WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance

512 E Sunset Dr Bellingham, Whatcom County
Facility Site ID: 84242359 Cleanup Site ID: 10727

  • Site Status

  • No Further Action

More about cleanup

Site Background

The property was first developed in 1950 as a maintenance facility for vehicle servicing and equipment storage. Over time the developed Property included seven buildings, five underground storage tanks (USTs), a hydraulic lift, and a steam-cleaning pad to support operations. On-site operations related to vehicle maintenance, service, and storage ceased when the property was sold in 2006.

The property is currently being redeveloped into single-family residences. As of September 2024, utility installation, street paving, and erection of three houses had been completed on the Property.

Site Discovery Timeline

1990 - Contamination discovered during the removal of a 2,500-gallon diesel UST and 2,000-gallon waste oil UST. Diesel-contaminated soil was identified and stockpiled.

1994 – Contamination discovered during the removal of a 1,000-gallon heating oil UST. Approximately 210 cubic yards of petroleum-contaminated soil (PCS) was excavated.

1995 – Contamination discovered during the removal of two 5,000-gallon USTs (gasoline and diesel). 800 gallons of perched groundwater and 200 cubic yards of PCS were removed.

1997-1998 – Contamination from hydraulic fluid identified in soil near the hydraulic lift and gasoline contamination found near Building 1. Excavation removed over 1,000 cubic yards of PCS.

2022 – Widespread petroleum contamination (gasoline, diesel, oil, benzene, lead, cPAHs) discovered in soil during test pits and borings. Initial discovery of TCE contamination near the southern property boundary.

2023 – Further site delineation confirmed the TCE plume extending off-site into the Illinois Street right-of-way. Groundwater characterization completed; no contaminants exceeded cleanup levels in the southern portion of the property.

What Was Done To Cleanup The Site?

The Site has undergone multiple cleanup actions over the past decades to address contamination from historical operations. Between 1990 and 1995, several underground storage tanks (USTs) were removed, along with excavations of petroleum-contaminated soil (PCS) and perched groundwater.

Independent remedial actions in 1997-1998 targeted contamination from a hydraulic lift and a former gas house, resulting in the removal of over 1,000 cubic yards of PCS.

More recently, between 2022 and 2024, extensive site investigations identified petroleum and TCE contamination. A major TCE soil excavation was conducted in two phases between May and November 2023, removing approximately 13,670 tons of TCE-contaminated soil and 21,884 gallons of contaminated water.

Confirmation sampling verified that cleanup levels were met for TCE and petroleum contaminants. With groundwater fully characterized and soil remediation completed, the Site has been prepared for residential redevelopment.

Contaminants Of Concern

In Soil:

  • Diesel Range Organics (GRO)
  • Gasoline Range Organics (GRO)
  • Naphthalene
  • Oil Range Organics (ORO)
  • Benzene
  • Tetrachloroethene (PCE)
  • Trichloroethene (TCE)
  • Lead

In Groundwater:

  • Trichloroethene (TCE)

Model Toxics Control Act

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 over a variable timeline.

Learn How Ecology Is Protecting The Environment In Your Community

What's In My Neighborhood shows contamination cleanup sites in Washington state. Ecology encourages cleanup of these sites to protect the health of people, plants, and animals. Cleanups are projects that remove, treat, or contain potentially harmful substances.

Report An Environmental Issue

To report an environmental problem or concern, any time, day or night, use the online reporting form.

Counties: Island, King, Kitsap, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom
Email: nwroerts@ecy.wa.gov
Phone: 206-594-0000

Requesting Accommodation

Ecology is committed to providing people with disabilities access to information and services. To request an ADA accommodation, contact Ecology by phone at 360-407-6831 or email at ecyadacoordinator@ecy.wa.gov. For Washington Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341.  Visit Ecology’s website for more information.

Language Services

To request language services (interpreting/translation), contact Ecology by phone at 425-393-5679 or email nancy.lui@ecy.wa.gov or visit https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Accessibility-equity/Language-services. For Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341.

Voluntary Cleanup Program

This site was cleaned up under our Voluntary Cleanup Program, which provides technical help to owners of contaminated sites.

Voluntary Cleanup Program customers pay fees to cover our costs for technical help and reviewing cleanup reports. Sites in this program must meet the same cleanup standards as the sites Ecology manages under legal orders.

Places to see print documents
Legal 1
Document Title Document Date Document Type
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - NFA determination letter assoc. with LUST Site #2030 6/14/2012 NFA Opinion not under Ecology VCP or PLIA TAP
Technical Reports 13
Document Title Document Date Document Type
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - NW3385 SHARP 2/27/2025 SHARP Report
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - NW3385 Replacement Characterization Figures 12/6/2024 Site Specific Technical Document - Other
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - NW3385 Cleanup Action Report 7/3/2024 Remedial Action Report
WDOT Bellingham Maintenance - NW3385 Remedial Investigation Work Plan 8/9/2023 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - Notification Pursuant to Chapter 173-340-545 8/3/2022 Site Specific Administrative Document - Other (Administrative Correspondence)
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - Initial Investigation Report 6/1/2011 State Initial Investigation Report
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - Independent Remedial Action Report 2/22/2000 Remedial Action Report
WSDOT Bellingham Maintenance Area 1 - UST Removal and Independent Remedial Action 6/7/1996 Remedial Action Report
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - LUST 5668 NOCR 3/13/1995 Site Specific Technical Document - Other
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - Underground Storage Tank and Removal of Contaminated Soil 4/1/1994 Site Specific Technical Document - Other
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - LUST 5147 NOCR 2/1/1994 Site Specific Technical Document - Other
WSDOT Bellingham Maintenance Area 1 - UST Removal and Cleanup Action 2/15/1991 Remedial Action Report
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - LUST file 1/1/1990 Site Specific Technical Document - Other
Voluntary Cleanup Program 2
Document Title Document Date Document Type
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - NW3385 Site NFA Opinion Letter 4/10/2025 VCP Opinion on Site Cleanup – NFA
WA DOT Bellingham Maintenance - VCP Acceptance Letter 1/25/2024 VCP Administrative Document
There may be more documents related to this site. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a public records request.

Places to see print documents

  • Northwest Regional Office
    15700 Dayton Ave N
    Shoreline, 98133
    Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.

Contaminants 14

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals - Other B
Halogenated Organics - Polychlorinated biPhenyls (PCB) B
Pesticides - Halogenated Pesticides B B
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons RB B
Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Solvents RB RB B
Metals - Arsenic B
Metals - Lead RB B
Metals - Mercury B
Non-Halogenated Organics - Benzene RB B
Non-Halogenated Organics - Other Non-Halogenated Organics B B B
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel RB B
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Gasoline RB B
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other RB B
Pesticides - Non-Halogenated Pesticides B
S
Suspected
C
Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
B
Below Cleanup Levels
RA
Remediated-Above
RB
Remediated-Below
R
Remediated
This contaminant list was based on our best information at the time it was entered. It may not reflect current conditions at the site.