SLR completes focused feasibility study for former lumber mill site

Through SLR’s long-standing attorney relationship, our team was retained in April 2016 to conduct a feasibility study for the Avison Lumber Company, located in Molalla, Oregon. The former mill company produced lumber from the 1950s to 1990’s and was sanctioned by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to perform extensive cleanup before redevelopment. Soil at the site had been contaminated with dioxins associated with historic pentachlorophenol anti-fungal applications to lumber prior to shipping. The feasibility study evaluated options to manage contaminated soil.

The site consists of two parcels totaling over 90-acres. To promote efficiency, SLR developed a cleanup plan that proposed a variety of remedial technologies depending on the setting (e.g., wetlands, uplands), projected land use (e.g., future industrial location, open space), and degree of contamination. A relatively small volume of the most contaminated soil will be excavated and disposed off-site. Moderately-impacted soil will be excavated, placed on the land parcel preparing for redevelopment, and covered with an engineered cap. The engineered cap will serve as a platform for future commercial/industrial operations. An innovative technology will be used to treat contaminated soil in wetlands and other natural areas. Activated carbon will be applied to soil to sequester dioxins in-situ, reducing the ability of dioxins to bioaccumulate in the food chain, and minimizing disturbance natural wetland systems. Wetland restoration will be performed in some of the excavation areas.

A public hearing regarding the cleanup plan will be held this week and DEQ will make a final decision within a month or two with the target for cleanup to begin either in summer of 2020 or 2021. Cleanup is estimated to cost approximately $900K.

“This project represents the strength of SLR’s One Team culture. Our client focus to support the challenging environmental conditions and support site redevelopment, strong connections with stakeholders, and excellent technical expertise with human health & ecological risk assessment, incremental sampling (IS) over large areas, and carbon sequestration of dioxins.” noted Scott Miller, Managing Principal.

Read more about the site here.

For additional information contact Scott Miller.