I'm Todd Woodard.

I'm the director of marketing and public affairs for Spokane International Airport.

I've been with the airport a little over 30 years, and my roles and responsibilities really are are on external communications, assisting and supporting Lisa regarding updates to the public website and to the public regarding our ongoing environmental investigation.

Lisa.

Thank you.

I'm Lisa Corcoran.

I'm the chief development officer for Spokane International Airport.

I have a civil engineering background with 29 years of aviation industry experience.

As part of my role, I oversee the planning, design, construction, land development, and environmental, activities for the airport.

Over the last year and a half, we've been diligently working on, all things fast.

The opportunity here today is to really update the community, on what we have done.

What we have learned from that and where we're going for the future.

Thank you.

All right.

Hi.

And I'm Kenia Whitehead.

I am a senior associate scientist with an environmental science and consulting firm called GSI environmental.

Our company has been around for almost 40 years, and over that time period, we have worked hard at solving complex environmental issues, at sites across the US and internationally.

For what we're discussing today, my role is I am our project team lead.

In our work with the airport.

I have, of course, behind me because it's not just me.

A team of scientists who are both experts in their field, but also experts in investigating and managing PFAs issues at sites.

And really, at the end of the day, our goal is to, develop scientifically sound solutions so that we can help to address the issues we're talking about today.

Perfect.

Let's let's just start with the basics.

Kind of, can you if you can explain what are PFAs?

Yeah.

So PFAs are really a whole family of different chemical compounds.

And so one of their key characteristics is they're primarily made up of the two elements carbon and fluorine.

People have actually been around since the 1940s.

They are present commonly in both commercial and industrial products.

And you see them kind of globally at this point, if you go out to take measurements, you will detect them around the world, within the environment.

For airports in particular, PFAs come into play because they are a component in a triple F. So a triple lab or aqueous film foam farming foam, is the product of choice as airports and military go to respond to emergencies around the world.

Since the late 1960s, actually, the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA has mandated within the US that airports use PFAs for this type of emergency response.

And that has come with a requirement that they have to conduct training exercises as well as test their equipment.

And that results in the usage of a triple F. And why is it?

And this might be a scientific explanation again for you, but why is it so effective?

It forms, it acts as a surfactant and essentially forms a coating you can think of that basically helps to smother a fire.

And especially when we're thinking of fires, that involves things like a jet fuel.

It is very important that you put out that fire very, very quickly, effectively, because essentially lives are at stake at the passengers, but also for the health and safety of the firefighters.

Yeah.

Let's get into the history, a little bit of Spokane International Airport and when and how a triple F foam was used.

Kind of explain if you can tod the military background and the origin.

Sure.

Of the airport?

Sure.

Thank you.

So the airport was formed.

Spokane International was formed in 1938, by Spokane County.

They saw the growth.

Those field are generally the Asian facility.

East of downtown.

And they saw that commercial aviation was growing rapidly.

So they cited a new facility on about 1300 acres.

And then came, World War 2 in 1940.

The facility was sold to the Department of War in the day, and they operated the facility as a B-17 bomber training facility, trained throughout, eastern Washington, keeping the bomb crews ready for deployment.

In 1946, the airport was turned back over to the county, but the military maintained a presence in Spokane International.

We had a Naval Air Station.

Spokane was based there, followed by an active duty Air Force fighter wing, followed by the Washington State Air National Guard that moved out from Beltsville because of its growth, to US International Airport, where there was more room for their facilities and, frankly, longer runways to support the aircraft that they were operating at the time.

As Kenny had said, we've had this, we've had, a triple taper, aqueous film forming foam solution as part of our firefighting arsenal.

Since the mid 1960s, and with the military presence, we know of three contaminated sites on the airport.

One is, referenced as the DoD, landfill.

The other one is swamped up.

And the other one is a fire, training facility, the joint fire pit, as they refer to it.

We're also designated because of that military activity going back to the 40s as a formerly utilized defense site.

And with that comes some responsibility on the part of the Corps of Engineers and others to remediate those sites.

So we pedal on.

And it's important because some of the the greasers that they used to maintain those aircraft also contained, people, as can you referenced, it's an industrial it's an industrial compound that you find in many, many different products, including the diffusers.

