North Ridge Estates is a 144-acre residential subdivision about three miles north of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Asbestos from the improper demolition of roughly eighty 1940s-era military barracks contaminated soil across the neighborhood. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 2011 after repeated annual cleanups failed because frost heave, a freeze-thaw process, kept pushing contamination back to the surface each spring. Arsenic in soil and asbestos in soil and solid waste are the identified contaminants of concern.
The main cleanup, covering Operable Unit 1 (OU1), ran from September 2014 through December 2020. Between 2016 and 2018, EPA and Oregon DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) excavated and removed about 360,000 cubic yards of asbestos-contaminated material from the site. Work also included replacing septic systems, decks, and driveways, planting more than 1,000 trees and shrubs, and resurfacing two roads. A protective cap of clean soil, asphalt, concrete, rock, and liners now covers the entire neighborhood. Oregon DEQ took over operations and maintenance one year after cleanup finished. A five-year review was completed in June 2021, and part of the site received a partial NPL deletion in September 2021. EPA is now conducting its second five-year review of OU1.
Operable Unit 2 covers the Kingsley Firing Range Annex, a former munitions site with overlapping small arms, rocket, and disposal ranges. Heavy metals are the concern there. Removal actions occurred in August 2022 and June 2024. EPA's preferred alternative for this unit is no further action. A public comment period on that Proposed Plan ran from June 9 through July 15, 2025. The combined remedial investigation and feasibility study is estimated to wrap up between March and May 2026, with a record of decision and final remedial action construction expected by early 2027.
Human exposure is currently under control at the site. Restored home properties are available for sale, and properties where asbestos remains below ground carry a deed notation to protect future residents. Property owners must maintain the protective caps, keep vegetation healthy, manage drainage, and preserve stormwater features. Deed restrictions and easements apply to every excavated property.
Community members can follow the second five-year review of OU1 as it proceeds. For general concerns or to get involved, contact Community Involvement Coordinator Caressa Long. For technical cleanup questions, reach out to Remedial Project Manager Adam Nichols. Oregon DEQ project manager Katie Robertson is also available. The Superfund Job Training Initiative provided job-readiness training to 32 local residents in 2016 and 2017, placing graduates with remedial contractors on site after they earned certificates in hazardous waste operations, asbestos maintenance, and other skills.
