ExxonMobil ADC

A PUGET SOUND INITIATIVE site – Reaching the goal of a healthy, sustainable Puget Sound

Background: This Site was used to receive, store and distribute petroleum fuel. The predecessors of ExxonMobil Oil Corporation owned the entire site from 1927 to 1974. Mobil Oil continued to operate the southern portion of the Site until 1987, but sold the northern portion to A.P. Miller for use by American Distributing Company (ADC). ADC conducted bulk petroleum operations on the northern portion from 1974 to 1990. All structures and pipes were removed between 1998 and 2000 from both portions of the Site, which is now an asphalt paved parking lot.

Petroleum contamination has been found in Site soil and groundwater due to past operations. It also flowed along the City of Everett’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) line into Port Gardner Bay. Studies and interim cleanup actions have been performed since 1985. Investigation results have found the following contaminants above state cleanup levels in soil and/or groundwater at the Site: total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), lead, benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene.

Site cleanup has been partially addressed under two prior Orders as discussed below.

1996 Order – Actions in 1996 included cleanup of petroleum releases at the City of Everett's CSO line into Port Gardner. Actions also included pilot testing of petroleum recovery technologies. As a result, direct discharge of petroleum into Port Gardner via the CSO was eliminated and about 23,000 gallons of petroleum contamination was recovered.
1998 Order – Actions in 1998 included preparing a Remedial Investigation/ Focused Feasibility Study (RI/FFS) report (data from 1988 to 1996 were compiled and evaluated) and performing an interim action to contain petroleum contamination on the Site. Interim actions performed (between 1998 and 2000) included demolition of Site structures, construction of an interceptor trench (for petroleum recovery), and construction of a Site cover to minimize infiltration of surface water into subsurface soil. Since 2000, groundwater monitoring and petroleum recovery activities are on-going at the Site.

Status: As a result of the 1998 Order, the ExxonMobil and A.P. Miller properties were converted into a parking lot, to allow for possible future remediation activities at the Site. More study is needed to fully characterize the contamination at the ExxonMobil ADC Site. Ecology and the potential liable persons (PLPs) will work towards entering into a 3rd Agreed Order in 2009 to evaluate the extent of petroleum contamination and develop cleanup options for the Site.