Unocal Edmonds Bulk Fuel Terminal 0178

Last updated: November 2023

2023 - 2024 Cleanup Updates

Postcard (November 2023)

The Department of Ecology and Chevron Environmental Management Company will host two community updates to provide project information and answer questions.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023: Hybrid Open House

• 6:30 pm: Presentation (in-person and online) followed by Q&A
• 7:30 pm: Open house for in-person attendees

• In-person: Edmonds City Hall, Brackett Room
  3rd Floor 121 5th Ave. N., Edmonds, WA 98020

• Online: Register and join Zoom presentation

• Questions: Submit questions |  View questions (Open Nov 17 - Dec 10)
  
  

Tuesday, February 13, 2024: Online Update Meeting

• 6:30 pm: Presentation (online*) followed by Q&A

• Online*: Registration will open after December open house. 

• Questions: Online form will be open Jan 22 - Feb 11

Join our email list to receive updates about the Unocal Edmonds Bulk Fuel Terminal 0178 cleanup site. Email Kristen Forkeutis, Public Involvement Coordinator, at Kristen.Forkeutis@ecy.wa.gov to be added to the list. Unsubscribe at any time.

Our team is preparing to hold a 45-day public comment period and public meeting for this Site in 2024. If you would like to be added to the mail/email list for this Site, please email Kristen Forkeutis, Public Involvement Coordinator at kristen.forkeutis@ecy.wa.gov.  

Download a copy of our most recent email update sent on September 12, 2023.

The next step according to the WA State Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) for the Unocal Edmonds Bulk Fuel Terminal 0178 cleanup site involves a public comment period for the following documents:

• Feasibility Study: An evaluation of ways to clean up the Site, and a recommendation of a preferred remedial alternative.
• Cleanup Action Plan: Ecology’s plan that describes the cleanup work to address contamination within the site.
• Consent Decree: A legal agreement between Ecology and Chevron that requires Chevron to complete cleanup actions at the site.
• State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Determination of Nonsignificance: Ecology’s determination that the cleanup work is not likely to harm the environment.

Negotiations regarding the above documents have been ongoing between Ecology and Chevron Environmental Management Company (Chevron), the Potential Liable Person (PLP). Once all documents are finalized and dates for the 45-day public comment period are finalized, Ecology will host a hybrid public meeting both in-person and online using the Zoom platform to provide project information and answer questions. Kristen Forkeutis and Ian Fawley, Outreach Specialists, will continue to lead the outreach planning for this site.

• Ecology completed early cleanups (called Interim Actions) in 2003 for the Upper Yard
• Ecology began Interim Actions on the Lower Yard in 2001.
• The Cleanup Action Plan (document for review in the upcoming public comment period) will include the above Interim Actions and require a dual-phase extraction system (that removes and treats petroleum in soil, groundwater, and air) to continue in the Lower Yard through December 2023.
• Ecology will monitor the results of the dual-phase extraction system for a minimum of two years and require any additional cleanup if needed.
• Soil contamination remains adjacent to the active stormwater pipe that runs across the site. Ecology and Chevron are currently working on a solution to minimize the risk of working around the stormwater pipe, minimize exposure to ecological receptors (wildlife, plants, and soil organisms), and provide a sustainable net benefit to the environment and area ecology.

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) over a variable timeline.

The Site is located at 11720 Unoco Road in Edmonds, Washington. The terminal operated from 1923 to 1991. It was used for storing, blending, and distributing petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, and bunker fuel. An asphalt plant operated on the Site between 1953 and the late 1970s.

The Terminal consisted of a dock and an Upper and a Lower Yard. Petroleum products were pumped from marine vessels moored at the dock to storage tanks in the Upper Yard, which was on a hill above the Lower Yard. Products were gravity-fed and pumped to loading racks in the Lower Yard for transport by truck and train to customers.

A number of Interim Actions have been conducted over the years to clean up oil floating on groundwater, remove arsenic-contaminated soil, and remove petroleum-contaminated soil. (See below for details.)

Removal of petroleum-contaminated soil resulted in cleanup of groundwater. Most of the Site is now clean. Ecology certified the Upper Yard was suitable for residential use in 2003 and the Point Edwards Condominiums were then constructed.

The City of Edmonds has expressed interest in using a portion of the Lower Yard for restoring the Edmonds Marsh and Willow Creek. 

1991	Unocal Edmonds Bulk Fuel Terminal 0178 site is ranked the highest assessed risk and listed as a contaminated site by Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) Toxics Cleanup Program.
1992	Unocal installed recovery wells in the Lower Yard and began removing petroleum product from the groundwater.
1993	Union Oil of California (Unocal) enters into cleanup agreement (Agreed Order) under Model Toxics Control Act with Ecology.
1994	Remedial Investigation began; sampling and analysis of soils and groundwater. Product recovery continues until circa 2000 from wells in the Lower Yard; totals approximately 2000 gallons petroleum.
2001	Interim cleanup action plan for Upper Yard approved by Ecology. All 23 fuel storage tanks removed from Upper Yard. Interim cleanup action of select areas in the Lower Yard removed 10,000+ tons of petroleum contaminated soil and 2500+ gallons of product.
2002	Approximately 100,000 tons of contaminated soil removed from Upper Yard.
2003	Cleanup of Upper Yard complete.  Ecology determines that Upper Yard is suitable for residential use.  Construction on Point Edwards condominiums begin.  Interim cleanup action of more select areas in the Lower Yard (including stormwater Detention Basin No. 1) removed approximately 40,000 tons of metals and petroleum contaminated soils.
2004	Range of cleanup options for Lower Yard selected.
2005	Phase 1 of Point Edwards opens on the site of former Upper Yard.  Unocal enters a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Washington State Department of Transportation for the Lower Yard.
2007	Ecology and Unocal enters into another cleanup agreement (Agreed Order) to conduct interim actions.  Interim cleanup action of Lower Yard begins.
2008	Interim cleanup action of Lower Yard complete, except for 2 areas intentionally excluded in the plan; 130,000 tons of petroleum contaminated soil/sediment and 9000 gallons of product was removed, along with some sand blast grit containing arsenic and lead.  Confirmational groundwater monitoring begins.
2010	Completed data collection and monitoring of Lower Yard cleanup.
2011	Ecology determines that additional cleanup steps are needed for Lower Yard; Ecology approved Feasibility Study Work Plan. Groundwater monitoring continues.
2014	Unocal, a subsidiary of Chevron, submits draft Feasibility Study for full Lower Yard cleanup.
2015	Wells installed and pilot test study for Dual-Phase Extraction System for Lower Yard area beneath a Washington State Department of Transportation stormwater line.
2016	Interim Cleanup Action work plan approved for the 2 remaining areas on the Lower Yard.  Work delayed for NPDES Permit appeal for treated groundwater discharge to surface water.
2017	Agreed Order amendment becomes effective after NPDES Permit issued to support interim action cleanup in 2 remaining areas on Lower Yard. ​ Interim cleanup action begins; Excavation of one area (Detention Basin No. 2) completed; the other area (beneath a Washington State Department of Transportation stormwater line) had construction completed of a Dual-Phase Extraction System that could take up to 6 years to conclude cleanup.  Phase II of Point Edwards Condominiums begins on the Upper Yard.
2018 - Present	Limited re-design of Dual-Phase Extraction System to cover a few localized spots throughout the Lower Yard. Interim cleanup action monitoring continuing.

To request an ADA accommodation, contact Ecology by phone at 425-240-4353, email Kristen.Forkeutis@ecy.wa.gov, or visit ecology.wa.gov/Accessibility. For Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341.

If you speak a non-English language, free language services are available.