/2017
0054-UPRR-TD-4th-5-year-ROD-Review-5-9-17.pdf
RODs/Staff Reports
11.0469
5/9/2017
12/28/2017
54-UPRR-Record-of-Decision-ROD-March-1996.pdf
RODs/Staff Reports
1.9005
3/1/1996
8/20/2019