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Bainbridge Island Superfund Site Clean-up Agreement Signed

Release Date: 4/25/1997
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97-32 April 25, 1997

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Another piece of the complex cleanup puzzle at the Wyckoff/Eagle Harbor Superfund Site on Bainbridge Island, Washington, fell neatly into place today as an agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PACCAR Inc. and federal potentially responsible parties (including the Department of Defense) was entered in U.S. District Court. Today’s settlement paves the way for the next recovery phase for the 500-acre site.

Under the agreement, PACCAR will undertake and pay for cleanup in the western portion of Eagle Harbor. We’re heartened by PACCAR’s willingness to demonstrate cleanup leadership at Eagle Harbor this year. Delaying this settlement could have put cleanup off at least a year, but this way environmental recovery starts sooner, said Chuck Clarke, Regional Administrator for EPA Region 10.

EPA selected the West Harbor cleanup plan in 1992, and amended it in 1995. Under a 1993 Administrative Order on Consent, PACCAR completed design for the West Harbor cleanup plan, with participation by the State of Washington, also a PRP. The Federal PRPs are providing $4.8 million, which will go towards cleanup of the eastern portion of Eagle Harbor.

The West Harbor cleanup, which PACCAR is initiating this spring, consists of containing sources of contamination and cleaning up contaminated sediment through dredging and capping.

PACCAR will be working closely with the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT), since the area slated for cleanup is used by the Washington State Ferries (WSF) for ferry maintenance. Because the ferry maintenance facility had previously been a private shipyard -- which operated from the turn of the century until the late 1950's -- there are several sediment hot spots containing heavy metals such as mercury, copper and lead which are to be dredged. Soil hot spots above the waterline will be stabilized and contained to prevent further leaching of metals into the harbor.

EPA continues to negotiate the details of a separate agreement with the State of Washington. EPA reached agreement in principle with the State for long-term monitoring and habitat mitigation work for the West Harbor, clean sediments for use as capping materials, and funding toward East Harbor cleanup. Based on the agreement in principle, WSDOT started construction of a salt marsh estuary on Bainbridge Island this January as a key element of the habitat mitigation.

The PACCAR and federal PRP agreement, combined with the State agreement, will complement EPA-funded cleanup work on the former Wyckoff Facility. Creosote and other wood-treating compounds have contaminated soils, groundwater, and sediments in much of Eagle Harbor.