So in talking about that, so it's not just as you point out, it's not just the a triple F, foam, but as we talk in general about that, how often then and I know this is a general this is a big broad question because it's been used there for so many decades.

But how often do you think it was deployed in training or what have you, even through the military years, at what is now Spokane International Airport, I can't speak on behalf of the military.

But I know from from our perspective, we've never had a major incident.

We've never had to deploy a large amount of a triple F to combat an incident or a fire of any kind.

We did dispense it annually as part of our certification process.

Can you also reference to help calibrate our firefighting equipment to make sure it at met the FAA's requirements for response?

But it's relatively a small amount on each dispensing.

And then we have a dispense each on the left.

Since 2016, we adopted a new, system and no film system.

It's an apparatus.

It's installed the machine that allows you to spray the water but bypass the pump system.

But we've not dispense any, foam directly since 2016.

So you haven't dispensed it since 2016.

And 2017 is when, I know starting, I think, at Fairchild.

But we were informed that maybe this was contaminating some water sources.

Were you guys at any point before that told by the FAA or anybody else for that, any government agency that, hey, we think there might be a problem with this foam, or was it brought to your guys's attention in 2017 In 2017, we did hear of, Fairchild Air Force Base identifying that there was some contamination.

And as part of that, FAA was in the process of evaluating what type of, you know, process and, chemical could be, deployed.

A triple F is, you know, at that time was still required and federally mandated.

Since then, they have transitioned and provided, you know, guidance as to what to transition to, throughout that process in 2017.

You know, the airport's always been proactive in that sense where, when the FAA, as our federally mandated agency identified, certain a triple F, chemical, we, you know, we use that when they started recognizing that they wanted to use and more environmentally friendly, chemical and they transitioned and provided that requirement.

The airport also transitioned, known as from a C8 to a C6, a triple F chemical.

You know, as soon as the FAA identified now the F3, which is the new fluorine free foam, we were one of the first to acquire that as an airport and have that as a purchase order to be able to obtain that new, you know, process and that new chemical is the eight.

I know that you're in the beginning stages of using the new F3, but is the a triple F still stored on site?

Is it something that's still being used is a loose word because I know that you guys haven't deployed it.

Thank goodness you haven't had any kind of an air disaster or, an emergency where you would need to, but is it still being stored on site?

And what generally, should the public know about that?

Yeah, that's a great question.

Down the the, old a triple F is still stored on site.

It, it will be there until we, you know, take the next step and learn what is then, you know, that disposal will look like, you know, just last week, we obtained a new fire truck, of which, you know, is to be used for, any event that needs a response, for aircraft, that new fire truck will have the F3, so that that will be our first mission is in the event that we need to deploy any type of chemical F3 with our new fire truck will be used in the event that that, would need additional support.

We still have our old fire trucks or older fire trucks.

And in which case, you know, then we could, if needed, go back to any other additional chemical.

It's not our intent to use that.

But again, in the event that we do need to the the, you know, the promise and the commitment that we make, to be a commercial service airport and obtain that certification by FAA is to provide safety to the aircraft, to the people on that aircraft, as well as the firefighters.

You brought up firefighters.

That is one question.

And I think a good clarity point, which is tell us a little bit about your firefighters and the training process they go through, both at the airport and off site, using or not using, any kind of foam.

Yeah.

As Todd mentioned, we don't, use any to deploy on the airfield.

We train with water.

What we do use is the no foam apparatus system that helps calibrate.

So when the product is mixed in with water, we need to make sure that it meets the FAA specification of of that ratio.

So that is, the no foam apparatus system that is, is used for that.

As far as off site training, just like any, you know, nationwide, training for commercial service airports, we are required to seek training.

Our firefighters do attend, off site training.

You know, a yearly to obtain that, that status going back to 2017, as Fairchild was finding out that there was some contamination, is that when you guys also alerted the public, like, did you take that?

You talk about being on the leading edge of of this, you know, contamination and research and, were you guys informing the public then?

Right then in 2017, when you found out there might be some of this, PFAs on your property as well?

Yeah.

We didn't know to the extent.

And so that that's, you know, a common question that we have received, in 2017, what we did know, is that Fairchild had contamination.

We ended up as, an airport testing to try to find a baseline if there was any contamination as as a result of that, to understand that airport, you know, as to what it it may have, not knowing, source location and where it's coming from.

