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 SOLSTICE UPDATE The Port of Vancouver believes that environmental
stewardship and economic development can co-exist. We take a proactive
approach to managing our natural resources and minimizing our impact
on the environment. COMPLIANCE INTEGRATED DECISION MAKING POLLUTION PREVENTION Sustain our natural resources through the protection of our air shed, lands and water. Build strong relationships with our community, stakeholders, customers, and suppliers for the benefit of the environment. Conserve energy and maximize the use of sustainable resources in the construction and operation of facilities and delivery of our services. The port's environmental program includes the following general components:
Mitigation Wetlands The Port of Vancouver maintains two wetland mitigation sites. One of these sites is located adjacent to Parcel 1A within the developed port area. The second, at Parcel 2, adjoins the port's undeveloped agricultural lands. Both mitigation sites have met all federal, state and local regulatory requirements, however, the port will continue to manage both sites. Wetland Mitigation Bank The Port of Vancouver is in the process of establishing a wetland mitigation bank at Parcel 6, a 165-acre parcel located north of Lower River Road. The proposed mitigation bank site plan includes enhancement of approximately 82 acres of wetlands, creation of an additional 27 acres of wetlands, and improvement of other natural areas, including songbird habitat. The port formed an agreement with Clark County Mitigation Partners, LLC, to develop and operate a mitigation bank on port-owned property. Wetland credits will be available to the port for mitigation needs and the remainder of the credits will be offered for sale to the public. Partnering with CCMP to establish this wetland mitigation bank provides higher functioning wetland areas and allows the port to more efficiently meet its requirements for mitigation. Federal, state and local agencies recognize and support the establishment of wetland mitigation banks. In Washington State, the Mitigation Bank Review Team (MBRT) reviews all applications to establish such banks. The MBRT is co-chaired by the Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Bank construction is expected to begin by Fall 2008. Natural Resource Inventory The Port's natural resources, in particular the shoreline adjacent to the developed facilities, are an important asset. The NRI management plan provides a planning tool that allows the Port to make ecologically sound decisions without compromising daily operations. Port operations and maintenance activities require permit approvals from local, state and federal agencies. The NRI provides information on the habitat features along the Port's shoreline. Identifying these features ahead of time allows the Port to minimize impacts from development and plan cost effective mitigation projects which complement Port operations. Environmental Management System The decision to implement the EMS was voluntary and not a regulatory requirement. Through uniform procedures, following ISO 14001 standards, the EMS has provided the Port with a comprehensive management tool which provides confidence to Port staff and regulators that our system is thoroughly administered to meet and exceed Washington Department of Health Requirements. The port performed an internal audit to verify that our EMS program conforms with ISO 14001 standards in November 2005 and have since successfully implemented all recommendations. In addition to ensuring compliance with our drinking water standards the Port has also enjoyed the following benefits:
This permit covers all stormwater on port property that is served by the port's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4). In order to comply with this permit, the port has began to develop its Stormwater Management Program (SWMP), which includes the six program components required by the permit: Stormwater treatment mechanisms at the port include a stormwater detention pond, a biofiltration swale, and two Vortechs hydrodynamic separation units. The port's stormwater is permitted under two National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits through the Washington State Department of Ecology. These permits are as follows:. Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit This permit covers all Port of Vancouver property areas served by the municipal separate storm sewer system. The updated information outlines the port's Stormwater Management Program, which includes six control measures required under the permit:
