C L Auto Repair

The C L Auto Repair cleanup site is in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood at 2901 17th Ave South, Seattle WA. Ecology, with Estelita’s Library (Estelita’s), has prioritized cleanup of the site in conjunction with redevelopment of the property as a mixed-use community space and affordable housing complex. Estelita’s will be cleaning up the site under a legal agreement, called a Prospective Purchaser Consent Decree, with Ecology.

This site cleanup is made possible in part by funding from Ecology’s Affordable Housing Planning Grants. Washington is in dire need of affordable housing across the state. Contamination, or even the suspicion of contamination, drives up the costs of housing development. The large cost leaves little incentive for developers to build affordable housing.

In addition to the usual risks of redevelopment, cleaning up contaminated sites can be a complex process with considerable risk. The cost and time associated with cleaning up a site is often poorly understood; as a result, many sites are left vacant or underused for years, even decades. Supporting cleanups for affordable housing helps make sure the cleanup gets done, protecting the community’s health and the environment. Ecology developed the Affordable Housing Cleanup Grant Program (AHCGP) to help advance environmental cleanups for affordable housing developments. These grants can cover remedial action costs, including planning, investigative, and technical work needed to clean up contaminated sites. The purpose of the AHCGP is to expedite the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites into affordable housing use and lessen the impact of cleanup costs.

The Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) is Washington’s environmental cleanup law. It provides requirements for contaminated site cleanup and sets standards that protect human health and the environment. Ecology enacts the MTCA and oversees cleanups. The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps (see graphic below) over a variable timeline.