The Bonneville Power Administration Ross Complex covers 250 acres north of Vancouver, Washington. Improper storage and handling of materials and wastes contaminated soil and groundwater with a range of hazardous chemicals. The site was added to EPA's Superfund National Priorities List in 1989 and deleted from it in September 1996 after cleanup construction finished.
Soil contamination is the main concern. Contaminants include metals such as antimony, arsenic, chromium, lead, and zinc, along with organic compounds like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and dibenzofurans, and pentachlorophenol. The site is divided into two operable units, each with its own cleanup plan. Operable Unit A covers a broader mix of these contaminants. Operable Unit B focuses on arsenic, PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and several related compounds.
Cleanup actions ran from 1991 through 1996. Workers excavated and disposed of PCB-contaminated soils off-site at the Capacitor Test Lab, Ross Substation, and Capacitor Yard. Contaminated soils at the Wood Pole Storage Area East were covered with a gravel cap, and one area of the Fog Chamber Dump Trench was capped as well. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that block residential development, limit exposure to any contamination that remains. Groundwater monitoring continues as part of the long-term remedy. The Bonneville Power Administration, managed under the U.S. Department of Energy, operates the facility and maintains the cleanup measures.
EPA has determined that human exposure is under control across the entire site. Physical construction of the cleanup is complete, and the site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in June 2006. Five-year reviews have been conducted regularly since 1999 to confirm the cleanup continues to protect public health and the environment. The cleanup and current review dates differ slightly between source sections: one section cites the most recent review as completed in 2019, while another states it was completed in March 2024.
Community members who want to learn more or ask questions can reach the EPA Remedial Project Manager, Patrick Hickey, by email or phone. The Community Involvement Coordinator, Beth Clemons, is also available for public inquiries. A representative from the Bonneville Power Administration at the Ross Complex can be contacted directly as well. Key site documents are available through EPA's Superfund records system, and the Administrative Record can be obtained through the lead agency or the site's Public Information Repository.
