DEQ SITE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM - STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION

Site Name: Former Schooner Creek Boat Works

Site CERCLIS Number: (none)

DEQ ECSI Number: 3526

Site Address: 1610 N Pier 99 Street (formerly listed as 1523 N Marine Dr.) Portland, OR 97217-7801

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: January 24, 2003

Background and History

The subject site is an approximate 1-acre parcel in North Portland, along the western edge of the Interstate Highway 5 (I-5) bridge over North Portland Harbor (see Figures 1 and 2). Boat building, repair, and machine shop activities have occurred on- site since about 1937.

Schooner Creek Boat Works, a boat building and repair business, began operating at the site in 1989, but relocated its operations about 1.0 mile northwest, to the north shore of Hayden Island, in July 2000. However, it continued to lease the site through December 2001.

DEQ’s Northwest Region Hazardous Waste Program first referred the site to Site Assessment in April 2002 for investigation of a Pollution Complaint. Mermaid Marine had recently begun leasing the site, but became involved in an extensive cleanup of wastes and debris that Schooner Creek Boat Works allegedly left behind when they vacated the site.

Site Assessment did not initiate an active follow-up until after Schooner Creek Boat Works’ current operating site (Canoe Bay; ECSI #3333) was also referred to Site Assessment for similar contamination concerns.

Location

The site is bounded on the east by I-5, and on the north by North Portland Harbor (also called Slough). Hayden Island lies

1 about 1,000 feet north of the site. Diversified Marine, Inc., a barge and tug boat manufacturing and repair business, shares the site’s western property line (see Figure 3). North Pier 99 Street, I-5 on- and off-ramps (Exit 307), and North Marine Drive are located along the site’s southern boundary. The Multnomah County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center lie across North Marine Drive, about 275 feet southwest of the site.

Pollution Complaint History

Between September 1991 and June 1999, DEQ received four Pollution Complaints alleging that ongoing activities at the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site were contaminating the and nearby properties.

Two additional Pollution Complaints were received in April 2002, shortly after Schooner Creek Boat Works vacated the site.

Two other Pollution Complaints, received in May 1990 and March 1999, described oil sheens and petroleum odors from unknown sources on the Columbia River near the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works. Although the release characteristics were similar to those described in Pollution Complaints against the boat works site, there is no information to indicate that the source(s) of these petroleum releases were ever determined. A number of other potential sources are found in the immediate vicinity of the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site. Other boat works facilities are located on the south shore of North Portland Harbor immediately upstream and downstream from the site, while moorages, a boat refueling facility, and a boat repair facility are located on the north shore of North Portland Harbor, slightly upstream from the site.

May 1990 Pollution Complaint On May 22, 1990, DEQ received a Pollution Complaint (NWR-1990-1063) describing an oil sheen of unspecified origin on the Columbia River near 1441 North Marine Drive. Since this involved a release to a navigable water body, DEQ referred the complaint to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for resolution. DEQ files contain no specific information about a USCG follow-up.

September 1991 Pollution Complaint On September 11, 1991, DEQ received a Pollution Complaint (NWR-1991-2382) alleging that Schooner Creek Boat Works was improperly disposing of its waste chemicals. A Site Visit by a DEQ Hazardous Waste inspector found the company had improperly placed paint thinner wastes in a trash dumpster for disposal. DEQ advised the company to discontinue the practice. After a brief site inspection, the Hazardous Waste inspector concluded that the company most likely qualified as a Conditionally Exempt Hazardous Waste Generator.

Two October 1992 Pollution Complaints On October 6, 1992, DEQ received a Pollution Complaint (NWR-1992-2289) alleging that Schooner Creek Boat Works was pressure washing and stripping cuprous-oxide-containing paint from a boat hull directly into the Columbia River. As the result of its complaint investigation, DEQ issued Schooner Creek Boat Work a Notice of Non-Compliance (NON WQ-92-451; October 28, 1992) for discharging wastes to the river.

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DEQ received a subsequent Pollution Complaint (NWR-1992-2325) on October 12, 1992 alleging that primer paint and putty being sanded from the hull of another boat at the Schooner Creek Boat Moorage was being allowed to discharge directly to the river. In this instance, primer paint on the boat’s hull was claimed to contain no toxic products once the product was dry. DEQ issued Schooner Creek Boat Works its second Notice of Non-Compliance (NON WQ-92-442; October 20, 1992) in less than a month for discharging waste to the river.

Following these two complaints, Schooner Creek Boat Works relocated its hull-washing activities to a graveled area (gravel filter) along the site’s southern property line, about 100 feet from the river (see Figure 4). Because of the graveled area’s proximity to the river and to an apparent storm drain manhole1, as well as a shallow groundwater table at the site, there is concern that potential toxic paint wastes could still reach the river as contaminated groundwater or storm water runoff.

