Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen/Seaport Landing

500 N Custer St Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County
Facility Site ID: 1126
Cleanup Site ID: 4987

  • Site Status

  • Cleanup Started

  • Process Type

  • Ecology-supervised or conducted

  • Brownfield

  • This site has received funding as part of our Brownfields Program.
    Brownfields Public Funding: $348,954.00

More about cleanup

This site is a formal cleanup site under Washington’s cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act. Ecology supervises cleanup work and holds public comment periods throughout the cleanup process.

In Washington, polluters and/or property owners conduct and pay for cleanup. Ecology identified Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority as the potentially liable person (PLP) that is responsible for investigating and cleaning up this site.

In 2019, Ecology and the Seaport signed a legal agreement, Agreed Order DE 15953, which requires the Seaport to investigate contamination at the site, compare options for cleanup, and suggest an option to Ecology.

Current Status

Last Updated July 2026

This cleanup is currently in the “study the site” step of cleanup.

The Seaport has submitted draft remedial investigations on both portions of the Site (uplands and in-water).  The draft reports have been reviewed by Ecology and are awaiting review by other interested parties (DNR and the Quinault Indian Nation).  The Seaport has also submitted a draft feasibility study for the uplands portion of the Site (Feb 2026). This draft document is currently under review by Ecology and other interested parties.

Ecology expects to receive the draft feasibility study for the in-water portion of the Site by the end of 2026.  Following review of the remedial investigation and feasibility study, the Seaport will prepare a draft cleanup plan to address contamination.

Site Description

The site consists of several parcels of land generally located at 500 North Custer Street where there was a sawmill complex.  It includes upland properties and 14.48 acres of state-owned tidelands managed by the Department of Natural Resources.  

From the early 1900s, the site was used for sawmills and other forest product industries.  Weyerhaeuser Company operated two sawmills, steam drying kilns, and wood refuse burners between 1955 and 2013.  Additional activities included wood chipping and barge loading. Recent investigations identified many potential sources of contaminants and contaminated areas. These include Shannon Slough, former maintenance areas, and chemical and hazardous material storage buildings, buildings used to treat lumber, above and below ground storage tanks.

GHHSA acquired the parcels from Weyerhaeuser in 2013 and agreed to take responsibility for cleaning up any legacy environmental contamination. Brownfields funding was provided to Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority.

The following contaminants are suspected to be found in sediments, soil, or groundwater:

  • Benzoic acid
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
  • Wood waste
  • Mercury 
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 
  • Metals (chromium, lead, copper, and manganese)
  • Petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) 
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • Dioxins
  • Phenol

The presence of these materials above state sediment, soil, and groundwater cleanup standards can be harmful to human health and the environment.

Places to see print documents
Legal 9
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Recorded Restrictive Covenant Seaport Landing 7/15/2021 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism - Removed
Signed Copy of Agreed Order 4/3/2019 Agreed Order
GHHSA - Agreed Order DE 15953 3/28/2019 Agreed Order
Agreed Order DE 11225 - Grays Harbor Historical Seaport 8/17/2015 Agreed Order
Final PLP Determination Grays Harbor Historical Seaport 5/1/2015 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Final PLP Determination DNR 4/23/2015 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Final PLP Determination Weyerhaeuser 3/10/2015 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill 1999 IRAP NFA letter 2/8/1999 NFA Opinion not under Ecology VCP or PLIA TAP
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Restrictive Covenant 3/30/1998 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
Outreach Information 7
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Grays Harbor Historical Seaport: Brownfield Success Story 8/15/2021 Focus Sheet
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Responsiveness Summary 2/28/2019 Responsiveness Summary
Public Participation Plan Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen 2/4/2019 Public Participation Plan
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Fact Sheet 2/4/2019 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Responsiveness Summary 8/17/2015 Responsiveness Summary
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Fact Sheet Agreed Order 2015 6/25/2015 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Public Participation Plan 6/25/2015 Public Participation Plan
Technical Reports 23
Document Title Document Date Document Type
draft Seaport In-water RI Part 1 2/9/2023 Remedial Investigation Report
draft Seaport In-water RI Part 2 2/9/2023 Remedial Investigation Report
Upland Remedial Investigation Report (Text, Tables, Figs) draft 12/12/2022 Remedial Investigation Report
Upland Remedial Investigation Work Plan 12/31/2019 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
In-Water Remedial Investigation Work Plan-Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen 11/4/2019 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Final Study Area Investigation - Aquatic Lands Lease 6/19/2019 Remedial Investigation Report
GHHSA 90/10 Grant Match Memo 1/29/2019 Site Specific Administrative Document - Other (Administrative Correspondence)
Seaport Landing Targeted Brownfields Assessment 5/11/2018 Remedial Investigation Report
GHHSA Request to Remove Covenant 9/7/2017 Site Specific Administrative Document - Other (Administrative Correspondence)
EPA TBA - Draft Seaport Sampling Quality Assurance Plan 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA SQAP Figures 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA - SQAP Tables 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA - SQAP Regulatory Criteria Table 3-1 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA - Final Seaport Landing Sampling Strategy Memo 7/18/2017 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Aberdeen South Waterfront Integrated Cleanup and Redevelopment Plan 12/1/2016 Site Specific Technical Document - Other
Focused Investigation Report (Uplands) - Aberdeen Sawmill Site 7/14/2016 Remedial Investigation Report
Focused Investigation Sampling and Analysis Plan Aberdeen Sawmill Site Text Tables Figures (UPLAND) 9/19/2015 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Focused Investigation Sampling and Analysis Plan Aberdeen Sawmill Site Appendices (UPLAND) 9/19/2015 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Study Area Investigation and Alternatives Analysis Work Plan (Tideland Area) 6/12/2015 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Sediment Sampling Report; Washington State Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Lands Lease No. 22-A02150 2/5/2014 Remedial Investigation Report
Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plan Washington State Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Land Lease No. 22-A02150 9/12/2013 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Independent Remedial Action Report Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen, Washington 1/17/1997 Remedial Action Report
Independent Remedial Action Report PCP Cleanup 1/17/1997 Remedial Action Report
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

  • Southwest Regional Office
    300 Desmond Dr SE
    Lacey, 98503-1274
    Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.

Contaminants 9

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants R C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Phenolic Compounds R C C
Halogenated Organics - Dioxins/Furans C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons C
Other Contaminant - Other Deleterious Substances C
Metals - Mercury C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Other Non-Halogenated Organics C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other C C C
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.