DEQ SITE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM - STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION
Site Name:
Site CERCLIS Number:
DEQ ECSI Number:
Site Address:

Diversified Marine, Inc. (none) 3759 1801 N Marine Drive Portland, OR 97217

Recommendation By:

Steve Fortuna, Site Assessment Section, DEQ Northwest Region

Approved By:

Sally Puent, Northwest Region Manager for Solid Waste and Site Assessment Sections

Date:

July 3, 2003

Background and History

The subject site is an approximate 0.8 acre parcel in North Portland, on the south shore of North Portland Harbor, about 500 feet west of the Interstate Highway 5 (I-5) bridge over North Portland Harbor (see Figures 1 and 2). Diversified Marine, Inc., has conducted tug boat and barge building, repair, sandblasting, painting, machine shop, bilge removal, and boat and equipment refueling activities at the site under various names since at least 1990¹. Work is performed inside of an onshore building, on vessels moored in the river along the site, and in a 200-ton floating dry dock at the site.

The site first came to the attention of Site Assessment in January 2003 during an evaluation of the adjoining Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site (ECSI #3526; see Figure 3). Between 1991 and 2002, DEQ received a series of Pollution Complaints alleging that boat building and repair activities at the neighboring Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site were releasing petroleum, solvents, fiberglass dust, and paint wastes, that might threatened water quality in North Portland Harbor (the Columbia River). Several of the reported releases were verified through DEQ follow-up inspections although no source could be located for some of the

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Diversified Marine, Inc., (Kurt Redd, corporate president) was formed in 1986. It merged with Diversified Mechanical, Inc., (formed in 1992; same corporate president) in 1992. In 1999, Diversified Marine, Inc., changed its name to Portmarco, Inc. (same corporate president). A separate Diversified Marine, Inc., (same corporate president) was formed later the same year. Portmarco and Diversified Marine both operate at the same site, although the site is owned by Whitecap Cove, Inc. (formed in 1998; same corporate president).

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petroleum sheens observed on the river in the immediate vicinity of the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site.

An examination of information in DEQ’s Pollution Complaint and Spill Reporting files suggested that past boat building and repair activities at the Diversified Marine facility might also have threatened surface water quality and sediment quality in North Portland Harbor (see Table 1).

Location

The Diversified Marine site is bounded on the north by North Portland Harbor (also called Oregon Slough; a channel of the Columbia River located south of Hayden Island), and on the east by the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site. Hayden Island lies about 1,000 feet north of the site. The Interstate Highway 5 bridge over North Portland Harbor is located about 500 feet east of the site (see Figures 1, 2 & 3). North Marine Drive and North Pier 99 Street are located along the site’s southern boundary. A paved parking lot for the Multnomah County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center lies directly across North Marine Drive, 100-300 feet south and southwest of the site (see Figure 3).

Pollution Complaint History

Between 1990 and 2001, DEQ received nine Pollution Complaints and six Spill Reports associated with potential hazardous substance releases at the Diversified Marine facility, or petroleum sheens present on the river directly adjacent to the facility (see Table 1). Five of the Pollution Complaints and one of the Spill Reports involved fugitive dust emissions associated with sandblasting operations at the site. There is concern that sandblasting of boat hulls at the site could have released paint chips and toxic metals at concentrations that could represent a direct threat to the river’s aquatic life, or otherwise accumulated in the river’s sediments.

Two other Spill Reports and another Pollution Complaint involved petroleum sheens of unknown origin on North Portland Harbor adjacent to the site. One additional 1998 Spill Report and simultaneous Pollution Complaint were associated with a petroleum release at the site that drained across N Marine Drive onto state highway property located 200 yards from the site. DEQ records indicate that Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) responded to the release, although there is no further information in DEQ files regarding the material’s identity, its source, or the nature and extent of cleanup required.

Since Diversified Marine site activities include machine shop activities, bilge removal, and boat and equipment refueling activities, it may not be unreasonable to suspect that some of the petroleum contamination observed in the river channel could have originated from on-site activities. Such releases could represent a direct threat to the river’s aquatic life, or otherwise have accumulated in river sediments.

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Hazardous Waste Generator Activities

Although Diversified Marine builds, repairs, sandblasts and paints tugs and barges at the site, and conducts on-site machine shop operations, the company did not report hazardous waste generator activities to DEQ until November 2002. At that time, the company became a one-time generator of 4.7 tons of lead-contaminated rust and scale which had been sandblasted from a ship’s hold. In April 2003, the company registered with DEQ as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator (CEG). CEGs generate 2.2 pounds or less of acute hazardous wastes, or 220 pounds or less of hazardous waste, or hazardous substance containing spill debris, in one month, and accumulate no more than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste on-site in any given month.