So that was our first intent in 2017.

Since then, we've learned a lot more and have entered, you know, into the next steps.

So what does that look like to investigate, that source.

And if it truly is, coming from a location that we've deployed a triple F, or if it's coming from adjacent properties, that leads us right into this next part where we're talking about the Washington Department of Ecology and an issue that they may call in an enforcement order.

This was just last year for the airport.

Tell me about what that means.

And does it help you in this investigative process?

Yeah.

Over the last year and a half, as I mentioned, we've been diligently working with with Kenya and her group at GSA.

They are a nationally recognized firm that that works in PFAs.

We are not the only airport.

Unfortunately, it is a problem nationwide.

So this enforcement is, you know, is issued by ecology through the state process.

And so what we have been doing, as a result of that order, is to investigate that that order really focuses on, not only the historic use that Todd mentioned, but how how that plays a part in potential off site sources on airport sources.

And so that investigation is really early into that process.

The initial investigation, which we've been, you know, working on to identify based off that initial investigation, where it is, where it is show up on the airport.

That's the first step.

Todd mentioned that there were the three locations that based off, you know, sampling of soil and water, you know, that resulted in, the two firefighting locations or facilities there and then a joint training facility that was, you know, dates back to the military, operation and use of that.

So it is helped us in a way to understand the historic use.

Now, what is coming in potentially, from off site and then what is on site?

The airport did complete a site assessment report.

It's located on the college's website.

It documents it's over 400 pages long, but it documents, part of that enforcement order, which is very prescribed.

It is a step by step process that we coordinate with the state in every single task.

We're very early on into that task, and we have many more tasks to complete with the college.

But that site assessment report does identify all of that historic use.

The potential for any adjacent properties.

And then, on airport property, not only just from the airport use, but what military activity also or may have contributed to that?

I know that the investigation tasks are taking a long time.

I'm kind to talk a little bit about the process.

The very few labs that are available to test soils and the makeup of of what you're sending to the lab.

If you guys can talk a little bit about what your challenges are a little bit in this investigative process.

Yeah, I can touch a little bit on and then Kenya can fill in the blanks on the technical side.

But, you know, this this process, does take a lot of investigation.

And that is like I mentioned, a very prescribed process that, ecology identifies for, for the airport to perform.

Well, we have, done many and we're talking about hundreds of samples of soil and water samples and, we've also requested through that enforcement order with ecology to advance further testing instead of waiting.

And so that's, you know, out of all of these tasks, that is something that we're working with to advance, to help that perception of it takes a while.

We recognize that it is, something that is impacting not only our community members, employees.

And we recognize that there is some, sensitivity and understanding for this, the important increase, key critical thing is to really understand the investigation, to identify where it's coming from.

And that's currently where we're at.

Did you want to pick up any of that?

Sure.

So our involvement really started, essentially a couple months before the enforcement issue was issued.

So, and the winter of 2024, and just in terms of the challenges, so we work on other airport sites.

And so the first thing is just doing work and environmental work and collecting samples at a functioning commercial airport.

Right.

So you have all the health and safety concerns.

You're at a functioning airport, you have a lot of right aways, you need a lot of permissions.

So every time we are going out to sample, there is a list of things that we need to accommodate that differ.

Because this is an airport than some of our other industrial sites.

Right.

We have to really plan ahead.

And we need permissions both from the airport.

We need permissions from the FAA to collect the samples as well as, of course, the work that we do coordinating with ecology.

So we have this like operational, not so much a challenge, but this extra layer of operational consideration.

And then there's the technical side as you mentioned.

So we have been routinely, you know, routinely we have started collecting those samples.

We do need to get them analyzed.

That data also needs to go through a validation process.

The state has recommended that for fast data, it follows the validation process that the Department of Defense uses.

So that kind of adds an extra layer of getting from the point of taking a soil and groundwater sample to having a final result.

And then of course, once you have that final result, we need to analyze it.

The other thing that happens for us here, especially when we're here in Spokane and especially for the airport, is the geology and the hydrogeology of this particular location is complicated.

And so one of the things that we've been really working hard to do is to understand just that the geology and hydrogeology underneath the ground surface at the airport and of course, in the wider vicinity, and how things move around underneath the ground.

