Although the start of cleanup and the entire timeline has been delayed, the Navy has begun removing soil and a portion of the contaminated storm drain on the south side of Building 27, which houses Arena Sports. Trucks may be seen leaving the Park daily with contaminated soil. We have asked Ecology why these trucks are not placarded.
We are awaiting responses to public comments from the Navy and Ecology. The Navy chose to proceed with its “Time Critical Removal Action,” prior to either responding to comments or waiting for the close of Ecology’s comment period. Many public comments urged that the cleanup of soils meet our state cleanup standards for cancer risks due to exposure from the contamination proposed to be left behind.
The Navy’s plan would allow radiation doses of 15 millirem from direct exposure per year and does not expect public uses to include vegetable gardens or gardening, schools, etc… 15 millirem dose per year translates to a risk level of greater than 9 cancers in every ten thousand adult males and 15 in every ten thousand adult women. Children are 3 to 10x more at risk to get cancer than adults from the same dose. Our state cleanup standard is that contamination levels left behind may not create a risk higher than one additional cancer for every one hundred thousand people exposed (e.g., 150 times more protective for women than the Navy’s plan for contamination levels to remain in soils and pipes).
Since the public meeting in July, we documented that actual levels of radioactive contamination in the soil between Buildings 27 and 11 are FAR higher than were presented. The “hot” spots are shown and explained in the attached map revealing radiation levels in soil were measured at doses which would result in 1,200 x-rays per year if someone sat on the soil year-round. That is hardly a “low” level of radiation.
Air monitoring equipment is installed at three locations around the south end of the Building. However, we are concerned that the air monitors are checked weekly, rather than having a system which would provide real time alerts if there are radioactive fugitive dust emissions since there are children and other park users in the immediate vicinity on a daily basis. This will become a significant issue when the Navy begins demolition of the building attached to the south end of Building 27.
The Navy’s plan for air monitoring, discussed at prior public meetings, includes installing air monitoring inside Arena Sports, which has entry ways and a light duty wall separating it from the contaminated south structure. We are seeking to ensure that the air monitoring will include a real time alert, not just weekly reviews of air flow data, and to have a public review of the air monitoring and response plan.
Building 11 and the lease to the Waldorf School and Cascade Bicycle Club:
Since the public meeting in July, the City of Seattle has proceeded to approve a lease with the Seattle Waldorf School and Cascade Bicycle Club for Building 11, which is undergoing renovation. Building 11 is the building to the west, immediately after you go through the NOAA underpass toward the North shore. It is directly across the street from the contaminated parking and soil areas with the hottest contamination surrounding Building 27 (Arena Sports). There is also contamination – shown on the attached map – in the soil area on the same side of the street as Building 11 near the underpass.
The Waldorf School expects to begin classes in September, 2014. The School has hired its own radiological survey consultant to ensure there is no contamination inside the Building. We have met with school and Cascade Bike officials and shared the maps showing that radioactive contaminated storm and sewer lines lay immediately in front of the building, and that removal may be required. There are also legitimate concerns that students will use the soil areas where the Navy may be allowed to leave radioactive contamination at the 15 millirem per year dose level discussed above, after the Navy says it is done with cleanup – unless Ecology requires greater effort to reduce doses from residual contamination.
Radioactive “Hot Spots” West of Building 27 (where Arena Sports is located) at Magnuson Park are VERY Radioactive, including soil areas east and south of Building 11 – which the City is leasing to the Seattle Waldorf School and Cascade Bike Club for occupancy in 2014. Below is a reprint showing radiation levels – This map showing sampling locations and radiation levels is from the Navy Remedial Investigation Report, PDF page 102.
Note that Hottest Rad levels West of 27 exceed the 187,277 CPM shown in this figure. Actual hottest readings of 332,754 CPM, calculated by Navy’s contractor in Survey # RSS-403-m2 (P.5 Sept 30, 2010) to be 1.4 millirem / hour. This equals 12,264 millirem per year. This is equal to one thousand two hundred x-rays in a year to someone directly exposed year-round to the soil. Hot Spots 23 and 24 are across roadway going under NOAA overpass.
The Navy proposes to leave contamination under surfaces and in soils at levels for which they would project exposure to result in 15 millirem of dose per year. This translates to a cancer risk far in excess (by at least 150x) of our State’s cleanup levels for toxic carcinogens at Superfund sites.