Former oil terminal cleanup planned next to Salmon Bay

There’s a plan in place to clean up a former oil terminal on the south side of Salmon Bay, and the Washington Department of Ecology is seeking public feedback on the proposed cleanup.

The 11-acre site (2737-2805 West Commodore Way) was developed for Time Oil’s bulk fuel operations in the 1940s, primarily to support World War II efforts, and was in use until 2001. The site’s operations resulted in considerable environmental degradation, releasing contaminants including petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, wood preservative, and metals into soil and groundwater of the property and adjacent West Commodore Way.

There have been previous cleanups between 1991 and 2017, and this final cleanup will address the remaining contamination.

Now, the Department of Ecology is seeking public review and comment on the legal agreement (Prospective Purchaser Consent Decree) and related documents through Aug. 18. The public also is invited to an online public meeting July 29, from 6pm to 7 p.m., where Ecology will explain and answer questions about the proposed cleanup.

As part of the agreement, TOC Seattle Terminal LLC will deposit $1.5 million into a state account for future use by Ecology to perform additional cleanup work, as needed, in Salmon Bay or on land.

The proposed cleanup includes excavating contaminated soil, in-place treatment to encapsulate soils contaminated with liquid petroleum or chlorinated solvents, protective capping over parts of the property, protected by a deed restriction, and treatment of contaminated groundwater.

Public comment is sought for a total of five documents (all PDF, from the Dept. of Ecology):

• The legal agreement– Prospective Purchaser Consent Decree.
• Supplemental Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report – describes contamination at the Property, evaluates cleanup alternatives, and recommends a preferred alternative. Part 1: Text, Tables, Figures; Part 2: Appendices
• Draft Cleanup Action Plan– describes Ecology’s chosen cleanup plan and specifies cleanup standards and requirements.
• State Environmental Policy Act Checklist and Determination of Non-Significance– Ecology’s evaluation & determination that the proposed cleanup is not likely to harm the environment.
• Public Participation Plan – describes how Ecology will engage with the community and keep the public informed.

To submit comments, use Ecology’s online comment app, email the site manager at Mark.Adams@ecy.wa.gov, or mail comments to Mark Adams, Dept. of Ecology, 3190 160^th Ave. SE, Bellevue WA 98008.