Eugene Railyard - Ground and Water Pollution

Do You Live "Under the Plume?"

A plume of solvent contamination extends from the Union Pacific railyard into groundwater under parts of the Trainsong and River Road neighborhoods. Affected areas are near Bethel Drive between Edison and Pershing St., and from where Knoop joins Filbert near the Northwest Expressway, north to near Elkay and Beebe Lane. Residents who use well water may be exposed to contaminants in the water by breathing vapors of the volatile chemicals, getting water on their skin, or accidentally ingesting it.  Residents may also be exposed to vapors that migrate up through the soil and into crawl spaces under homes.

Health Risks

Some of the chemicals found here—tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene—are classified as “reasonably anticipated” to cause cancer. Scientists tell us there is no safe level of a carcinogen. Solvents can also cause damage to liver, kidneys, and the nervous system. 

The Interim Final Baseline Human Health Risk Assessment prepared for Union Pacific (Jan. 2006) calculated that skin contact with the solvent-contaminated well water in the Trainsong area poses a cancer risk to residents that exceeds health-protective cleanup levels.  Recent testing of a limited number of private residential wells--six in River Road, two in Trainsong--showed solvents still present at levels higher than Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s health-based cleanup levels.

Recent tests show that volatile chemicals in the groundwater are migrating through soils into crawlspaces under homes in Trainsong (where groundwater is shallow and contaminant levels in groundwater are relatively high).  This crawlspace air has the potential to seep into indoor air of homes. 

DEQ, Union Pacific, and the Superfund Health Investigation and Education (SHINE) program have different ways of estimating risks, but tell us the hazards to our health are small.  However, there are many uncertainties in all the methods used to estimate cancer and other health risks. Some people are more susceptible. Also, as scientific understanding improves, chemical exposures are often found to be more hazardous than was previously recognized.

Solvents pose serious potential health hazards. This contamination has been present for decades. Even if it is difficult to quantify or prove long-term harm, a reasonable public health policy would require the railroad to do more now to reduce residents’ exposure to its pollution, and to compensate those affected.

What You Can Do?

The railroad is working to reduce the spread of the plume at the source area under the railyard.  However, the measures they are taking are unlikely to reduce contaminant levels in groundwater under the neighborhoods for many years.  If you live over or near the plume, you may want to consider the following steps to protect yourself and your family in the meantime.

If you have an irrigation well, you may want to:

• stop using the water
• ask Union Pacific to install a carbon filter on your well to remove solvents when the water is used
• ask Union Pacific to pay to decommission the well
• ask Union Pacific to compensate you for the loss of use of your irrigation well, or to pay your City water bill.

If you have a crawl space under your home, you may want to:

• ask Union Pacific to install a vapor barrier, vents, or fans under your home
• ask Union Pacific to compensate you for the potential loss of value of your home or harm to your health due to the contamination.

If your irrigation well or crawlspace has not been tested (or tested recently), you may want to:

• ask DEQ and Union Pacific to test your well or crawlspace for solvent contamination.
• test your home on your own
• ask Union Pacific to compensate you for any loss of value of your home or harm to your health.

Contact the Railroad Pollution Coalition (RPC):

The Railyard Pollution Coalition is a coalition of representatives from four neighborhoods adjacent to the railyard—Trainsong, River Road, Bethel, and Whiteaker - and Oregon Toxics Alliance.  RPC believes that residents “over the plume” have a right to be protected from the pollution, and that it is long past time for action to reduce their exposures.   To join our efforts, contact us using the information at the bottom of this page.

Contact Union Pacific Railroad and Government Policymakers:

Send the message that residents of west Eugene neighborhoods endure a considerable burden of pollution from railroad operations and other industrial and mobile sources.  Please ensure that the railroad does more—including the measures listed above--to protect residents from exposure to its hazardous pollution in neighborhood groundwater and air.

Greg Aitken, Manager, Eugene Railyard Investigation Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 1102 Lincoln, Suite 210 Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 687-7361 Aitken.Greg@deq.state.or.us	Sarah Hendrickson, Public Health Officer Lane County Health & Human Services 125 E 8th Avenue Eugene, OR  97401 682-3956 sarah.hendrickson@co.lane.or.us
Gary Honeyman, Site Remediation Manager Union Pacific Railroad 221 Hodgeman Laramie, WY 82072 (307) 745-6532	Congressman Peter DeFazio 405 East 8th Ave. #2030 Eugene, OR  97401 (541) 465-6732 or 1 (800) 944-9603 Email via web site: http://www.defazio.house.gov/

This message was brought to you by The Railyard Pollution Coalition
PO Box 11692, Eugene OR 97440
(541) 684-8064
briley@efn.org or info@oregontoxics.org