[CPEO-BIF] PCE blocks Vancouver (WA) housing deal

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Chemical findings stop housing plan
Kyocera site - PCE detected in groundwater would make financing 
difficult or impossible

ALLAN BRETTMAN
The Oregonian
June 2, 2006

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Housing Authority has put on hold plans to 
acquire and develop about 38.5 acres from Kyocera International Inc. on 
Fourth Plain Boulevard.

The VHA decided to not proceed with the $21 million purchase after a 
consultant detected trace amounts of the chemical tetrachloroethane in 
groundwater underlying about five acres of the property. The public 
housing agency would not be able to obtain underwriting for its $28.85 
million in bonds -- the purchase price plus improvements on the land -- 
with questions surrounding the land's environmental quality, said Kurt 
Creager, housing authority executive director.

The chemical tetrachloroethane, also called PCE, has been used in the 
dry cleaning business. Until 20 years ago, before its ill health effects 
were known, the chemical was commonly discarded untreated outdoors, said 
Sandy Howard, a state Department of Ecology spokeswoman. Discarding of 
chemicals in the dry cleaning business is now regulated, she added.


...

For the entire article, see
http://www.oregonlive.com/metronorth/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_north_news/1149226088118730.xml&coll=7
--


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org


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