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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Onions could grow in a mild winter ... Fallen Trooper Memorial to be built at Salem's Capitol Mall ... 'Preacher Train' helped spur settlement of Talent ... Since You Asked: Onions could grow in a mild winter ... Fallen Trooper Memorial to be built at Salem's Capitol Mall ... 'Preacher Train' helped spur settlement of Talent ... KLAMATH COUNTY: SUPERFUND SITE Multi-million-dollar renovation set at asbestos-tainted estates Comment By Lacey Jarrell Herald and News MailTribune.com By Lacey Jarrell Herald and News Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Lacey Jarrell Herald and News Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News A $30 million renovation planned for North Ridge Estates is slated to start in August 2016. The three-year cleanup in the mostly abandoned asbestos-ridden housing division east of Klamath Falls will occur in three phases, according to project managers. The effort will be the last significant phase in a decade-long effort to clean up the estates, which was designated as a Superfund and prioritized for hazardous substance cleanup in 2011. Environmental engineer Linda Meyer said the first construction phase in 2016 will run from August to October, and the following seasons will run between May and October in 2017 and 2018. The 171-acre site is was initially developed as a Marine recuperation barracks in the 1940s during World War II. “Basically, it was for Marines that served in the tropics to come back. It was built and used for a year or two, and then the war ended,” said Katie Robertson, a project manager for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. After the war, the Oregon Institute of Technology used the site from 1947 to 1964. “Once they moved out and into town, they left it virtually intact. Then the government surplussed it and sold it to a developer in 1977,” Robertson said. The developer demolished everything and tried to burn the debris. “As was very typical back then, the building materials contained asbestos. Plan A didn’t work out very well for the developer because very little of the structures could be burned,” Robertson continued. So instead, the developer spread the debris over about 125 acres. “We’re talking cement asbestos board, vinyl floor tile, roofing material, steam pipe wrap, tar paper — you name it, it’s out there,” Robertson said. A phenomenon called “frost heave,” in which freezing temperatures cause material embedded in soil to migrate skyward, has brought much of the asbestos to the surface, where it can break down and become airborne. Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that doesn’t dissolve or deteriorate, and was once used as a fire retardant in building materials. Asbestos is no longer considered a suitable building material because it can become embedded in the lungs and cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, a chronic lung disease. According to Meyer, the diseases usually don’t surface for 20 to 30 years after initial exposure. Since then, about 60 tons of asbestos-contaminated soil and debris have been removed from North Ridge Estates, the residential subdivision built atop the asbestos-laden soil in the 1990s. A 2006 lawsuit resulted in 18 of the families being permanently relocated off the property. During the cleanup, contractors will remove the sidewalks, trees, septic systems and at least one house. Because contamination is present in the topsoil throughout the site, contractors will remove a minimum of 2 feet up to a maximum of 4 feet over a 125-acre area. A 2-foot cap of clean soil will protect the site for 150 years, said Judy Smith, a public information officer for the EPA. Asbestos and contaminated soil excavated at the site will be stored onsite, in protected repository piles, Meyer said. According to Smith, a “zero-dust policy” will be in place for contractors excavating the asbestos. Meyer said contractors will use city water to keep the soil damp. If everything goes according to plan, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to transfer control of the site to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for long-term operations and maintenance. Smith said she regularly receives phone calls from individuals interested in purchasing homes at North Ridge Estates. She expects property values to be restored to market value after the renovation. By Lacey Jarrell Herald and News MailTribune.com By Lacey Jarrell Herald and News Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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