BMT Northwest aka Reliable Steel

The Reliable Steel site is on the west side of Budd Inlet. It extends east of West Bay Drive into the water, including part of the inlet. The site was originally developed as a lumber mill. From 1941–2009, it was used for boat building, steel fabrication, or welding.

From 2010–2013, Ecology and the former owner investigated the site. Contaminants  found above state cleanup levels include:

• Gasoline-, diesel-, or oil-range petroleum hydrocarbons in soil or Budd Inlet sediments.
• Toxic metals arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, or zinc in soil, groundwater, stormwater runoff, or sediments.
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or carcinogenic PAHs in soil, stormwater runoff, or sediments.
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil.
• Pentachlorophenol (PCP) in soil.
• Phthalates in stormwater runoff and sediments.

Work on revising the draft Cleanup Action Plan is on hold until a new Agreed Order is issued. However, Agreed Order negotiations are not occurring as of September 2023, nor is there a known date for when these negotiations will begin because there is currently no PLP who wishes to begin these negotiations. 

The plan for an Ecology-funded upland interim action was never implemented due to a 2016 hold on capital project work.

In 1993, Ecology found arsenic and copper above state standards for marine sediments. Ecology asked the owners to remove welding slag and debris on or near the shoreline of Budd Inlet.

In 2006, BOJO Investments (BOJO), the owner at that time, reported finding heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater. The owners entered the Voluntary Cleanup Program, which assists parties doing independent cleanups with some Ecology oversight or assistance. 

Reliable Steel was later removed from the Voluntary Cleanup Program due to inactivity and entered into the formal MTCA cleanup program. In 2008, Ecology and BOJO entered into an agreed order (legal agreement) for BOJO to investigate the site and study cleanup options.

In 2010, a fire badly damaged buildings on the site. The new owner, West Bay Reliable, tore down two of the buildings in 2011. In 2012, BOJO dissolved their corporation and ceased to exist.

In 2013, Ecology finished drafting the site investigation reports and cleanup plan. Ecology held a public comment period on draft site reports and a cleanup plan from July 26 - August 26, 2013.

Based on the comments and questions we received, we will work with the new property owner or other potentially liable persons (PLPs) to revise and finish the cleanup plan once future use is known. In early 2014, Thurston County sold the property to a new owner. You can read the 2013 draft reports by using the links below.