Maury Island Open Space
Current Status: Cleanup Phases Continue
Last Updated: June 2024
Información en español
Fact sheet | Postcard (February 2024)
Response to Comments (June 2024)
Ecology held a 30-day comment period (February 26 - March 26, 2024) to review an amendment to the legal agreement (Agreed Order) with King County that addresses contamination at the Maury Island Open Space cleanup site (site). The site is now referred to as the Maury Island Natural Area by King County.
As of December 2023, King County has already completed the first two cleanup phases of the Cleanup Action Plan. (See below)
The procedural amendments to the legal agreement included:
- The final 2019 Cleanup Action Plan and an updated schedule of deliverables to complete the remaining phases.
- An Environmental Covenant to restrict land uses on the site such as maintaining the capped roads and trails and not disturbing contaminated soil without Ecology permission.
- Updated legal language to comply with updated applicable laws.
Ecology has reviewed and considered the public comments received on the legal agreement amendment. Based on Ecology’s evaluation of the comments, no changes to the document were necessary, and it is being finalized.
King County will continue completing Ecology’s Cleanup Action Plan through 2029:
- Revegetate several areas within the site.
- Cap maintenance roads and majority of trails with a minimum of 3 to 4 inches of compacted gravel and a 3-inch-thick layer of mineral soil or additional gravel.
- Decommission some trails and redundant trail spurs.
- Complete limited wetland remediation near gravel parking lot.
General Cleanup Process
The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps (see graphic) over a variable timeline.
Estimated Site Timeline
Completed cleanup phases:
- Phase 1: 1A in July 2019: Capped all trails; 1B in October 2020: Cleaned up skeet range and removed invasive vegetation in Acres 4-6
- Phase 2: March 2022: Planted Acres 4-6
Future cleanup phases with schedule details in legal agreement amendment:
- Phase 3:December 2024: Cleared and planted Acres 7-10
- Phase 4: December 2026: Clear and plant Acres 11-13 and complete wetland remediation
- Phase 5: December 2029: Clear and plant Acres 14-16
Public Participation
This plan includes information for the public regarding opportunities to get involved in the Site cleanup process. The outreach activities and mechanisms presented reflect Ecology’s current plans for keeping the public informed and for receiving information and comments from the public.
Cleanup Action Plan
Ecology’s Cleanup Action Plan requires King County to:
- Revegetate several areas within the site.
- Cap maintenance roads and majority of trails with a minimum of 3 to 4 inches of compacted gravel and a 3-inch-thick layer of mineral soil (or equivalent).
- Decommission some trails and redundant trail spurs.
- Complete limited wetland remediation near gravel parking lot.
Site Background And Contamination
Environmental investigations have shown that contaminants exist throughout the site because of fallout from the former ASARCO Tacoma Smelter smokestack, and from former shooting sports activities in the area. These include arsenic, lead, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil that exceed levels allowed under the state’s cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA).
This site is within the Tacoma Smelter Plume. Ecology’s Southwest Regional Office manages the overall Tacoma Smelter Plume cleanup. This site is being cleaned up on a separate track through the formal cleanup process, under the management of the Ecology’s Northwest Regional Office. Ecology funds and manages the Soil Safety Program as part of cleaning up the Tacoma Smelter Plume.
Translated Content
Si le gustaría recibir documentos en español, por favor llame a 425-324-5901 y espere a que un intérprete se una a la llamada o envíe un correo electrónico a preguntas@ecy.wa.gov.
Traducciones de avisos públicos para Maury Island Open Space se preparan bajo solicitud.
Documents 32
Legal 3
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Maury Island Open Space April 2024 Agreed Order Amendment | 4/29/2024 | Agreed Order Amendment |
Maury Island Open Space - Agreed Order Amendment - July 2023 | 7/20/2023 | Agreed Order Amendment |
Maury Island Open Space Agreed Order for RI, FS and draft CAP 2013 | 2/4/2013 | Agreed Order |
Public Information 10
State Environmental Policy Act 1
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
SEPA Determination of Non-Significance and Checklist | 3/1/2018 | SEPA Documents |
Technical Reports 18
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.
-
Vashon Library17210 Vashon Highway SWVashon Island, 98070This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.
Contaminants 2
Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants | C | |||||
Metals - Arsenic | C |
- S
- Suspected
- C
- Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
- B
- Below Cleanup Levels
- RA
- Remediated-Above
- RB
- Remediated-Below
- R
- Remediated