Exterior Wood, Inc. public comment

We invite you to review and comment on documents about the cleanup of Exterior Wood, located at 2685 Index Street in Washougal. The site has a history of wood‑treating operations that have resulted in soil and groundwater contamination.

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Documents available for review and comment

We invite you to review the following documents and share comments with us:

• Draft Agreed Order: Describes required cleanup actions and responsibilities.
• Draft Public Participation Plan: This plan encourages community involvement in the cleanup process.

How to submit comments

You can choose any of the following methods to submit your comments:

• Online public comment form
• Email emilie.kadhim@ecy.wa.gov
• By mail (see address information below)

When the public comment period ends, we will consider all comments and may change the documents based on them. After considering all comments, the documents will become final.

Will there be a public meeting?

At this time, there are no public meetings scheduled for this comment period. We will hold a public meeting if 10 or more people request one. To request a meeting, please contact Emilie Kadhim at 564-250-2586 or emilie.kadhim@ecy.wa.gov.

Background

Exterior Wood, Inc. has been an operating wood-treatment facility in the Camas-Washougal Industrial Park since 1977. The purpose of wood treatment is to increase the longevity of wood, by creating rot- and insect-resistant lumber products. The process presses wood preservatives deep into the wood fibers. Once treated, the wood dries over a drip pad. At Exterior Wood, this process resulted in accidental leaks of wood-preserving chemicals, causing contamination under the drip pad.

Historical preservatives used at this site include chromated copper arsenate (CCA), copper azole, borate, and boric acid. Sampling conducted over decades shows contamination in soil and groundwater from wood‑preserving chemicals, such as arsenic, chromium, and copper.

For more information, read our Exterior Wood public notice (publication 26-04-027).