Sundberg Gravel Mine

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The Sundberg Mining Pit is an abandoned gravel mine in the City of Olympia and at the headwaters of the Butler Cove Watershed and Green Cove Watershed. The property appears to be controlled by Gerald Mahan with a development corporation and registered agent in Puyallup, Washington. The City received a complete proposal to build 181 houses on the site in February, 2019.

Notes

The 2019 review has been focused on two issues: the management of storm water consistent with protection of Green Cove Creek, and the potential for contamination from unregulated dumping of debris on the site.
2016 article describing a 2016 proposal from the same building at the same site that was withdrawn - http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/08/former-sundberg-mining-pit-proposed-for.html
The 2013 "no further action" determination by Ecology was based on an extensive review of underground fuel tank cleanup sites completed by a contractor for Ecology, and was unlikely to have considered other concerns or claims about the site.

State Mining law RCW 78.44.131 indicates "All reclamation activities shall be completed not more than two years after completion or abandonment of surface mining on each segment of the area for which a reclamation permit is in force." It is unclear that reclamation has occurred at this site.
At a community meeting on 3/1/19 the lawyer for the developer stated that he would recommend to the owner that he submit to a toxics investigation, if it met their criteria and was paid for by neighbors.
Several neighbors claim that over the last several generations truckloads of toxic materials were dumped and buried in the glacial swales on the site.

Documents

File:Riner 2019 opposition to development.pdf - letter to the City in opposition to proposed development on 22 Feb 2019 from adjacent neighborhood.
File:WDOE 2019 sundberg mine cleanup summary.pdf - describes actions supervised by WDOE. It provides ID numbers necessary for records requests. In 2013 Ecology determined "no further action" because petroleum/diesel levels were below cleanup. This appears to be related to a tank cleanup in 1993. There are no digital records. Paper records would need to be reviewed to determine the extent of sampling used to make that determination.
File:Cereghino 2019 objection to the green cove gardens development design.pdf provides comments based on rapid technical review describing a case for initiating SEPA EIS based on stormwater impacts to Green Cove Creek Watershed inconsistent with the ratified County and City watershed plan, and the risk of contamination in an unregulated landfill documented on site.
Works in Progress Article "Green Cove Park: Will Olympia’s planners act to “protect and enhance quality of life, sustainability and safety” as their mission says?"
File:Robinson & Sayre 2019 opposition to green cove development with attachments.pdf offers documentation and testimony submitted to the city concerning contaminants at Sundberg Mining Pit.
File:Hansen 2019 sundberg gravel pit waste extent.pdf provides a synthesis estimating the extent of unregulated waste buried at the site based on existing test pits.
File:Hornbein 2019 green cove delayed review.pdf gives theh City's notice to developer that review will be delayed due to site complexity.
File:Thomas 2019 green cove document review analysis recommendations.pdf provides a review of site issues completed by city contractor.
File:Dierker & Kronenberg 2019 response to green cove garden document review.pdf proposes that the city's review of evidence was inadequate, providing detailed examples.
The City of Olympia has provided "substantive review comments" on August 8, 2019, indicating that additional information is necessary to review the preliminary plat.
File:Phillip Burgess 2019 green cove park no additional testing.pdf claims that no additional site assessment is necessary.
File:Kronenberg & Dierker 2020 exhortation to oppose development.pdf claims federal nexus, history of unpermitted activity and inadequate testing
Works in Progress Article January 2020, "A toxic past that threatens our future: The latest real estate scheme for Green Cove Basin"
File:Cereghino 2020 green cove garden water flow path.pdf - shows water flow pathways and sensitive natural resources.