BN Somers

Link to Supporting Documents & Reports

BN Somers aerial view 2006
Aerial View of BN Somers Site 2006

Background

Located on the northwest shore of Flathead Lake in the Town of Somers in Northwestern Montana’s Flathead County, this site was used by Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad from 1901 to 1986 to treat railroad ties. Creosote (wood preservative) wastes contaminated soils and groundwater at the 80-acre site. Contaminants of concern included Polynuclear/Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, phenols and zinc chloride.

Approximately 500 people live in Somers. Residential areas border the site on the west, east and south-southwest. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leads the remediation and enforcement of the site. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) provides support and technical assistance.

Following comprehensive soil and groundwater sampling in the 1980s, the Record of Decision (selected remedy) was signed in 1989, and in 1991, the EPA entered into a Consent Decree with BNSF for design and action of the selected remedy.

Site Cleanup

Cleanup began in 1993. Soils were excavated and removed to a Land Treatment Unit (LTU) for bioremediation, which is a process in which microbial action is enhanced to naturally break down organic contaminants into non-toxic materials. Ten years after soils cleanup began, the EPA and DEQ certified cleanup of the soils was complete. As a protective measure in 2008, a deed notification was filed with Flathead County on the areas affected by the LTU (approximately 22 acres) that prohibits installation of wells, except for monitoring and remedial action wells.

Groundwater cleanup included pumping and treating through a groundwater treatment system (GWTS) as well as in-place bioremediation. Construction of the GWTS was completed in 1994 and the system was treating groundwater routinely by 1995. Operations and associated monitoring for the groundwater remedy have been reported in quarterly progress reports and annual reports since 1995. A Controlled Ground Water Area was also established in 2003 prohibiting drilling of new ground water wells within the site properties.

The agencies approved the Interim Monitoring Plan and temporarily closed the GWTS in May 2008. DEQ and EPA will evaluate monitoring data collected during the interim period to determine whether this move is protective and whether to restart the GWTS. To date, no measurable creosote has been found in any well during the interim monitoring period. Sampling of the municipal well demonstrates that no contaminants of concern are present in the municipal water system.

LTU Liner Cut Around Berms

Documents relating to this project will be available for download and/or viewing on this page as they are finalized.

BN Somers Documents

Contacts

Roger Hoogerheide Remedial Project Manager U.S. EPA, Montana Office 10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200 Helena, MT 59626 (406) 457-5031		Lisa DeWitt Project Officer P.O. Box 200901 Helena MT 59620-0901 (406) 841-5037 1-800-246-8098 (in-state only)