Overview

Introduction

The Upper Columbia River is a special place to many people with historical, cultural, economic, and recreational significance. When people care about a place, they have a stake in what goes on there.

In 2006, Teck American Incorporated entered into a voluntary agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund and conduct a remedial investigation and feasibility study of the Upper Columbia River, which consists of 150 miles of the river from the U.S./Canadian border downriver to the Grand Coulee Dam.  For more information visit the Teck Resources Limited web page for the Upper Columbia River Project.

This study is carried out under the oversight of EPA, with participation of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the State of Washington, and the Spokane and Confederated Colville Tribes.

Who is Teck American Incorporated and why are they involved?

Teck American Incorporated is a U.S. subsidiary of a Canadian company whose predecessor began operation of a metals smelting facility in Trail, British Columbia, Canada in 1892. Granulated slag, a metal-containing by-product of smelting, was lawfully discharged into the Columbia River from the Trail facility beginning in the early 1930's until 1995. Since the 1970s, the company has invested over $1.7 billion to continuously advance the environmental and operational performance of the smelter, and today it stands out as one of the highest performing and advanced smelters in the world. However, the issue of legacy discharges is being addressed on an ongoing basis.

In the early 2000's, studies done by U.S. federal and state agencies showed elevated levels of metals in Upper Columbia River sediments. Due to questions about possible health and environmental impacts, Teck volunteered to fund and conduct further studies to assess legacy impacts, and address areas with unacceptable risk.

What is the purpose of EPA's remedial investigation and feasibility study?

The purpose is to:

  • Evaluate the nature and extent of contamination in the United States
  • Assess potential risks to human health and/or the environment
  • Determine if further action is necessary to manage human health and/or the environment risk

Where is the Upper Columbia River Study site?

The Upper Columbia River study site extends from the U.S./Canadian border downriver to the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State, a distance of about 150 river miles. The study has included not only the river and the reservoir but also adjacent uplands areas. 

What has happened so far?

In 1999, the Colville Confederated Tribes petitioned EPA to conduct an assessment of potential environmental contamination in the Upper Columbia River. This request was due to questions over possible risks to human health and the environment as a result of past industrial and municipal activities. These activities included mining, milling, smelting operations, and other industrial operations like pulp and paper facilities. Influences on the Upper Columbia River from municipal waste, agriculture, recreation and tributaries such as the Spokane River were also identified. EPA conducted a preliminary assessment and decided to proceed with a full remedial investigation & feasibility study. The EPA began conducting expanded studies in 2004, and in 2006 Teck American Incorporated agreed to complete and fund the work under EPA oversight, as well as fund the participation of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Colville Confederated Tribes, and the Spokane Tribe.

To date, Teck has invested over $180 million in EPA’s study of the Upper Columbia River, which has included sampling of water, fish, beaches, sediments, benthic macroinvertebrates, soils, and plants. Among other inquiries, the expanded studies have answered three fundamental questions. Based on these and other relevant data and studies, in 2021, EPA finalized its human health risk assessment, which confirmed the Agency’s earlier findings.

Can I eat the fish?

The abundant game fish in the UCR are safe to eat, subject to mild state-wide and local-area advisories set by the Washington Department of Health.

  • Washington State Department of Health fish advisories brochure. 
  • Robust recreational fishery
  • Healthy choices include Kokanee, Lake Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike (an invasive species) and hatchery White Sturgeon (native species).
  • Fish are an important part of a healthy diet (WA Dept. of Health).

Can I play on the beaches?

  • The UCR’s numerous beaches are safe for recreation, except for Bossburg Flats beach, which has been closed to the public since 2012 due to impacts from a defunct non-Teck mining operation on land owned and operated by the National Park Service.

Can I swim in the water?

  • Surface water is safe for all manner of recreational activities. In fact, concentrations of metals are a fraction of allowed maximum contaminant levels for drinking water, though residents and recreators should not drink river water due to potential bacterial content (EPA UCR study area).

Companion ecological risk assessments for the terrestrial and aquatic portions of the study site have also been drafted.

What has yet to be done?

 Following the risk assessments, the Remedial Investigation Reports will report the nature and extent of contamination within the study area. They will integrate the findings from the human health and ecological risk assessments.

Remedial Investigation Reports are then followed by a Feasibility Study, which will develop, screen, and evaluate potential response actions.

The process will conclude when EPA issues a Record of Decision, determining what, if any, further response actions are warranted.

The timeline illustrates the many study activities that have been completed as part of the Upper Columbia River RI/FS.

Also see the Timeline of Major UCR RI/FS Activities & Studies.