In its most recent report to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Diversified Marine indicated that welding gases (acetylene, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide) are the only hazardous substances stored at their site. Facilities having reportable quantities of hazardous substances on-site at any time must notify the State Fire Marshal under the “Community Right to Know Regulatory Program” (ORS 453.307 - 453.414). Under this program, the reportable quantity for liquid hazardous substances (including paints, oils, petroleum-based fuels, or solvents) is 50 gallons, or more; for solid hazardous substances (such as lime, caustic soda, lead, or other toxic metals), it is 500 pounds, or more; for gaseous hazardous substances (such as acetylene, propane, or oxygen) the reportable quantity or 200 cubic feet, or more².

Enforcement Actions

DEQ issued Diversified Marine a Notice of Noncompliance (NON) for an unpermitted discharge to the Columbia River of wastewater used to control sandblasting dust, after a July 1993 Pollution Complaint inspection (Complaint NWR-1993-1201; see Table 1).

The City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Affairs issued Diversified Marine two Notifications of Violation (NOVs) in March and April 2001, for failing to obtain an industrial storm water control permit for their facility. The following July, DEQ issued the company a NON for failing to apply for the storm water discharge permit.

Diversified obtained a storm water discharge permit from DEQ in December 2001, but failed to subsequently submit an associated Storm Water Pollution Control Plan (SWPCP) to DEQ, so in June 20, 2002, DEQ issued Diversified Marine an NOV, and assessed a Civil Penalty, for failure to submit the required SWPCP.

Storm Water Monitoring Data

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For poisons or explosives, the reportable quantities are 5 gallons for liquids, 10 pounds for solids, and 20 cubic feet for gases.

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Diversified Marine has sampled and analyzed its storm water runoff twice since obtaining its storm water discharge permit. Although contaminant concentrations were within DEQ storm water benchmark values, both samples contained copper and zinc concentrations that slightly exceeded DEQ freshwater Water Quality Criteria, National Recommended Surface Water Quality Criteria, and DEQ Level II Ecological Risk Assessment Screening Benchmark Values for freshwater aquatic life (see Table 2).

Storm Water Discharge Permit holders must “strive to meet” storm water discharge benchmark values, but need only update their SWPAP when benchmark values are exceeded. While the concentrations of copper and zinc detected in Diversified Marine’s storm water runoff are well within the respective benchmark values, they exceed those most commonly encountered in DEQ Northwest Region industrial storm water runoff. These test data suggest that soils at the Diversified Marine site are likely contaminated with metals, and that metals in site storm water runoff could accumulate in the river sediments and represent a risk to aquatic life in North Portland Harbor.

Site Contaminants of Concern

Diversified Marine’s record of Pollution Complaints and Spill Reports suggests that on-site activities could have contaminated site soils and nearby Columbia River sediments with any of a variety of boat building, maintenance, and repair related contaminants, including toxic metals and paint chips containing toxic metals such as copper oxide, organotins, lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and zinc; petroleum constituents such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); and other potential organic contaminants such as, phthalates, pentachlorophenol, chlorinated solvents, and possibly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Contaminant Exposure Pathways

The site is located in a narrow, isolated strip of industrial properties on the south bank of North Portland Harbor, along North Marine Drive. The entire site lies within the Columbia River 100- year flood zone (see Figure 4). The Columbia Slough lies about 1 mile south of the site. The area between North Portland Harbor on the north, I-5 on the east, Columbia Slough on the south, and a Burlington Northern – Santa Fe Railroad right-of-way on the west comprises Peninsula Drainage District No. 1. Most of the drainage district is publicly owned wetlands (see Figures 2, 5, and 7).

The nearest residence (1531/1601 N Marine Drive) evidently shares the same tax lot as the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site (see Figure 3). Other residences are located across I-5, about 0.3 mile east-southeast of the site, and across North Portland Harbor, about 0.4 mile northeast and 0.5 mile north-northwest of the site (see Figure 2). North Portland Harbor and I-5 should limit most potential residential exposures, except for potential exposures to residents at the adjoining Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site.

