# BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD TIE TREATMENT FACILITY
> **Administrative - Formal** · FY1993 · — · Final Order No Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `28404`
- **Case Number:** 05-1993-0885
- **Type:** Administrative - Formal
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order No Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $0
- **Cost recovery:** $0
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
## Summary

THE FACILITY IS A WOOD PRESERVING OPERATION WHICH BN BEGAN   OPERATION IN 1907, AND IT LIES WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL          BOUNDARIES OF BAXTER AND BRAINERD, MINNESOTA.  THE AREA IS   RURAL AND IS LOCATED ABOUT 800-1000 FEET FROM HIGHWAY 371    AND 3000 FEET FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. RESIDENTIAL AREAS  ARE LOCATED TO WITHIN ABOUT 1,000 FEET OF THE NORTHEAST AND  SOUTHEAST OF THE SITE.                                       PRIMARY CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN INCLUDE: POLYNUCLEAR         AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAH), PHENOLS, AND HETEROCYCLES.  THE COMPANY USED CREOSOTE TO TREAT THE TIES, AND IN THE 1950S    ADDED NUMBER 5 FUEL OIL TO THE TREATMENT MIXTURE ON A 1:1    RATIO; LATER THE MIXTURE WAS CHANGED TO CREOSOTE AND COAL    TAR WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED ON A 70:30 MIXTURE. THE          TREATMENT PROCESS USED AN UNLINED SURFACE IMPOUNDMENT FOR    THE DISPOSAL OF WASTEWATER FROM THE PROCESS.  THE FIRST      IMPOUNDMENT WAS ABOUT 60,000 SQUARE FEET IN AREA, BUT IT     EVENTUALLY FILLED WITH SLUDGE AND WAS BURIED IN THE 1930S. A SECOND IMPOUNDMENT WAS USED UNTIL 1982 WHEN A WASTEWATER     TREATMENT PLANT WAS BUILT.  GROUNDWATERS AND SOILS AT THE    SITE HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED BY THIS PROCESS.  A PLUME ABOUT  1000 FEET LONG AND ABOUT THE WIDTH OF THE EXISTING LAGOON    WAS DETECTED DURING RI WORK. TWO POTABLE WELLS (HAROLD'S     CLUB AND A REDI MIX PLANT) ARE POTENTIALLY DOWNGRADIENT OF   THE PLUME AND LIE BETWEEN THE PLUME AND THE RIVER.           A CONSENT ORDER WAS ENTERED BETWEEN 

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*