Hazardous substances such as metals, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc, and other contaminants like dioxins and furans have been found in the Upper Columbia River/Lake Roosevelt (UCR) at increased levels according to past studies conducted by Tribal, state and federal agencies. In August of 1999, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT) petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct an assessment under CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) of metals and contaminants in the UCR. This petition initiated a federally lead process that has ultimately resulted in the conduct of a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) which is intended to assess hazardous substances contamination and its affects on human health and the environment. There are a few reports now available from studies already conducted.. Data gathered during the RI/FS should assist in determining exactly how much contamination is present, where the contamination is located, and the risk to human health and the environment. After these studies have been completed and data evaluated, development of clean up options will begin. If you have any questions regarding the RI/FS and its studies, please contact Environmental Trust at 509.634.2075. We are also providing information links to the EPA Region 10 website if you want to see what they have available on the Upper Columbia.
Settlement Agreement between EPA and Teck Cominco, June 2006 (30.6 Mb)
Screening Level Risk Assessment (SLERA), February 2010 (12.6 Mb)
Overall RI/FS Schedule, January 2011 (0.5 Mb)
Future Studies, plans not yet completed
Environmental Trust Non-Source Point Pollution Documents
Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment Work Plan, February 2011 v1
Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment Work Plan, February 2011 v3
Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment Work Plan, February 2011 v4
Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment Work Plan, February 2011 v5
Expansion of Problem Formulation Chapter, March 2012
Final Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), March 2009
Final Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), September 2009
Final Sampling and Analysis Plan, September 2010
Overall RI/FS Schedule, January 2011
Phase I Data Evaluation Report, Data Evaluation Report, August 2006
Phase I Data Evaluation Report, October 2007
Phase I Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), August 2005
Phase I Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), March 2005
Phase I Summary and Evaluation of Toxicity Tests, August, 2012
QAPP Amendment #2, February 2011
University of Saskatchewan QAPP for sediment exposures to White Sturgeon, June 2010
Expanded Site Investigation, March 2003
Preliminary Assessment, December 2000
Preliminary Assessments and Site Inspections of UCR Mines and Mills in Stevens County, October 2002
RI/FS Work Plan, December 2008 Volume 2
Screening Level Risk Assessment (SLERA), February 2010
Settlement Agreement between EPA and Teck Cominco, June 2006