The program is designed to reduce stormwater impacts to water quality protected by the Clean Water Act. To review the permit on the Deparment of Ecology's website, click here. This program requires tenant involment for compliance. Tenants of the port will be informed of these requirements in the coming months through public outreach efforts as required by the permit. As a result, tenants are required to comply with the port's Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) policy (PDF 931 KB). Please see the latest version of the port's Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) (PDF 5.82MB) for details. Industrial Stormwater General Permit This permit covers the stormwater from the port's vehicle maintenance shop and fueling station. To review the permit on the Department of Ecology's website, click hereSince the mid-1990s the Port has returned 55 acres of contaminated sites to productive property for use by tenants such as Pacific Coast Shredding, TriStar Transload PNW, Columbia River Sand and Gravel, and Marine Terminals Corporation. The port works closely with the Washington State Department of Ecology to ensure site cleanup activities are conducted in a timely manner, and in accordance with the Model Toxic Control Act (MTCA), and other applicable laws and regulations. The Department of Ecology provides technical and regulatory oversight and shares the cost of investigation and cleanup under the Remedial Action Grants Program. The Port is also committed to pursuing cost recovery from other industrial parties responsible for the contamination. Environmentally impacted sites that the port is currently working on are: 1) Fruit Valley Area Cleanup In 1982, the Port purchased 0.88 acres of property, at the SW corner of Fourth Plain Blvd. and Mill Plain, where a restaurant/tavern, last known as Ragg's Tavern was located. Swan Manufacturing, a baseboard heater manufacturer had operated at the site from 1956-1964. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and other solvent contamination was found in soil at the manufacturing site and has reached groundwater. Immediate actions by the Port enabled the soil contamination to be treated successfully. Further investigation by the port revealed that TCE contamination was also present at the Cadet Manufacturing Co. site, located on Fourth Plain Boulevard north of existing port property. Cadet had purchased the heater manufacturing operation from Swan in 1972. Cleanup efforts by the company resulted in the removal of 540 pounds of chlorinated solvents from soil and groundwater between 1998 and 2006. In February 2006, Port Commissioners approved an agreement to purchase the Cadet facility that allows for faster and better coordinated cleanup of co-mingled groundwater from both sites. Under the settlement agreement, the Port purchased 11 acres of land, a 75,000 square foot building, and assumed responsibility for the completion of the environmental cleanup project at the Cadet Manufacturing facility. Operations at the Cadet Manufacturing facility (which employs more than 100 to manufacture electrical heaters) will remain unchanged. Project Status: The Port is continuing cleanup and monitoring. The Washington Department of Ecology, with input from the Department of Health, is regulating the cleanup of the site and studies are progressing to develop a final clean up program. Click here for detailed information about the site and cleanup efforts. 2) Former Fort Vancouver Plywood site This property was the site of industrial activities, mostly wood-related manufacturing, for over 70 years. The last known industrial operation was a former plywood mill that closed in 1996. Site investigation revealed that the soil has been contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), metals, and pentachlorophenol (PCP) in excess of Department of Ecology standards. Project Status: The Port is under a formal agreement with the Department of Ecology and has removed the contaminated soil from the site. This site is now in use by a metal recycling facility. Groundwater monitoring is on-going. 3) Automotive Services, Inc. (ASI) site The ASI facility was constructed in 1972 and previously used kerosene to remove under-coatings from foreign automobile imports. Kerosene-impacted soils were identified on-site. Diesel contaminated soils, which may not be related to former ASI activities, were also identified. Project Status: Through the Department of Ecology's Voluntary Cleanup Program, the Port successfully cleaned up the site using bioremediation. Soil cleanup was completed in spring 2001. The Port is seeking a "No Further Action" status from the Deparment of Ecology and the site has been returned to productive use for Columbia River Sand & Gravel operations. 4) Former Brazier Forest Industries site Industrial uses, including a wood laminating facility, operated at the site until 1991. Petroleum-impacted soils and groundwater were identified on the site at levels above Department of Ecology standards. Project Status: Contamination at the site is being addressed through the Department
of Ecology Voluntary Cleanup Program. A majority of the petroleum-impacted
soils above MTCA levels have been removed. Groundwater monitoring
is on-going. Tenant Environmental Audit Program The Port of Vancouver conducts annual visual environmental audits of our tenants and Port-owned facilities. In performing these audits, the Port reviews products and procedures used by our tenants, especially in the areas of hazardous materials handling, pollution prevention, stormwater management and surface water protection. Information gatehered during the inspections allows the Port to increase our tenants' environmental awareness pertaining to issues such as regulations and best management practices.. The audit process involves a pre-audit questionnaire, site visit and interview, audit summary letter and follow-up, and a tenant educational component. Please click here to download the pre-visit questionnaire.
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