EPA Conducts Voluntary Soil Sampling Within Northport

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Published: Monday, 17 January 2022 18:06

In the summer of 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offered voluntary soil sampling to property owners located within Northport town limits. Historically, lead and arsenic have been detected at elevated concentrations in soils surrounding the Upper Columbia River, including Northport, Washington.

Eligibility for the 2021 voluntary soil sampling opportunity was limited to properties within Northport that had not been sampled as part of previous voluntary soil sampling events. EPA began reaching out to eligible property owners in July 2021 to offer participation in the sampling event. In September 2021, the EPA conducted soil sampling at 43 properties where consent for access was voluntarily provided by the landowner.

EPA will assess lead and arsenic concentrations in soil samples. The sampling data will help identify potential properties where unacceptable risks to public health may exist, and where additional actions may be necessary.