Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot Update

The Washington Department of Ecology has issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft EIS) on the Bellingham Bay Comprehensive Strategy. The Comprehensive Strategy is the outcome of the Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot that was established to develop a cooperative approach to expedite source control, sediment cleanup and associated habitat restoration in Bellingham Bay.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft EIS) has been prepared to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of implementing the Comprehensive Strategy, under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).

The Comprehensive Strategy looks at contaminated sediments, sources of pollution, habitat restoration and in-water and shoreline land use from a baywide perspective. The Strategy integrates this information to identify priority issues requiring action in the near-term and to provide long-term guidance to decision-makers.

The Comprehensive Strategy is comprised of a number of different components that provide varying levels of detail:

General Baywide Recommendations. The Comprehensive Strategy includes a number of baywide recommendations for achieving the goals of the Pilot. These general recommendations are categorized according to the main project elements – contaminated sediment sites, control of pollution sources, contaminated sediment disposal siting, habitat restoration and land use.

Subarea Strategies. A separate strategy for each of nine geographic subareas was developed that provides greater detail on priorities and recommended actions.

Draft Habitat Mitigation Framework. A Draft Habitat Mitigation Framework is being developed by the Pilot Team to address the extent of negative and positive impacts of each of the Integrated Near-Term Remedial Action Alternatives in order to define the type and extent of mitigation that may be required.

Integrated Near-Term Remedial Action Alternatives. A range of alternatives was developed that focus on cleanup and source control measures at high priority sites in the bay while integrating habitat and land use considerations and opportunities.

The draft EIS analyzes two programmatic alternatives – the No Comprehensive Strategy Alternative (Alternative 1) and the Comprehensive Strategy (Alternative 2). Five Integrated Near-Term Remedial Action Alternatives (Alternatives 2A through 2E) are also analyzed. These five alternatives specifically address the cleanup of the Whatcom Waterway, the Cornwall Avenue Landfill and Harris Avenue Shipyard sites and anticipate the future cleanup of other sites in Bellingham Bay by sizing the proposed disposal sites to accommodate the currently estimated volumes of the known contaminated sediment sites.

More information on the alternatives evaluated in the draft EIS follows, as well as information on how to make comments.

Integrated Near-Term
Remedial Action Alternatives

Priority sediment cleanup sites and habitat restoration areas were identified and incorporated into five Integrated Near-Term Remedial Action Alternatives that are evaluated in the draft EIS. These alternatives were developed to address cleanup sites in the bay, and integrate habitat restoration and land use considerations with the cleanup. The alternatives were designed to cover a range of cleanup options.

Alternative 2A, Removal and Capping To Achieve Authorized Channel Depths (Confined Aquatic Disposal): Alternative 2A would achieve sediment quality standards (SQS) criteria at priority sites within Bellingham Bay. This alternative would maintain existing navigation channels, and minimizing dredging (420,000 cubic yards) and disposal of contaminated sediment. The areal extent and diversity of intertidal aquatic habitat would be increased by the use of caps and confined aquatic disposal (CAD). The emphasis of this alternative is minimal disturbance in the near-term, potentially precluding future options to achieve deeper than currently authorized navigation depths.

Alternative 2B, Removal and Capping to Achieve Authorized Channel Depths (Upland Disposal):As in Alternative 2A, Alternative 2B would achieve SQS criteria at priority sites within Bellingham Bay. This alternative would maintain existing navigation channels and minimizing dredging (420,000 cubic yards) and disposal of contaminated sediment. However, unlike Alternative 2A, dredge materials would be disposed of at one or more off-site upland landfills. The emphasis of this alternative is the same as Alternative 2A.

Alternative 2C, Full Removal from Navigation Areas (Confined Aquatic Disposal): Alternative 2C would achieve SQS at priority sites within Bellingham Bay. By removing more material that Alternatives 2A or 2B, this alternative would allow for future deepening of the existing navigation channels, and increasing the areal extent and diversity of intertidal aquatic habitat by using CAD facilities. This includes dredging of 820,000 cubic yards. The emphasis of Alternative 2C is on removal of contaminated sediments to provide maximum flexibility to meet future navigational needs (deeper than currently authorized).

