Burlington Northern Pollution Cleanup

Read the Montana DEQ’s March 2015 summary of the ongoing BNSF rail yard cleanup effort: Burlington Northern Livingston Shop Complex Update Summary.

PCEC makes every effort to monitor and track the cleanup of polluted soils and groundwater beneath the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail yard in Livingston.

Solvents containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), petroleum by-products, asbestos, and lead have contaminated the soil and groundwater at the rail yard (which has been designated as a CECRA (Montana Superfund) Site) and nearby locations. PCEC and its technical consultant monitor BNSF’s site remediation activities, and work in cooperation with Montana Department of Environmental Quality to ensure that the company is adhering to cleanup protocols. DEQ also regularly updates us on progress with individual cleanup activities, so that we can keep the public informed.

Current cleanup efforts are focused largely on monitoring and mitigation of vapor intrusion into local residences resulting from VOC-contaminated soils and ground water. DEQ recently requested that BNSF mitigate (typically with a radon-type ventilation system) 18 buildings that were sampled in 2008. DEQ also recently identified additional contaminants in both rail yard and residential buildings, including benzene, vinyl chloride, and chloroform, that BNSF will be asked to mitigate. Based on new information, DEQ is developing a Risk Assessment Amendment to address additional sampling and mitigation system operation and maintenance.

Ongoing remediation activities for petroleum product contamination include bioventing and dual phase (“pump and treat”) product recovery. Both methods are in the process of being extended into the area south of Park Street. There are also pilot tests in progress to evaluate the effectiveness of injecting sodium permanganate into the ground to break down solvents at the source of contamination.

Information from the EPA: EPA-BN Cleanup in Livingston, MT

Information from MT DEQ: Burlington Northern Livingston Shop Complex CECRA Facility

View maps of the extent of the Livingston Rail Yard Plume Here