The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has finalized a cleanup plan for a contaminated wood treatment facility in Eugene. The J.H. Baxter plant dates back to 1943. State investigations of soil and water contamination at the site go all the way back to 1981 and the company agreed to several cleanup actions in the 1990s.
Now, after a new round of investigations, the state says J.H. Baxter needs to take additional steps. They include cleaning up contaminated soil on part of the property, and permanently capping contaminated soil on another part. The company will also need to maintain a groundwater treatment system to ensure that contaminated water doesn’t spread off site.
The DEQ decision doesn’t set a deadline for Baxter to complete the work, but the company said in a statement that it is “excited to begin the remediation project."
Separately, a Washington, DC law firm said the DEQ announcement won't sway its attempts to find clients for a possible suit against Baxter for odor emissions that have led to complaints from nearby residents. The DEQ cleanup plan does not address odors.
