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Waste Site Reports: Washington
NOAA trust species in Washington include anadromous fish (chinook, coho, sockeye, chum, pink, steelhead, rainbow, cutthroat, and Dolly Varden), as well as marine fish (surf smelt, American shad, Pacific herring, Pacific cod, Pacific tomcod and other cods, walleye pollock, threespine stickleback, several species of perch, snake prickleback, Pacific sandlance, several species of rockfish, and white sturgeon). It also include invertebrates like Dungeness crab and other species of crabs, clams, oysters, squid, and shrimp. The Columbia River and Puget Sound support economically important commercial and recreational fisheries. Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are well known breeding and haul-out areas for harbor seals, seasonal foraging areas for California sea lions, and foraging and migratory paths for gray, minke, and killer whales. Steller sea lions and Dall's porpoises also inhabit Washington's marine waters.
Military Sites in Washington
Washington is dotted with over 337 military installations and formerly used defense areas, comprising 613 DoD sites. The nature of defense-related activities involves chemicals that are highly toxic and persistent in the environment. In Washington, military-related contaminants of concern include TNT and RDX residues, electroplating wastes, battery electrolites, mercury, lead, and other heavy metals, PCBs, pesticides, VOCs, and PAHs.
NOAA CRCs have conducted coastal hazardous waste site reviews for Bangor Naval Submarine Base, Jackson Park Housing Complex, Naval Air Station Ault Field, Naval Air Station Seaplane Base, Old Navy Dump Manchester Lab., and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Other activities at this last site include review of site work plans and provisions of advice on bioassays. DoD has 91 installations contemplated for restoration in Washington. NOAA's input is needed now to ensure cleanups that are protective of coastal natural resources as well as human health. NOAA offers technical expertise and a neutral perspective valued by both the military and the local public.
Areas of Special Concern in Washington
The NOAA CRC program works to protect and restore natural resources throughout Washington. However, Commencement Bay is of special concern because of the magnitude of the area impacted, the toxicity levels involved, and the importance of the Puyallup river system for anadromous species. NOAA has been extensively involved at this site, working with EPA to develop biological tests, to evaluate sediment chemistry and biological results to determine areas requiring remediation, and to evaluate proposed contaminated sediment disposal sites. NOAA continues to review work plans, sampling plans, data reports, models, and remedial designs. The NOAA CRC program has provided extensive support to EPA's risk-based PCB cleanup level work group to protect consumers of seafood. The staff are valued members in several work groups and interagency forums working to address the various sediment contamination issues of Commencement Bay. Other areas of concern are the Columbia River and the Duwamish-Green River systems, which provide important habitat for migrating and spawning anadromous fish.
Reports Not Yet Available Online
- Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (Ault) (Reviewed 1986); CERCLIS No. = WA5170090059
- Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (Seaplane) (Reviewed 1986); CERCLIS No. = WA6170090058
- Wyckoff Co./Eagle Harbor (Reviewed 1986); CERCLIS No. = WAD009248295
Waste Site Reports
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- WA: Commencement Bay, Near Shore/Tide Flats (Reviewed 1984); CERCLIS No. = WAD980726368 Evaluated in a single Coastal Hazardous Waste Site Review with CERCLIS no. = WAD980726301
(Document format: PDF, size: 469.4 K)
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- WA: Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel (Reviewed 1984); CERCLIS No. = WAD980726301 Evaluated in a single Coastal Hazardous Waste Site Review with CERCLIS No. = WAD980726368
(Document format: PDF, size: 469.4 K)
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- WA: Oeser Company (Reviewed 1997); CERCLIS No. = WAD008957243
(Document format: PDF, size: 80.9 K)
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- WA: Tulalip Landfill (Reviewed 1992); CERCLIS No. = WAD980639256
(Document format: PDF, size: 398.9 K)
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Other pages in this series
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