Proposed CERCLA Administrative Settlement; Bremerton Auto Wrecking/Gorst Creek Landfill Site, Port Orchard, Washington

Topics:  Bremerton Auto Wrecking

Richard Albright
Environmental Protection Agency
November 23, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 225 (Monday, November 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72967-72968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29798]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9939-21-Region 10]


Proposed CERCLA Administrative Settlement; Bremerton Auto 
Wrecking/Gorst Creek Landfill Site, Port Orchard, Washington

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed settlement; request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of a proposed administrative settlement 
for payment of response costs at the Bremerton Auto Wrecking/Gorst 
Creek Landfill Site in Port Orchard, Washington with the United States 
Department of the Navy and the ST Trust. The payment of response costs 
will fund implementation of a response action currently estimated to 
cost approximately $27,605,000. The proposed settlement will provide 
the settling parties with a release of liability subject to certain 
rights reserved by the Agency. The proposed settlement has been 
reviewed by the Department of Justice.
    For thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this 
notice, the Agency will receive written comments relating to the 
settlement. The Agency will consider all comments received and may 
modify or withdraw its consent to the settlement if comments received 
disclose facts or considerations which indicate that the settlement is 
inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. The Agency's response to any 
comments received will be available for public inspection at the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 offices, located at 
1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101.

[[Page 72968]]


DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 23, 2015.

ADDRESSES: The proposed settlement is available for public inspection 
at the U.S. EPA Region 10 offices, located at 1200 Sixth Avenue, 
Seattle, Washington 98101. A copy of the proposed settlement may be 
obtained from Teresa Luna, Regional Hearing Clerk, U.S. EPA Region 10, 
Mail Stop ORC-113, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, Seattle, Washington 
98101; (206) 553-1632. Comments should reference the Bremerton Auto 
Wrecking/Gorst Creek Landfill in Port Orchard, Washington, EPA Docket 
No. CERCLA-10-2016-0041 and should be addressed to Alexander Fidis, 
Assistant Regional Counsel, U.S. EPA Region 10, Mail Stop ORC-113, 1200 
Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, Seattle, Washington 98101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Fidis, Assistant Regional 
Counsel, U.S. EPA Region 10, Mail Stop ORC-113, 1200 Sixth Avenue, 
Suite 900, Seattle, Washington 98101; (206) 553-4710.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with Section 122(i) of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act 
(CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9622(i), EPA is providing notice of a proposed 
administrative settlement for payment of response costs at the 
Bremerton Auto Wrecking/Gorst Creek Landfill Site in Port Orchard, 
Washington with the following settlement parties: The United States 
Department of the Navy and the ST Trust. The Bremerton Auto Wrecking/
Gorst Creek Landfill Site is a triangular shaped parcel of 
approximately 5.7 acres located within a ravine through which Gorst 
Creek flows. To create the landfill Gorst Creek was channeled through a 
24-inch steel culvert placed at the bottom of the ravine. From 1968 
until 1989, waste was disposed in the creek ravine on top of the 
culvert. The weight of the waste has crushed the culvert in at least 
two locations and diminished flow capacity. The diminished flow 
capacity causes Gorst Creek to impound upstream of the landfill, 
resulting in water seeping through and flowing over the surface of the 
landfill. During periods of heavy precipitation erosion of the landfill 
disperses waste material and debris into the downstream reaches of 
Gorst Creek. The landfill is estimated to contain approximately 150,000 
cubic yards of waste.
    The Agency is proposing to enter into an administrative agreement 
with the settling parties to fund a response action to remove and 
properly dispose of waste disposed in the creek ravine. Following waste 
removal, the creek ravine will be restored to provide proper 
hydrological and ecological functions, including restoration of fish 
habitat and migration. The response action is expected to take 
approximately one-year and will cost an estimated $27,605,000. The 
proposed settlement will provide the settling parties with a release of 
liability subject to certain rights reserved by the Agency.

    Dated: November 16, 2015.
Richard Albright,
Director, Office of Environmental Cleanup.
[FR Doc. 2015-29798 Filed 11-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P