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Several nearby public facilities draw substantial numbers of people to the area. The Multnomah County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center lie southwest of the site, directly across North Marine Drive (see Figures 2 and 6). East Delta Park, a municipal park, lies about 0.25 mile south-southeast of the site, across I- 5. The Portland International Raceway lies about 0.5 mile southsouthwest of the site, between the fairgrounds and Columbia Slough. Heron Lakes Golf Club (a municipal golf course) lies about 0.25 mile southwest of the site, also between the fairgrounds and Columbia Slough. In addition, Jantzen Beach Supercenter shopping center lies directly across North Portland Harbor from the site.

In August 2001, Metro, the directly-elected regional governing body for the three-county Portland metropolitan area, hired a consultant to advance five pushprobe soil borings 100 to 200 feet south of the site. These borings encountered groundwater at 7 to 16 feet below ground surface (bgs), suggesting that any potential contaminants at the Diversified Marine site could represent a threat to nearby drinking water wells, and that potential shallow groundwater contamination could represent a threat to aquatic life in North Portland Harbor.

City records indicate that the site is serviced by the Portland Municipal Water Supply. The city obtains its primary water supply from Bull Run Reservoir about 40 miles east of the site, on the western slope of Mount Hood. The city also has supplemental supply wells along the Columbia River south shore, 6 to 11 miles east of the site, as well as four supplemental supply wells on Hayden Island. Two of the Hayden Island wells lie about 1,200 feet north of the site, directly across North Portland Harbor (see Figures 5 and 6). The nearest Municipal Water Supply wells lie across North Portland Harbor, a 1,000 foot wide, 20 to 30 foot deep branch of the Columbia River, and may be about 225 to 250 feet deep³, so it remains unclear if site contaminants could represent a significant threat to the city drinking water supply. Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) also has records of a recent Water Rights application for a Municipal Water Supply well located about 0.75 mile south of the site.

OWRD also has records for three community or group-domestic wells, one Public Water Supply well, and five domestic wells within 1.25 mile of the site (see Figure 5). The nearest is a 261 foot well installed at Kernan Village in 1958 to supply drinking water for a

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Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) has Water Rights records for two municipal wells near the north base of the I-5 bridge, and Water Rights and well logs for two domestic/industrial wells that were constructed near the interstate bridge for Hayden Island Amusement Company in 1941-43, as well as a decommissioning log for a 239 foot deep Portland Water Bureau well near the base of the I-5 bridge. The Hayden Island Amusement Company wells were 232- and 250 feet deep when constructed. No well logs could be located for wells that may have been constructed for the city, but it seems likely that the city wells would have similar depths. It is unclear if the city may have simply acquired the Hayden Island Amusement Company wells for use as municipal supply wells. Hayden Island Amusement Company formerly operated at the current location of the Jantzen Beach Supercenter. Historic Sanborn Fire Insurance maps depict two wells on the Hayden Island Amusement Company site which do not appear to coincide with locations of the current municipal wells.

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store, service station, apartment building, and trailer park. The well is believed to be located about 600- to 900 feet southsouthwest of the site⁴.

Kernan Village no longer exists; its well may now be located either within the current I-5/North Marine Drive cloverleaf interchange, or within the county fairgrounds’ paved parking area. It seems unlikely that the well is still being used or even still exists, although OWRD has no record to indicate that the well was formally decommissioned. It should be assumed that the well is either still in use or still functional, until it can be demonstrated that it was properly decommissioned or destroyed.

Wetlands areas directly south of the site (see Figures 5 and 7) attract populations of sensitive wildlife species to the area. Metro has designated much of Peninsula Drainage District No. 1 as important wetlands or wildlife Habitats of Concern, or regionally significant riparian corridors (see Figures 8 and 9). Migratory waterfowl and songbirds have been observed within the drainage district, as well as a variety of other sensitive wildlife species (see Figure 10):

Listing

• Locally Observed Sensitive Wildlife Species Listing Status
• Authority

• State
• Peregrine Falcon
• Endangered

• Bald Eagle
• Threatened
• Federal

Federal Federal Federal Federal Federal Federal State
Oregon Spotted Frog Pacific Western Big-Eared Bat Tri-Colored Blackbird Band-Tailed Pigeon Western Meadow Lark Western Pond Turtle Willow Flycatcher
Candidate Species of Concern Species of Concern Species of Concern Species of Concern Species of Concern Vulnerable Species

A major heronry is also located about 1 mile west of the site. Plant species in Peninsula Drainage District No. 1 have apparently not been cataloged in detail. At least two local sensitive plant

species, Howellia (Howellia aquatilis) and Columbia cress (Rorippa

columbiae), are known to inhabit environments similar to those within the drainage district. Howellia is a federally-designated Threatened Species; Columbia cress is an Oregon Candidate species for Threatened and Endangered listing.

