A PUGET SOUND INITIATIVE site - Reaching the goal of a healthy, sustainable Puget Sound.

WHAT'S NEW?

Last updated: December, 2020

In September 2020, the Port of Anacortes held a virtual ground breaking ceremony to  celebrate cleanup construction beginning on the site.

For project updates and notice of public comment opportunities about this site, contact Arianne Fernandez to be added to our email list for Quiet Cove.

Check out other sites in the Fidalgo/Padilla Bay area.

SITE HISTORY

Quiet Cove sits along the east end of the Guemes Channel just northwest of Fidalgo/Padilla Bays at 202 O Avenue in Anacortes. The site (defined as anywhere a hazardous substance can be located) began operating as a bulk fuel terminal and storage facility as early as 1909. The oil tanks and associated structures were removed in the 1970s. The site’s remaining buildings and pavement were used for general storage until they were demolished during the 2020 partial cleanup.

The Port of Anacortes bought the upland area of the site in July, 2013. In 2014, the Port investigated contamination on the site using funding from an Ecology Integrated Planning
Grant. They used the results of the investigation to create and inform the long term redevelopment plan. This investigation found several contaminants that exceed state standards and must be addressed under Washington's toxics cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act.

Groundwater testing showed TPHs and arsenic. Soil testing showed hydrocarbon and heavy metal contamination including:

THE CLEANUP PROCESS

CURRENT STATUS

October 2020 - Interim Action Complete – The Port of Anacortes has completed a partial cleanup and are moving forward with the next round of testing. This partial cleanup removed the main source of contamination and allows for redevelopment to happen while completing investigations for cleanup at the rest of the site, including the in water portion.

Next, the Port will continue their Remedial Investigation to look for harmful chemicals and where they are located at rest of the site. The Port will also conduct a Feasibility Study to compare cleanup options. Once these are completed, we will develop timelines for the Cleanup Action Plan.

October 2019 - Interim Action Work Plan – This document describes the first steps of cleanup at the site and outlines requirements for the cleanup. Ecology held a public comment period in September, 2019 for the Interim Action Work Plan. In November 2019, Ecology responded to the comments that were received during the public comment period.

In 2015, Ecology and the Port of Anacortes (the group legally responsible for cleanup at this site, formally named the potentially liable persons, or PLP) entered into a formal legal document called an Agreed Order. This document names the Port as the responsible party for the contamination and defines what they must do to clean up the site where there has been a release or threatened release of hazardous substances.

SITE DOCUMENTS

By clicking “View Electronic Documents” in the right-hand column you will see a complete history of the site through an assortment of documents.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Acronyms used by the Toxics Cleanup Program
• Cleanup Process: Major Steps & Definitions
• Data Submittal Requirements for All Cleanup Sites
• Toxics Cleanup publications