  |
|
|
The Puget Sound Partnership identified the need to study toxic chemical loadings to Puget Sound to understand the relative contributions from sources of contaminants in the Puget Sound ecosystem. This information will help guide decisions about how to most effectively direct resources to resolve toxic contamination issues (e.g., which sources or pathways should receive priority attention; how much of toxic reduction can be accomplished by specific actions such as sediment clean up or stormwater management).
Focus Sheet - overview of three phases of studies to control toxic chemicals in Puget Sound
Phase 1 Toxics Loading Final Report
Focus Sheet - summary of the Phase 1 project
Two of our critical information needs are to better understand and quantify the sources of toxic contaminants that enter Puget Sound and to improve our understanding of how toxics move within the ecosystem once they are there. This information will support making informed management decisions about the highest priority actions to reduce the harm to Puget Sound from toxics.
The work described below (Phase 2) builds on the initial Phase 1 investigation. These two phases will inform the development of toxics reduction elements of the 2020 Action Agenda for Puget Sound.
Eight specific sub-tasks are presented below that will contribute to an improved understanding of toxics loadings into and movement within the ecosystem. Various parties have begun to conduct the studies in these sub-tasks, and the staff of the Puget Sound Partnership will coordinate the synthesis of these studies into usable formats for the 2020 Action Agenda planning process.
The projects in Phase 3 will continue implementation of Ecology’s strategy to measure and control the sources of toxic chemicals in Puget Sound. While state funds will likely support some of this work, Ecology expects that the U.S. EPA and the Puget Sound Partnership will coordinate the necessary additional federal funding. In Phase 3, Ecology will collect and analyze environmental samples and improve its numerical model of the Sound with the new data. The results of Phase 3 will enable the Puget Sound Partnership and Ecology to:
1) Assign the risks from toxic chemicals to specific sources, and
2) Select and implement actions to clean up and prevent contamination from those sources posing the greatest risks to Puget Sound.
The work described below (Phase 3) provides continuity and maintains Ecology’s current momentum with this part of the Governor’s Puget Sound Initiative. As we obtain a clearer understanding of our needs from the findings of Phase 2 (due in the Spring of 2008), we may find reasons for modifying some of the five specific sub-tasks described below. Ecology will finalize the Phase 3 scope of work based upon the results from Phase 2.
Sub-Task A: Quantify Toxics from Roadways
Sub-Task B: Quantify Toxics from Combined Sewer Overflow Discharges
Sub-Task C: Evaluate the Air Deposition of Fuel Oil Soot Emissions from Mobile Sources
Sub-Task D: Evaluate Toxics Exchange between Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean
For more information about the Puget Sound Partnership's program to control toxic chemicals in Puget Sound, contact Scott Redman at 360-725-5448.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