And then we need to know that process essentially in three dimensions.

So besides the field investigation, we have kind of a separate science and technical piece, because what we need to do is align the results, what we see on the airport into this wider picture to get to the answers that we're looking for.

And all of this is in line with the state's process in terms of moving through the model or the model.

Toxics Control Act, moving through that process and staying in alignment with the tasks that are outlined there.

You know, in a contamination type issue, there can be finger pointing, meaning one agency or one site is pointing the finger at another.

I will say there's not that going on here.

It sounds like you and the Air Force are working very closely together, although it's completely separate.

Department of ecology is kind of overseeing it sounds like what we're doing on the airport site versus, what's going on on the federal site, kind of explain why you have two separate investigations going on.

say so for the Department of Defense, obviously.

So Fairchild started their investigation much sooner, and the Department of Defense has to answer for environmental, investigations to at a federal level, essentially, so they will engage with EPA.

Whereas for the airport that becomes a state matter.

And so you do have an interplay just between the regulatory agencies, although they all again work together and communicate.

And so right now those investigations are proceeding in parallel.

But like you said, everybody understands that to get to the answers that we need, it really isn't about one site or another that we need that data to be a wider, of wider usage.

And that's in everyone's best interest at the end of the day.

Okay.

That's great.

Just recently, the state Department of Ecology, like I think in the last week or so named the city of Spokane and Spokane County also liable for the airport investigation.

And what does that mean?

And how will you guys then be working with the jurisdictions, or do they do their own thing?

The city and the county?

That is a recent development.

We still don't understand the complete scope and participation there.

So, as time progresses, we'll we'll further develop that and understand that as a team.

We talked a little bit about this, but obviously groundwater doesn't, adhere to any boundaries that we put into place, whether that's government or human created.

How do you determine and is there a chemical component that determines it, or can you even determine who's responsible for what contamination with the two sites, meaning airport and the air force base sitting side by side?

How are you going to determine that?

It seems very complicated.

It is complicated and it's complicated, particularly for people sites.

At this stage, we're in essentially moving into the remedial investigation.

And of course, at Fairchild, they're conducting their investigation.

And so any those types of questions are not part of the stage.

Yeah.

Okay.

What are the future steps in this enforcement order.

Like what's next.

Initially we've you know, with the enforcement order, we've completed the first task and subtasks under that.

What we've learned from that is that there are three locations, that we're going to continue to focus on.

So that initial investigation showed, are to existing, you know, our old and new fire, fighting facilities as well as the historical, fire pit location or training joint training facility.

What's happening next is we're going to continue to investigate that.

So there's another layer of testing.

We need to understand the seasonality.

As can you points out, this is such a complicated and complex situation that we really need to understand not only from the surface, and where those, you know, fast contamination areas are.

But does it, does it, convey to the, you know, subsurface.

And that's where Kenya will be helping us with her team to, to identify conveyance and the potential, or or no potential for conveyance.

Talk a little bit about this waterway that was discovered during the course of investigating.

Because of that coordination with Fairchild Air Force Base, we've been sharing information in a general sense, not only, you know, for things of PFAs, but historically, when it comes to airspace protection, land development, all things associated to, you know, the, the base and the airport.

We've always been, good partners.

This is no different.

When they identified that there was a conveyance pathway to that airport, they did bring that forward.

That is something that we're really in into our investigation now.

There is a, a ditch called No Name ditch that is conveying, from the Fairchild Air Force Base activities of their fire, training facility and, heading over directly to the airport.

It drains into the airport property.

And so for us, as we continue that investigation, it is something that we're going to continue to look at.

That's just another, off site, consideration that we have to incorporate through our investigation and understand how that may potentially impact our site as it relates to contamination of PFAs.

It's, you know, I mentioned no different than another site.

You know, just south of the airport, we have additional locations that were included in the site assessment report, like the Air National Guard, that we just again, need to understand based off operations, historic uses, recorded documents, what occurred that, provide us a little more information on potential off site conveyance, because those do lead to then they are report being recipients of, you know, as a passive receiver of contamination.

So that's again something that we're going to continue to look at, investigate and further understand as we can.

the actual financial cost of this is going to be quite high when everything's done, is there an indication of who ultimately pays for it?

