Morningside Acres
Current Status
Last updated: December 2024
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The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is overseeing a cleanup of the Morningside Acres Site (Site) in the Columbia City neighborhood of South Seattle. SouthEast Effective Development (SEED), a non-profit community development corporation based in South Seattle, is cleaning up this Site.
We held a comment period from October 7 - November 7, 2024, on the following documents:
- Prospective Purchaser Consent Decree (PPCD): a legal agreement that directs the purchaser(s) to implement cleanup at the site and provides the purchaser(s) a settlement of liability.
- Public Participation Plan: a document that explains how people can participate in the cleanup process.
What Happens Next?
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General Cleanup Process
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 MTCA and oversees cleanups. The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps over a variable timeline.
Site Information
The Morningside Acres cleanup site is in South Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood at 5001, 5015, and 5021 Rainier Avenue South. Ecology, with SouthEast Effective Development (SEED), has prioritized cleanup of the site in conjunction with redevelopment of the property as a mixed-use building. The redevelopment will combine affordable housing and commercial spaces, transforming a contaminated site into a vibrant economic development hub. SEED is cleaning up the site under a legal agreement, called a Prospective Purchaser Consent Decree (PPCD), with Ecology. The need for a PPCD at this Site arises from the historical uses at the property.
Contamination
Prior investigations have confirmed the presence of contaminants in the soil, soil gas, and groundwater of the Site. Contamination is related to historical automotive repair and parts washing facilities on the South Parcel, former gasoline service stations on the North Parcel, and historical underground storage tanks on the South and North Parcels associated with those businesses. The known contaminants include:
- Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds (CVOC)
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)
- Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons (VPH)
These contaminants have been detected at concentrations above the state’s cleanup levels.
Why This Site Matters
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 ensure the cleanup gets done while protecting the community’s health and the environment.
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
Voluntary Cleanup Program
This site is in 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 sites Ecology manages under legal orders.
Documents 0
Places to see print documents
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Northwest Regional Office15700 Dayton Ave NShoreline, 98133Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.
Contaminants 6
Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-Halogenated Organics - Non-Halogenated Solvents | C | |||||
Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Solvents | C | C | C | |||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Benzene | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Gasoline | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other | C | C |
- S
- Suspected
- C
- Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
- B
- Below Cleanup Levels
- RA
- Remediated-Above
- RB
- Remediated-Below
- R
- Remediated