March 1999 Pollution Complaint On March 29, 1999, DEQ received a Pollution Complaint alleging a large petroleum sheen and very strong petroleum odor at an unspecified location on the Columbia River south of Hayden Island. A more-specific location was not provided. DEQ forwarded the complaint to the USCG for resolution, but again DEQ records contain no specific information about a USCG follow-up.

June 1999 Pollution Complaint A June 18, 1999 Pollution Complaint alleged that Schooner Creek Boat Works was spray-painting boat hulls outdoors without the aid of a spray booth. The company owner explained that it was the first time that year that boat hulls had been spray-painted outdoors, that the painting activities involved only a few boats, and that it would probably not happen again. DEQ initiated no enforcement action against the company for these activities.

April 2002 Pollution Complaints On April 9 and 12, 2002, DEQ received two Pollution Complaints from Mermaid Marine, a new lessee at the boat works site, alleging that the previous site operator (Schooner Creek Boat Works) had left behind sufficient wastes to hinder further use of the site. Fiberglass dust was alleged to cover much of the site; the river bank was alleged to be littered with painting debris and old hull paint wastes; crankcase oil from a site crane was alleged to have been drained directly to the river embankment. Oil-saturated soils along the embankment were alleged to be producing an active petroleum seep to the river; site sewage and storm water were alleged to drain directly to the river. The new site lessee claimed to already have removed 80 cubic yards of solid waste left by the previous operator. DEQ Northwest Region’s Hazardous Waste Section forwarded the complaints to Site Assessment for resolution.

Site Contaminants of Concern

Existing information suggests that site soils and nearby Columbia River sediments may be contaminated with copper oxide, paint thinner, and heavier petroleum constituents such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Considering the types of activities conducted at the site, and the length of time that these activities were conducted, other potential site contaminants are:

1 Figure 4 depicts a “City Storm Drain Man Hole” at the eastern end of the graveled area. Nearby city storm sewers discharge to North Portland Harbor along the site’s northern property line, although city utility diagrams show no manholes near the one depicted in Figure 4. It may be possible that the manhole is part of a private storm sewer, which would most likely also discharge directly to the river.

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• organotins (from ablative hull paints);

• other potential toxic metals, such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and zinc (from paint pigments);

• volatile organic contaminants (VOCs), such as alcohols, ketones, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) (from paint, lacquer, and resin thinners), and chlorinated solvents (from machine shop metal-cleaning activities);

• semi-volatile organic contaminants (SVOCs) such as phthalates (from paints and other coatings), possible pentachlorophenol (PCP)(from treated wood); and

• possibly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)(from old on-site and marine electrical equipment).

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 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 and 5). The entire site lies within the Columbia River’s 100-year flood zone, so flood waters could mobilized any surface contamination at the site. The nearest residence (1531/1601 N Marine Drive) evidently shares the same tax lot as the site (see Figures 3 and 4). Other upland 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. North Portland Harbor and I-5 should limit potential exposures for most upland residences, except for potential exposures at the on-site residence.

In addition to the upland residences, there are approximately 200 houseboats moored along the north shore of North Portland Harbor, within 0.5 mile of the site. Nearly 80 percent of these are located either directly across the harbor, or downstream from the boat works site. The nearest is located approximately 525 feet north of the downstream end of the boat works site (see Figure 3). It is unclear if site contaminants would significantly affect residents at the nearby houseboats.

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 Figure 2). East , 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 south-southwest of the

4 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 Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site. These borings encountered groundwater at 7-16 feet below ground surface (bgs), suggesting that any potential contaminants at the boat yard 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 on-site residence 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. However, the city also has supplemental supply wells along the Columbia River south shore, 6-11 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 Figure 5). The nearest Municipal Water Supply wells lie across North Portland Harbor, a 1,000-foot-wide, 20-30-foot deep channel of the Columbia River, and may be about 225-250 feet deep2, so it remains unclear if site contaminants represent a significant threat to the city drinking water supply. The 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 store, service station, apartment building, and trailer park. The well is believed to be located about 600-900 feet south-southwest of the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site3.

Kernan Village no longer exists; its well may now be located either within the current I-5/North Marine Drive cloverleaf

2 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 for Hayden Island Amusement Co. in 1941-43, as well as a decommissioning log for a 239 foot deep well near the base of the I-5 bridge. The Hayden Island Amusement Co. 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 Co. wells for use as municipal supply wells. Hayden Island Amusement Co. 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.

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

5 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. Until it can be demonstrated that the well was properly decommissioned or destroyed, it should be assumed as either still in use, or still functional.