Alternative 2D, Full Removal From Navigation Areas and Partial Removal From the G-P ASB and Starr Rock Areas (Upland Disposal): Alternative 2D would achieve SQS criteria at priority sites in Bellingham Bay. Like Alternative 2C, removing more material from the navigation channels allows flexibility for future deepening. However, unlike Alternative 2C, dredge materials would be disposed of at one or more off-site upland landfills. This alternative includes dredging of 1,100,000 cubic yards. The overall emphasis of Alternative 2D is on removal of contaminated sediments to provide maximum flexibility to meet future navigational needs (deeper than currently authorized); and removal of areas with elevated mercury concentrations from state-owned aquatic lands.

Alternative 2E, Full Removal From Public Lands (Upland Disposal): Alternative 2E would achieve SQS at priority sites in Bellingham Bay by removing all contaminated sediment that is located on state-owned lands (2,400,000 cubic yards). This alternative calls for disposal of these materials at one or more off-site upland landfills. This alternative would also allow for maximum flexibility regarding the future deepening of the navigation channels and the use of state-owned harbor areas. The overall emphasis of Alternative 2E is the removal of contaminated materials from state-owned aquatic lands.

Sediment Cleanup Techniques

To maintain and/or improve existing navigation depths in areas with contaminated sediments, dredging and disposal of sediments is typically necessary. The techniques described (and illustrated) below are included in the alternatives evaluated in the draft EIS:

Confined Upland Disposal. Contaminated sediments are dredged and placed in a specially designed landfill that is on dry land, away from surface water. The landfill has liners and a special water collection system so that water draining through the landfill does not escape and contaminate the groundwater.

Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) places the dredged contaminated sediment in a submerged location and caps (covers) it with clean material. CADs are designed and placed in locations where they will always be completely underwater. The thickness of the cap and the grain size of the clean sediment are designed to prevent contaminants from migrating back into the aquatic environment. With appropriate design and plantings, the clean material used to cover CADs can be used as aquatic habitat.

Some sites have relatively low levels of contamination and are in areas that do not need to be dredged. These sediments can be left where they are and covered with a layer of clean material either through bringing new material into the site or through natural processes. Bringing in new material is called Capping in Place.

As part of the Comprehensive Strategy , the Pilot Team developed individual strategies, similar to management guidelines, for nine geographic subareas of the bay:

Each subarea strategy includes recommended guidelines for Land Use, Habitat, and Sediment Sites, Cleanup, Disposal, and Source Control. For example, in the Fairhaven Subarea, the recommended strategy states: "Promote water-dependent commerce, navigation and maritime uses while protecting and enhancing habitat, particularly the Padden Creek estuary. Incorporate innovative designs into water dependent and maritime uses that protect habitat and implement habitat measures identified in the Habitat Documentation Report. Remediate sediments in a manner that promotes maritime and habitat uses. Remediate the Harris Avenue Shipyard site."

We Need Your Comments

Your review and comments on the draft EIS are very important. A public meeting is scheduled where you can find out more about the project and submit oral or written comments.

Date: Thursday, August 26, 1999

Place: Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Avenue

Time: Open House - 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by public meeting and hearing

Written comments on the draft EIS may be submitted until September 20 to: Christine Corrigan, Dept. of Ecology, 3190 160th Avenue SE, Bellevue, WA. 98008. For questions regarding the distribution of the draft EIS or the public meeting, please call Christine Corrigan at (425) 649-7254.

For More Information

As part of developing the comprehensive strategy for Bellingham Bay, a number of reports were created by Pilot Team:

Comprehensive Strategy Documentation Report
Data Compilation and Analysis Report
Disposal Siting Documentation Report
Habitat Restoration Documentation Report
Aquatic Land Use Documentation Report
Sediment Site and Source Control Documentation Report

The reports and the draft EIS are available at these locations:

Washington Department of Ecology
Northwest Regional Office
3190 160th Avenue SE
Bellevue, WA 98008
(425) 649-7272

Washington Department of Ecology
Bellingham Field Office
1204 Railroad Avenue
Suite 200
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 738-6250

Bellingham Public Library
210 Central Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6860

 If you have any questions about the Pilot or the draft EIS, please contact Lucy Pebles at Ecology (425) 649-7272 or Mike Stoner at the Port of Bellingham (360) 676-2500.

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