Colfax- Last week, the Port of Whitman County closed on the former Rogers Brothers Seed Company property in Colfax. The property, identified as a potential site for a future childcare facility, is the latest in the Port’s efforts to clean up and redevelop environmentally contaminated properties in Whitman County.

In 2023, the Port received a $500,000 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assessment Grant to lead a community-wide brownfields assessment program. Around that time, the Port also began exploring the feasibility of a childcare facility in Colfax, WA. A feasibility study identified the Roger Brothers Seed Company property as a potential site for a childcare center. As part of due diligence, the Port used brownfield assessment grant funds to conduct Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments. The property’s past use as a seed processing plant suggested the presence of environmental contaminants. Those assessments found evidence of soil contamination. 

“The legacy contamination at the Rogers Brothers site is complex,” said Commission President Karl Webber. “The Port is uniquely positioned to apply for state and federal grants and other funding to remediate and revitalize the property. We are committed to readying the site for reuse and redevelopment.”

Remediating the site includes concentrations of contaminants of concern (coc) in the soil, including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and petroleum constituents, and hazardous building materials including asbestos containing material (ACM) and lead based paint. While these contaminants are not an immediate danger to public health, the property’s location adjacent to the Colfax Junior-Senior High School is a driving factor in the remediation of the site.

“The Colfax School District is thrilled that the Port bought this property and is invested in its clean up,” said Superintendent Jerry Pugh. “Its proximity to the Colfax Junior-Senior High School makes it of special interest to the district. We look forward to its revitalization.”

While the property has been identified as a potential site for a future childcare facility, the Port is still working to determine a path forward for the childcare project. 

“Regardless of the site’s future use, cleanup of this property will support economic growth in the City of Colfax,” Mayor Jim Retzer said. “We are excited to see this cleanup progress.”

Cleanup costs are estimated at about $5 million. Cleanup will include off-site incineration of soil designated for specific treatment and capping of other on-site contamination in a protective barrier. The Port is applying for an EPA Cleanup Grant for $4 million to pay for cleanup costs. That award announcement is expected in May. There is no official timeline for completion of the project as the Port pursues additional funding options through the Washington State Department of Ecology and other organizations. 

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About Brownfields

A brownfield site is a formerly used piece of property that may be contaminated with hazardous materials, pollutants, or other contaminants. Common contaminants include some pesticides, lead, petroleum, asbestos, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other metals. 

About the Rogers Brothers Seed Company Property

The Rogers Brothers Seed property, located behind the Colfax High School, is a historic piece of property, acting as a hub for industrial activity in Colfax, WA since the early 1900s. A coal storage shed was installed in 1908 and removed in 1922. The Rogers Brothers Seed company operated a seed processing and storage facility between 1940-1980. A rail spur ran through the property. These uses are historically associated with environmental impacts. The Port seeks to remediate the site so the property may be redeveloped.

About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities. For more information about Port properties and ongoing projects visit the Port website, www.portwhitman.com.