Wetlands directly south of the site (Figure 6) attract populations of sensitive wildlife species to the area. Metro has designated much of Peninsula Drainage District #1 as important wetlands or wildlife Habitats of Concern, or regionally significant riparian corridors (Figures 7 and 8). Migratory waterfowl and songbirds have been observed within the drainage district, as well as a variety of other sensitive wildlife species4 (see Figure 9):

Listing Locally Observed Sensitive Wildlife Species Listing Status Authority Peregrine Falcon Endangered State Bald Eagle Threatened Federal Oregon Spotted Frog Candidate Federal Pacific Western Big-Eared Bat Species of Concern Federal Tri-Colored Blackbird Species of Concern Federal Band-Tailed Pigeon Species of Concern Federal Western Meadow Lark Species of Concern Federal Western Pond Turtle Species of Concern Federal Willow Flycatcher Vulnerable Species State

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

Along the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site, the Columbia River provides migratory and rearing habitat for twelve sensitive anadromous fish species.

4 Based on information within Portland Bureau of Planning’s natural resource management plans for Peninsula Drainage District No. 1 and Smith and Bybee Lakes, as well as information in the June 1994 Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for Columbia Slough’s sediment contamination.

6 Listing Lower Columbia River Anadromous Fish Species Listing Status Authority Snake River Sockeye Salmon Endangered Federal Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon Endangered Federal Upper Columbia River Steelhead Trout Endangered Federal Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon Endangered State Snake River Spring and Summer Chinook Salmon Threatened Federal Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Threatened Federal Snake River Steelhead Trout Threatened Federal Columbia River Chum Salmon Threatened Federal Middle Columbia River Steelhead Trout Threatened Federal Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon Threatened Federal Lower Columbia River Steelhead Trout Threatened Federal 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.

Recommendations

A high priority is assigned to conducting an Expanded Preliminary Assessment (XPA) of the Former Schooner Creek Boat Works site. Site soils, groundwater, and nearby Columbia River sediments should be sampled for 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, it will first be necessary to review U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Oregon Division of State Lands records to determine if any prior river sediment maintenance dredging has occurred along the site.

Although DEQ has no laboratory data to indicate that significant concentrations of hazardous substances are present at the site, the site has a lengthy operational history, and DEQ has received multiple complaints alleging releases or improper handling of hazardous substances at the site. Since the site is located within multiple Site Discovery Vulnerable Areas, any potential contaminants could represent a special threat to human health or 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

7 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. There is insufficient information to propose that the site be recommended for addition to DEQ’s Confirmed Release List (CRL) at this time.

Attachments

Figure 1: Former Schooner Creek Boat Works 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.

Figure 4: A site diagram, supplied by Schooner Creek Boat Works in response to DEQ’s Site Assessment Information Request, depicting the locations of an on-site residence, a former machine shop, and a gravel filter area and sewer manhole where boat hulls were washed.

Figure 5: An air photo depicting the locations of nearby drinking water wells and wetlands.

Figure 6a: A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service map of nearby wetlands.

Figure 6b: Detailed Wetlands Legend for Figure 6a.

Figure 7: A map depicting nearby areas designated by Metro as wildlife and wetlands Habitats of Concern.

Figure 8: A map depicting nearby areas designated by Metro as Regionally Significant Riparian Corridors.

Figure 9: A map produced by Metro depicting sightings of sensitive wildlife species near the site.

References

8 The following general references were consulted in preparing this Strategy Recommendation:

1. Response from Schooner Creek Boat Works to Site Assessment Information Request, ECSI File #3526, January 14, 2003.

2. DEQ Pollution Complaints database.

3. GRID, Well Log Records, Oregon Water Resources Department.

4. Water Right Information System (WRIS), Oregon Water Resources Department.

5. Oregon DEQ’s Site Discovery Vulnerable Areas database.

6. Portland Maps, City of Portland GIS mapping system, http://www.portlandmaps.com

7. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for North Portland, 1950.

8. Multnomah County Property Tax Records, Multnomah County Tax Assessor’s Office.

9. Natural Resources Management Plan for Peninsula Drainage District No. 1, Portland Bureau of Planning, June 1997.

10. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Oregon River Information System (ORIS) database.

11. Oregon DEQ’s 303(d) List of Water Quality impaired surface water bodies, http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/WQLData/View303dList02.asp

12. Wetlands Interactive Mapper, National Wetlands Inventory, US Fish and Wildlife Service, http://wetlands2.nwi.fws.gov/startmap/

13. Portland Metropolitan Area Wildlife Habitat and Riparian Area Mapping, Metro, ftp://ftp.metro.region.org/dist/gm/goal5/maps/

14. Columbia Slough Sediment Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Studies, Final Work Plan, by Parametrix, Inc., and City of Portland, June 1994.

15. Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), City of Portland Oregon, Panel 10 of 65, Community Panel Number 410183 0010 D, January 3, 1986, Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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