Will it be at the federal level?

Will it be at the state level combination thereof?

Do we know yet?

Because I think it's that's still developing, you know, as we as we go forward, there are different wheels that are in motion in terms of, the cost and remedial action if you need down the road.

Let's talk a little bit about F3.

So it sounds like you, you are one of the first airports in the country, maybe to have this new fire truck with this new chemical compound, but that doesn't have the fast component to it, but still is effective.

And putting out fires, talk a little bit about that.

And then what's ahead with that.

Are all airports trying to transition to this.

Is this something that we're seeing across the country?

Are we one of the first?

I think you mentioned that maybe we were every state is a little different, but we do, follow the FAA guidance.

That guidance guidances, you know, it comes down as now using F3.

So you are correct.

We we procured that and were one of the first to place the purchase order to acquire that product.

With our new fire truck, it is the intent to only use F3, because of a triple F and its complexities of still remaining and fire trucks.

The last thing we want to do is co-mingle the two products.

So, for operational and, you know, best practices.

We are, transitioning into new fire trucks as, as as we can, with the new, F3 product.

What right now, are you, doing to to talk to the public about how are you dispersing the information?

I should say that that you are collecting, that you are able to convey to the public.

How are you doing that right now?

Yeah, this last year and a half, we've been, posting quite a bit of the environmental overview and, progress updates on our website.

And strictly, that was for, just, understanding the complexity of, you know, what is fast.

What do we know about it as it relates to Spokane International Airport?

And with the enforcement order, the tasks that we have at hand to complete, that has been our primary area to post information.

For the most part, it's been, you know, investigative process.

We needed to understand where, this product and potential conveyance could be of of a triple F as it relates to Spokane International Airport.

We're here today, and that is our goal, to identify what we have been doing, the results from that, this very initial stage of that.

And what are those next steps?

Well, we have a long ways to to go under that enforcement order.

It does provide and give the opportunity to our community to look at that information in a very, scientific, data driven approach and comprehensive, layout of, of what we have to do.

because it's such a complex issue and I kind of want each of you to answer this.

Is there 1 or 2 things you really want the public to take away about just what's going on right now, or what they need to know right now?

Very good.

I think the one thing is, we are we've set up multiple times, very committed to a scientific, data driven process.

We're going to let the data and the science drive our decision making going forward, and the processes and the procedures that we elect to take as a, as a, as a function of that, we are not going to speculate.

We're not going to guess at what it is.

We're not going to build high hopes or expectations within the public.

We are very committed to giving them, you know, the data that we have that is valid going forward.

We really feel strongly about the integrity of the process that we go through, and we're really committed about to that.

We we talk about that.

We talk about that's our public charge.

When you hold the public trust, you need to maintain that part of on the information side, is our existing, website is somewhat antiquated and the wireframing doesn't really support the type of dynamic information I think the public expects.

We're in the process of of rebuilding a whole new website.

And in the interim, we've launched a new, microsite that better details our findings and what we're going forward in terms of this environmental investigation.

What what would you want the public to know, just even a couple bullet points of what's going on right now and what what you see happening in the future.

We have been diligently working throughout this process over the last year and a half.

And we're going to continue to let the science drive our next step.

While it is a long process, we will let the science drive that and help us, as we look at, you know, next steps, we'll continue to work with ecology.

And as we know more, we'll continue to update the community, throughout this last year and a half, we didn't know what we know now.

And that's really important.

We did not want to be, predetermine our outcome and, be out in the public with, you know, with statements that we did not, understand or, you know, without any data.

We have data now that really shows, where we need to focus on for Spokane International Airport.

And we need to address those.

And that's what the enforcement order allows us to do through an investigative process.

Can that have anything to add?

I guess the only thing is, just like from the technical standpoint, I would echo what basically Todd and Lisa have already stated, which is really, you know, our goal has been to adhere to that accelerated pace that was set out in the scope of work and schedule from Ecology Enforcement Order, and we've been doing that for a year and a half, and we will continue to diligently work through that process, and to work with ecology.

And that really, at the end of the day, what we want is to generate the data that's needed to make the decisions for what's next, and then to make good decisions for what's next that are effective for any type of mitigation or cleanup processes.

That would happen.

All right.