Site contaminants could represent a threat to sensitive wildlife and plant species within the drainage district.

North Portland Harbor is a branch of the Lower Columbia River. Aquatic species within the Columbia River are expected to be the primary receptors for site contaminants. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has designated the Lower Columbia River and areas 300 feet on either side of the river as Critical Habitat

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Based on OWRD Water Right diversion point mapping and a 1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance map.

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for Snake River spring and summer chinook salmon, Snake River fall chinook salmon, and Snake River sockeye salmon. The Diversified Marine site falls within this Critical Habitat area.

Along the Diversified Marine site, the Columbia River provides migratory and rearing habitat for 12 sensitive anadromous fish species.

Listing

• Lower Columbia River Anadromous Fish Species Listing Status
• Authority

Federal Federal Federal State

• Snake River Sockeye Salmon
• Endangered

Endangered Endangered Endangered
Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon Upper Columbia River Steelhead Trout Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon

• Snake River Spring and Summer Chinook Salmon Threatened
• Federal

Federal Federal Federal Federal Federal Federal
Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Snake River Steelhead Trout
Threatened Threatened Threatened Threatened Threatened Threatened
Columbia River Chum Salmon Middle Columbia River Steelhead Trout Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon Lower Columbia River Steelhead Trout Lower Columbia River Searun Cutthroat Trout Proposed Threatened Federal

DEQ has also included the Lower Columbia River on its 303d List of Water Quality Limited streams in part because of arsenic and PAH concentrations in its water column, and PCB concentrations in fish tissue. Oregon Health Division (OHD) has issued a Health Advisory cautioning the public to limit consumption of fish caught from this stretch of the river because of the fish tissue PCB contamination. PCB-contaminated fish may also be associated with reduced bald eagle reproduction noted in the Lower Columbia River basin. Potential on-site contamination could provide a sustained source for contamination in this stretch of the Columbia River.

Recommendation

Because of the site’s location within several Site Assessment Vulnerable Areas⁵, and indications of multiple likely historic hazardous substance releases, a high priority is assigned for conducting an Expanded Preliminary Assessment (XPA) of the Diversified Marine site. Site soils, groundwater, and nearby Columbia River sediments should be sampled for potential site contaminants of concern, such as toxic metals, VOCs, SVOCs, and PCBs, to determine if past activities may have significantly contaminated the site and surrounding environment. Before any meaningful sediment sampling can occur, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Oregon Division of State Lands dredging records should first be reviewed to determine if any prior river sediment maintenance dredging has occurred along the site.

Although DEQ has no laboratory data to indicate significant

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DEQ Site Assessment developed a Vulnerable Areas approach to site discovery and prioritization in 1998. Vulnerable Areas are critical geographic areas throughout the state that are especially vulnerable to hazardous substance releases, where such releases are reasonably likely and could cause, or have already caused, significant impacts to human health or the environment.

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concentrations of hazardous substances at the site, the site has an operational history that includes reports of multiple spills or allegations of improper handling of hazardous substances at the site. Because the site is located within multiple Vulnerable Areas, hazardous substance releases at the site could represent a special threat to human health and the environment.

There is insufficient information at this time to warrant proposing the site be added to DEQ’s Confirmed Release List (CRL).

Referrals Within or Outside DEQ

This site screening was conducted, in part, under a cooperative Site Assessment agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since records suggest that this site may be contaminated with hazardous substances at concentrations that could represent a threat to human health or the environment, DEQ has the option of referring the site to EPA for consideration under EPA’s CERCLA program.

Other

The site is currently listed on DEQ’s ECSI database; the database will be updated with information contained in this decision document, and to reflect Site Assessment’s decision for further action at the site. However, there is insufficient information to propose that the site be recommended for addition to DEQ’s Confirmed Release List (CRL) at this time.

Attachments

Table 1: Pollution Complaints and Spill Reports at, or near, the Diversified Marine site.

Table 2: Storm Water Quality at Diversified Marine.

Figure 1: Diversified Marine site location depicted on a USGS
7.5 minute topographic map of Portland.

Figure 2: Portland street map depicting locations of nearby residences and facilities that draw visitors to the vicinity of the site.

Figure 3: A 2000 air photo depicting the locations of businesses near the site.