Ecology issues enforcement order to the Army
By Terry Murry on Friday, February 3rd, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
YAKIMA – The Washington Department of Ecology has issued a draft order requiring the U.S. Army to address contamination at the Yakima Training Center. The agency said the center contains dozens of sites that are contaminated by chemical spills and toxic waste, including some that have threatened drinking water supplies in nearby wells.
As part of the enforcement order, Ecology is soliciting public input on a potential investigation, an action plan, and future public involvement in the cleanup process.
Although the U.S. Army and Ecology have been working on a site-wide cleanup plan since 2018, concerns with contamination took on new urgency in 2020, when U.S. Army tests revealed unsafe levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAs) substances in drinking water around the training center. PFAs are often used in firefighting foam at locations like the Yakima Training Center. They can easily seep into groundwater or run off into streams and rivers.
Currently, the U.S. Army is conducting cleanup efforts without public review or Ecology oversight. According to Ecology, the U.S. Army has so far provided bottled water to some nearby homeowners, but has not committed to cleaning up the contamination to meet Washington standards.
As part of its enforcement order, Ecology is seeking public comment on these draft items. The public comment period opens Monday, Feb. 6 and ends Wednesday, March 22. To comment online, visit https://hwtr.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=sNEu9
