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Last month, the Lookout Eugene-Springfield editorial board called on the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Lane County to test soil at Alton Baker Park for contamination.
Reporting by Lookout in September had revealed toxic chemicals had been dumped at the Day Island Landfill beneath the eastern edge of the park more than 50 years ago by the wood treatment company J.H. Baxter & Co., whose west Eugene plant was shut down and designated a federal Superfund site this year.
Neither the state nor the county have responded to our call.
Now, follow-up reporting by Lookout has turned up compelling evidence that traces of buried waste have appeared in surface water above the landfill. Records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concluded in 1993 that contamination from the landfill could migrate through groundwater, and that previous studies there were insufficient to determine the full extent of the risks. The records included photos of standing water above the landfill taken during the rainy season, showing what investigators called “orange scum” with an oily sheen.
State DEQ and county officials continue to say they have no plans to conduct testing at the park — despite the fact that neither has any record that they ever followed up on the EPA findings.
They need to reconsider, and soon.
The best course of action would be for DEQ to perform the testing. But if the state insists on remaining stubbornly on the sideline, Lane County should immediately take local action to conduct soil testing around the landfill site.
Maybe those tests will turn up nothing. That alone would go a long way to reassure the thousands of annual visitors that they can explore Alton Baker Park’s natural areas without fear.
But if testing did show signs of contamination, the county would have several options for addressing it. One option worth exploring would be applying to DEQ’s Voluntary Cleanup Program, where property owners can perform their testing and cleanup work, but still get state certification that they’ve mitigated any health hazards. The city owns the park land, but the county maintains responsibility for the landfill, so it’s possible the city and county would need to apply together.
Property owners can face significant fees for the use of state equipment and staff time when DEQ takes direct oversight of a cleanup. So while it’s less ideal for Lane County than getting the state to fund the work, it’s better than the status quo.
However, applicants typically need to demonstrate that there’s a reason to do the work to be accepted into the voluntary program. Lane County has repeatedly said there’s no compelling evidence that warrants a need to do anything.
But how would you find compelling evidence if you haven’t looked for any in more than 30 years?
