The North Market Street site is situated approximately one mile north of Spokane City, Washington. Bordered by Gerlach Road to the south, nestled between North Market and Freya Streets, and extending north of Lincoln Road, this location holds a significant history. Critically, the site’s geographical position places it directly above the Spokane-Valley Rathdrum-Prairie Aquifer, a vital source of drinking water for over 500,000 individuals. Historically, this area served as a major petroleum storage and distribution hub, integral to a larger oil refinery complex. Many of the properties within the North Market Street Site were once dedicated to industrial and commercial activities centered around the refining, recycling, and distribution of petroleum products.
Starting in the late 1930s, the area, including what is now the Tosco Spokane Terminal tank farm and distribution center, became part of an extensive oil refinery operation. During this period, common waste disposal methods for refinery byproducts led to the release of liquid petroleum waste into the surrounding environment. These practices, standard for the time, unfortunately resulted in ground contamination at the North Market Street site.
Refinery operations ceased in 1953. However, the facility transitioned to continue functioning as a petroleum tank farm post-refinery decommissioning. This ensured the site’s continued use in the petroleum industry, focusing on storage rather than refinement.
Currently, the Tosco Spokane Terminal remains operational as a petroleum fuels storage and distribution center. It boasts a substantial cumulative storage capacity estimated at around 391,500 barrels, or 16,443,000 gallons, primarily for automotive fuels. Notably, since 1976, the Tosco Terminal Facility has experienced at least two significant product spills, highlighting the ongoing environmental sensitivity of the location. The zoning for the facility and surrounding North Market Street Site properties is primarily designated for commercial and industrial use, reflecting its long history of industrial activity.
Originally, the Tosco Refining Company and Phillips Petroleum Company held responsibility for the site cleanup efforts due to the historical contamination. Following a merger between Tosco and Phillips Petroleum, the responsibility shifted. Subsequently, Phillips merged with Conoco, creating ConocoPhillips Company. In 2012, Phillips 66 was formed as a spin-off from ConocoPhillips, and with this separation, Phillips 66 assumed the ongoing responsibility for the environmental cleanup at the North Market Street site.
