EPA proposes adding JH Baxter site in West Eugene to Superfund cleanup list
SEATTLE (September 4, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it is proposing to add the J. H. Baxter site in West Eugene, Oregon, to the Superfund National Priorities List. The National Priorities List is a list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for cleanup financed under the federal Superfund Program.
Nearly 80 years of wood treating operations at the J. H. Baxter facility resulted in releases of hazardous substances to soil, groundwater, and sediment. The agency determined this contamination poses unacceptable risk to people and the environment.
“EPA is proud to work with the community of West Eugene, which has fought and advocated effectively for this site cleanup,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “With these Superfund resources, we can move forward with a comprehensive effort to remove hazardous materials and protect the health of those who live and work near the facility.”
In an April 2024 letter to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, EPA requested concurrence with its plans to propose listing the site on the Superfund National Priorities List. EPA received a response concurring with EPA's decision.
Governor Kotek responded in her letter, “I value the cooperative relationship between Oregon and EPA as we continue the cleanup efforts at J. H. Baxter and in the surrounding neighborhood to help return the land to a safe condition for Oregonians living in the area and for future generations to come.”
On August 5, EPA began a Time Critical Removal Action at the site. The removal action is considered an interim measure to prevent additional releases of hazardous substances by safely removing and disposing of the chemicals on site and their containment structures. The removal action will not address residential soils or the maintenance of water treatment operations. Some soil on the facility may be removed during the removal action, however most of the surface soils will need to be addressed through other long-term cleanup actions.
Public comment period and next steps
The proposal announced today will be published in the Federal Register on September 5, 2024 and a 60-day public comment period will follow, ending November 4, 2024. For more information on this Site, the Federal Register notice and to submit comments, visit Current NPL Updates: New Proposed NPL Sites and New NPL Sites and search for Docket Number EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0377. At the end of the public comment period, EPA will review the comments received and determine if the site should be finalized to the Superfund National Priorities List.
Superfund background
Nationwide, thousands of contaminated sites - from landfills to processing plants to manufacturing facilities - exist due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open or otherwise improperly managed. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates EPA’s work to clean up this pollution with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program. This historic investment strengthens EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment at Superfund National Priorities List sites. The law also reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution.
Site background
The J. H. Baxter facility began operation in 1943 and treated various wood products such as railroad ties, electrical service poles and crossarms with water and oil-based chemicals. In January 2022, J. H. Baxter halted its wood treatment operations, leaving over 500,000 gallons of wood treating chemicals on site.
In September 2022, at the request of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, EPA conducted a series of sampling events. This included collecting soil, sediment, and surface water samples from the facility and Bethel neighborhood as well as an in-depth evaluation of on-site chemical storage tanks and their contents. The sample results revealed hazardous substances including pentachlorophenol, creosote, dioxins, arsenic, copper and zinc.
EPA has been working in collaboration with partner agencies, including the Oregon Health Authority, to better understand potential impacts of the site on people and the environment. Oregon Health Authority recently published a final health consultation report to address community concerns about health risks of exposure to dioxins. Oregon Health Authority and EPA will continue working together to evaluate risks at the site.
For information on the J. H. Baxter site, background and ongoing studies, visit EPA’s J. H. Baxter website.