Boeing Developmental Center

Last updated March 29, 2024

We are overseeing cleanup of contamination at Boeing Developmental Center located at 9725 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila, WA 98108. Thorough sampling of the site began in March 2021 and continues in 2024.  The sampling data will be presented in a 'remedial investigation' report that will be out for public comment in late 2024 or early 2025. 

You can view the following documents:

Remedial Investigation Work Plan (RIWP): This document describes how and where Boeing will sample for contamination at the site. 

RIWP Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP): This document describes the procedures and required tests that will be used to sample the site for contamination. 

RIWP Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP): This plan ensures that the data needed to make cleanup decisions is collected and accurate.

Agreed Order: Legal agreement with Boeing to conduct a remedial investigation (RI) to determine the location and type of contamination and a feasibility study (FS) to evaluate cleanup methods to meet the requirements of the state cleanup law. 

    Exhibit A: Facility location, see Site Background
    Exhibit B: Facility boundary, see Site Contamination
    Exhibit C: Scope of work and schedule
     
Interim Action Work Plan (Exhibit D) : Describes the ongoing cleanup work.

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Checklist: Identifies and evaluates if there are significant adverse environmental impacts by the proposed interim cleanup activities.

SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS): Concludes that Boeing’s interim cleanup activities will have no significant adverse impacts on the environment.

Public Participation Plan:  Creates a process to communicate with and receive feedback from the public about this cleanup.   

What happens next?

We will consider all comments received and may change the documents based on your comments. After that, the Agreed Order will be signed by all parties.  Boeing will proceed with the Interim Action while it conducts the remedial investigation and drafts the feasibility study. 

Why this cleanup matters

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added the 5-mile stretch of the Duwamish River that flows north into Elliot Bay to the Superfund National Priorities List in 2001. The Boeing Developmental Center is one of the sites to be cleaned up there under the EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Contaminants in the soil and groundwater around the river pose a risk to human health and the environment. These contaminants can find their way into the river through storm runoff and other pathways.

This site is part of Ecology’s Lower Duwamish Waterway source control efforts because the site has the potential to contribute pollution to the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Superfund Site.  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. We are leading efforts to control sources of contamination from the surrounding land. The long-term goal is to avoid recontamination of the river bottom and restore water quality in the river.

Public comment period fact sheet
Periodo de comentario público: Limpieza del sitio Boeing Developmental Center (Número de páginas: 4) (Tamaño de la publicación: 872KB)  
Khung Thời Gian Góp Ý: Làm Sạch Boeing Developmental Center (SỐ TRANG: 4) (CỠ ĐỘ ẤN BẢN: 1077KB)  

Accommodation Requests: To request ADA accommodation including materials in a format for the visually impaired, call Ecology at 425-649-7000 or visit https://ecology.wa.gov/accessibility. People with impaired hearing may call Washington Relay Service at 711. People with speech disability may call TTY at 877-833-6341.

Para información acerca de la limpieza de la contaminación en el Boeing Developmental Center, llame al 425 649 7253 y espere en la línea por un intérprete.

Để biết thông tin về công tác làm sạch ô nhiễm tại Trung Tâm Phát Triển Boeing (Boeing Development Center), hãy gọi 425 649 7253 và xin chờ thông dịch viên.

Boeing Developmental Center included multiple laboratories and test facilities supporting airplane and missile research and development.  Boeing used chemicals and generated wastes from manufacturing processes such as electroplating, chemical milling, conversion coating, cleaning parts and photographic processing. Because of those operations, chemicals contaminated soil and groundwater at the site.

Since 1999, Boeing has been cleaning up three areas on the property under Ecology’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. Boeing removed more than 1,400 tons of soil and treated groundwater. Since 2002, they added non-toxic substances to the groundwater to help natural bacteria breakdown the contamination. Boeing will continue their cleanup under the Agreed Order until we approve a cleanup plan for the entire site and it is implemented.

The following chemicals are now or were in the past found in soil and groundwater:

Petroleum products (diesel, gasoline, heavy oil).

Volatile organic compounds (tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, xylene).

Semi-volatile organic compounds (naphthalene).

Metals (arsenic, copper, cadmium).

Polychlorinated biphenyls.