Crowley Marine Services 8th Ave S

Last updated: June 19, 2024

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We held a comment period from May - June 2024 on a Remedial Investigation (RI). We received two comments during this time, and our responses can be read here, in the Response Summary. The future Feasibility Study and Cleanup Action Plan will be available for public comment.

Documents available for review and comment during the most recent comment period:

• Remedial Investigation: a document describing the areas and media requiring remediation.

Download the fact sheet here to read a summary of the latest information about this cleanup site. 

This site is part of Ecology’s Lower Duwamish Waterway source control efforts, because it may be contributing pollution to the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Superfund Site. The 5-mile stretch of the Duwamish River that flows north into Elliot Bay was added to the Superfund National Priorities List by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2001.

The sediments (mud) in the river contain a wide range of contaminants due to decades of industrial activity and runoff from urban areas. EPA is leading efforts to clean up the river sediments.

Ecology is leading efforts to control sources of contamination from the surrounding land. The long-term goal is to minimize recontamination of the river sediment and restore water quality in the river.

The Crowley Marine Services 8th Avenue S Site is one of several that will be cleaned up as part of Ecology’s Source Control Strategy – to control sources of pollution to the river. Contaminants in the soil and groundwater around the river pose a risk to human health and the environment. They can also find their way into the river through storm runoff and other pathways. For more information, visit the Lower Duwamish Waterway Source Control page.

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.

Ecology received two comments during the most recent public comment period. Pending consideration of these comments, we may make changes to the Remedial Investigation. Once we finalize this document, we will proceed with the Feasibility Study and then the Draft Cleanup Action Plan.

Each of these steps will require a public comment period. The graphic above shows these different stages of cleanup. Sometimes multiple stages occur in one public comment period.

Background

In 2009, Ecology negotiated a legal agreement called an Agreed Order with property owner 8th Avenue Terminals, the Potentially Liable Person (PLP) for the Crowley Marine Services 8th Avenue S Site.  In 2014, 8th Avenue Terminals sold the property to DeNovo Seattle LLC.  The Agreed Order was amended to add the new property owner, DeNovo Seattle LLC.  As of 2019, DeNovo Seattle LLC is no longer the property owner, and the property is currently owned by 8th Avenue Terminals.

The Agreed Order describes the work that the PLPs agree to perform on the site. Under this legal agreement, the PLP is required to complete the following:

• Remedial Investigation (RI). The purpose of the RI is to define the nature and extent of contamination at the site and to determine if it is contributing to the sediment contamination in the Lower Duwamish Waterway. During the RI, the PLPs collected data necessary to adequately characterize the contamination in soil, groundwater, stormwater, and sediments.
• Feasibility Study (FS). The FS will use the results of the RI to evaluate and choose measures to clean up contamination and prevent recontamination of the sediment.
• Draft Cleanup Action Plan (DCAP). Ecology will identify a preferred cleanup action based on the results of the FS.

The site tenant, Waste Management, operates a transloading facility at the site to load contaminated soils and dredged sediments from trucks and barges onto rail cars. This facility is designed to be temporary, because structures and equipment may need to be removed to allow site cleanup.

Site location

The Crowley 8th Avenue site covers about 16 acres in an industrial area on the east side of the Lower Duwamish Waterway. To the southeast is EPA's Slip 4 Early Action Cleanup Area. The site includes a portion of the sediments in Slip 4. 

The site is bordered on the north by Markey Machinery, on the northeast by East Marginal Way S, on the east by Slip 4 of the Duwamish River, on the south by the Duwamish River, and on the west by 8th Avenue South.  Georgetown’s only public river access point is at the end of this street. On the other side of East Marginal Way S is the residential neighborhood of Georgetown. 

The Lower Duwamish Waterway drainage basin is divided into source control areas. This site is located within the Slip 4 Early Action Area (river mile 2.8) source control area on the east bank of the river.

Site history

In the early 1900’s the site was residential. Between 1920 and 1985, activities
on the site included:

•Pipe and chain manufacturing
•Hydraulic equipment manufacturing
•Sawmill, lumberyard, and creosote treatment
•Concrete manufacturing
•Machinery and scrap iron storage

By 1985, all structures on the southern part of the site had been demolished, the site was paved, and there was a new dock for ships. The property was purchased by Crowley Marine Services in December 1992, and sold to 8th Avenue Terminals, Inc. in October 2008. 8th Avenue Terminals sold the property to Denovo Seattle LLC in 2014 and the site was leased to Waste Management for the Duwamish Reload facility.  Today, Denovo is no longer a property owner, and the site is owned by 8th Avenue Terminals. Waste Management continues to operate the Duwamish Reload Facility on the property.

Contamination

Contamination at this site is from heavy industrial use since the 1920’s. 

Soil contaminants include:

•Metals such as arsenic and copper
•Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
•Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs)

Groundwater contaminants include:

•Metals such as arsenic and copper
•Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs)

Sediment contaminants include:

•Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
•Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs)

Previous cleanup work

In July 2014 a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) public comment period was held for an Interim Action (partial cleanup) Work Plan.

 The Interim Action proposed removal of contaminated soil from an area to construct a concrete slab and rail lines.  During the SEPA Public Comment Period, Ecology received a letter from the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) identifying the project area as having a very high potential for archaeological resources. 

Ecology determined that the SEPA review information provided by the property owner was not complete and withdrew the DNS, and the project was cancelled.