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Department of Ecology News Release - October 6, 2006
06-204
BELLINGHAM - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) seeks public comments on environmental documents that describe and evaluate cleanup options for the Whatcom Waterway site.
The site includes properties adjacent to the former location of the Georgia Pacific paper mill on Bellingham Bay. The documents have been prepared by the Port of Bellingham with Ecology oversight.
Out for public review on Oct. 10 will be Ecology's Draft Supplemental Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (Supplemental RI/FS) and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Supplemental EIS).
Sediments in the Whatcom Waterway site contain mercury and other contaminants that do not meet state cleanup standards. Under the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Ecology initiated cleanup activities with Georgia Pacific (GP) in 1996. In 2000, Ecology presented and evaluated data collected from sampling in 1996 and 1998, and a range of remedial alternatives, in a remedial investigation/feasibility study. That same year, Ecology also performed an environmental impact analysis.
Since 2000, GP closed its pulp mill and the Port of Bellingham acquired GP-owned property within the site. These developments along with new sampling data collected in 2002, 2003, and 2004 have necessitated a Supplemental RI/FS. The Supplemental RI/FS incorporates results of recent investigations, updates previously evaluated cleanup alternatives, describes and evaluates new cleanup alternatives, and identifies a preferred cleanup approach.
Ecology describes and evaluates eight cleanup alternatives ranging from $8 million to $146 million and taking six to 13 years to complete. These options include cleanup of the Aerated Stabilization Basin (ASB), a wastewater treatment pond used by Georgia Pacific since 1979, as well as clean up of bottom sediments outside the pond. Documents for review include an Ecology evaluation of the potential environmental affects of implementing these eight alternatives, plus a "no action" alternative, in the companion Supplemental EIS.
The cleanup of the Whatcom Waterway Site is governed by the MTCA and Sediment Management Standards (SMS). Based on MTCA and SMS, Ecology will ensure any cleanup protects human health and the environment.
On Oct. 10, the Supplemental RI/FS and EIS will be available at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/whatcom/ww.htm . Documents will also be available at the Bellingham's Central Library, 210 Central Ave, and the Dept of Ecology, Bellingham Field Office at 1204 Railroad Ave, Suite 200.
The public is encouraged to review the Whatcom Waterway Supplemental RI/FS and Supplemental EIS and provide written comment between Oct. 10 and Dec. 9, 2006. Ecology will hold public meetings at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, and at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 30, at the Bellingham Municipal Court. The public may send written comments to Lucille T. McInerney, Department of Ecology, 3190 160th Ave., Bellevue, WA 98008, or by e-mail to lpeb461@ecy.wa.gov .
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Media contact: Shannon Sullivan, Public Information Officer, 360-738-6247, e-mail: ssul461@ecy.wa.gov
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
