The Environmental Protection Agency began a second time-critical removal action at the J.H. Baxter Superfund site in Eugene, Oregon on Sept. 17, signaling that contamination risks at the former wood-treating facility are more persistent than initial cleanup efforts addressed.
The second emergency response indicates ongoing hazardous conditions at the site despite a prior removal action, the EPA said.
The J.H. Baxter facility operated as a wood-treating plant for decades, using chemicals including pentachlorophenol and creosote that contaminated soil and groundwater. The site has been the subject of federal and state environmental enforcement actions for years.
For Eugene residents living near the site, the return of EPA emergency crews raises urgent public health questions. Time-critical removal actions are EPA’s most aggressive tool for immediate threat abatement at Superfund sites, reserved for situations where contamination poses an imminent danger to human health or the environment.
The fact that a second emergency action was necessary suggests the first removal did not fully remediate the contamination or that new risks have emerged, the EPA said. The agency did not immediately disclose the specific conditions that triggered the renewed emergency response.
The J.H. Baxter site is located in a residential area of Eugene, with homes, schools, and businesses in proximity to contaminated soil and groundwater. Community members have long advocated for accelerated cleanup and permanent remediation of the site.
EPA Region 10, which oversees federal environmental enforcement in Oregon, is leading the removal action. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is coordinating with the federal effort.
Superfund sites with recurring emergency actions often require more extensive and costly long-term remediation than initially estimated. The J.H. Baxter site’s history of repeated interventions could factor into future funding decisions under the Superfund program.
Community advisory groups have pressed the EPA for more transparent communication about contamination levels and health risks at the site.