In December 2024, EPA added the Upper Columbia River (UCR) site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).
EPA lists Superfund sites based on identified releases of contamination and where that contamination is found. Geographic site boundaries are determined after all investigative work has been completed and the full extent of contamination has been determined, including the risk it poses to human health and the environment.
The boundaries of a Superfund site will be documented in a Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will also identify cleanup actions necessary to address the contamination.
Although site boundaries are not determined as part of the listing, related investigations have stretched from the U.S. – Canada border to Grand Coulee Dam, which includes Lake Roosevelt and the Upper Columbia Valley.
Said EPA, “Listing the site on the NPL will help EPA secure comprehensive and timely cleanup of the river and adjoining uplands and provide access to critical federal funding.” This includes the UCR site now being eligible for additional federal funding, if needed.
Click here for additional information about the NPL listing on EPA’s website.
