Report as of: 1245, 1 July 2021
Overview: On
Wednesday, June 30th, EPA was contacted by the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality (ODEQ) about the release of approximately 300 gallons of
a material called CuSol-5 Solution into Hedges Creek in Tualatin, Oregon.
The material is cooper-based pesticide used for residential exterior wood
preservation and it is toxic to aquatic organisms. The release occurred
approximately 3 miles from where Hedges Creek feeds into the Tualatin River.
About 300 to 500 feet of Hedges Creek appears to be heavily impacted with the
product.
State, Local
and other Federal Agency Actions: The City of Tualatin
hired a local cleanup contractor and with concurrence from Oregon DEQ, they
have constructed a dam downstream of the visible impacts. Additionally, Oregon
DEQ is coordinating with resource trustees including State Fish and Wildlife,
Department of the Interior (DOI) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).
EPA Actions: At this time, EPA has been asked by
Oregon DEQ to provide technical assistance and sampling/analytical
support. OSC Randy Nattis is mobilizing to the incident along with START
contractors to collect water and sediment samples and other assistance as
needed. OSC Nattis is also coordinating with the EPA Environmental Response
Team (ERT) to provide technical assistance to the incident with respect to
cleanup options.
