Budd Inlet Sediments

Facility Site ID: 3097108 Cleanup Site ID: 2245

Amendment 2 To Agreed Order De 6083 And Public Participation Plan

We entered into an agreement, Amendment 2 of Agreed Order DE 6083, with the Port of Olympia (Port), who is a potentially liable person (PLP) responsible for cleanup of the site. 

From June 9 to July 10, 2023, we held a comment period for people to consider Amendment 2 and an updated Public Participation Plan for contamination cleanup of the Budd Inlet Sediments site. Sediment is the sand, mud, silt, and the remains of plants and animals under the water where the contamination is located. The comments we received during the comment period did not require making any changes to Amendment 2 or the Public Participation Plan, and we finalized the documents.

We appreciate the time and effort it took for people to review AO Amendment 2 and possibly other site documents. We appreciate that people submitted their thoughtful comments and we considered each comment. We responded to the topics of concern identified in the comments in a response to comments document.

Response to Comments document.

Legal Agreements

The white dotted line shows the Study Area in southern Budd Inlet identified in Amendment 1.
The white dotted line shows the Study Area in southern Budd Inlet identified in Amendment 1.

There have been several agreements between the Port and Ecology related to cleanup of Budd Inlet sediment. Each agreement reflects the current knowledge at the time. As investigations proceed, we learn more about the type and extent of contamination.

2008: AO DE 6083:  The AO focused on the elevated dioxins contamination located in sediment in the berth area located adjacent to the Port's docking facility in West Bay. The full nature and extent of contamination is unknown and the future cleanup in Budd Inlet was foreseen as a possibility. 

The Port completed two remedial actions:

  • Remove sediment with elevated dioxins from portions of the berth area adjacent to the docking facility in West Bay.
  • Perform a pilot study to assess characteristics of sediment and benefits of proposed dredging technologies for future cleanup of Budd Inlet. 

2012 Amendment 1: The Amendment requires the Port to conduct investigations into the nature and extent of contamination in the Study Area in the West and East bays and in the vicinity around the peninsula. The Study Area is different than the site, which is the area where contaminated sediment has come to be located. 

Among several requirements, the amendment requires the Port: 

  • Investigate nature and extent of contamination in the Study Area.
  • Draft an Interim Action Plan (partial cleanup) to address sediment contamination in the Study Area.
  • Investigate potential sources of sediment contamination in the vicinity of the peninsula located between East and West bays. 

2023 Amendment 2: the amendment substantially increases the scope of cleanup actions required of the Port. Among several requirements, the amendment requires the Port: 

  • Prepare a public review draft and final versions of the interim action plan for the Study Area. The plan will not rule out reasonable alternatives for the ultimate cleanup of the site as a whole.  

Contaminants In Budd Inlet Sediments

Dioxins and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs) are hazardous chemicals found in sediment in the vicinity of the Study Area and are the focus of the cleanup. Other hazardous chemicals that are being investigated are metals (mercury, arsenic, cadmium), pentachlorophenol, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Some of the hazardous chemicals found in Budd Inlet sediment do not break down easily in the environment and, as a result, remain in the environment for a long time. They bioaccumulate or build up in animals through the food chain because they don't break down and go away. 

Most people are exposed to very small amounts of contaminants as they go about their daily lives. The main way people can be exposed to contaminants in the sediment is by eating fish or shellfish collected from the contaminated area. Another way people and animals are exposed is by having direct skin contact or accidentally consuming contaminated mud. 

Historical industries along the shoreline likely contributed to contamination of harbor sediments. In the 1920s to 1980s, lumber-related industries, like sawmills, plywood manufacturing, a veneer factory, and other lumber-related facilities often burned salt-laden wood that created dioxins. Wood was treated with pentachlorophenol, a chemical preservative, that was another source of dioxin contamination. Creosote was used as a wood preservative, likely adding to cPAH contamination of sediment. Historical stormwater runoff has also been a likely source of contamination. 

Regional Background Contamination

Areas in the Study Area where contamination exceeds the regional background for dioxins (green), cPAHs (red), and both (brown). The yellow line indicates the sediment Study Area. Contaminated areas north of the Study Area not shown.
Areas in the Study Area where contamination exceeds the regional background for dioxins (green), cPAHs (red), and both (brown). The yellow line indicates the sediment Study Area. Contaminated areas north of the Study Area not shown.

A key provision in cleaning up sediment is determining the amount of regional background contamination. The regional background is concentrations of chemicals in sediment from diffuse sources such as stormwater and vehicle emissions. Regional background varies between regions depending on the level of urbanization. To cleanup sediment, regional background contamination is considered because an area cleaned up to a level less than the regional background is likely to become re-contaminated from diffuse regional sources.

Knowing the regional background helps us set the sediment cleanup levels. Investigations have shown areas in East and West bays exceed the regional background for dioxins and cPAHs. 

Legal 3
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Budd Inlet Sediments Agreed Order DE6083 Amendment 2 6/9/2023 Agreed Order Amendment
Port of Olympia Agreed Order Amendment 2/15/2012 Agreed Order Amendment
Port of Olympia 2008 Agreed Order 12/5/2008 Agreed Order
Map 3
Public Information 16
Technical Reports 43
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Budd Inlet Sediments Acceptance of Pre-Remedial Design Data Gaps Memorandum 7/10/2024 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Port of Olympia Budd Inlet Sediment Site Pre-Remedial Design Sediment Chemistry Investigation Work Plan, Port of Olympia Budd Inlet Sediment Site 1/10/2024 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Progress Report for Port of Olympia Budd Inlet Study Area Cleanup Evaluation Agreed Order DE6083 12/15/2021 Progress Report
Extension Request Approval for Draft Identification and Evaluation of Interim Action Alternatives Memo 6/21/2018 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Proposed Schedule Modification for Agreed Order No. DE 6083, Budd Inlet Sediments Site 6/12/2018 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
South Puget Sound Regional Background Report 5/1/2018 Human Health and/or Eco Risk Assessment
Port Peninsula Study Area Investigation Report 8/1/2016 Remedial Investigation Report
Budd Inlet Sediment Dioxin Source Study 3/14/2016 Site Specific Technical Document - other
2014 Data Report Port of Olympia Source Control Investigation 4/6/2014 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Budd Inlet Catch Basin Sampling - Addendum 1 to the Sampling and Analysis Plan and Quality Assurance Project Plan: Agreed Order No. DE 6083 6/10/2013 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Port of Olympia Budd Inlet Sediment SAP/QAPP 3/7/2013 Sampling and Analysis Plan
Existing Information Summary and Data Gaps Memorandum-Appendix E 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Report
Existing Information Summary and Data Gaps Memorandum-Appendix D 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Report
Existing Information Summary and Data Gaps Memorandum-Appendix C 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Report
Existing Information Summary and Data Gaps Memorandum-Appendix B 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Report
Existing Information Summary and Data Gaps Memorandum-Appendix A 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Report
Existing Information Summary and Data Gaps Memorandum-Figures 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Report
Investigation Work PlanBudd Inlet Sediment Site 10/1/2012 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Existing Information Summaryand Data Gaps Memorandum Budd Inlet 10/1/2012 Site Specific Technical Document - other
DATA REPORT PORT OF OLYMPIA SOURCE CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS 6/1/2012 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Port of Olympia Post-Dredge 21-Month Monitoring Report 2/24/2011 Interim Action Documents
Budd Inlet Sediments Priest Point Park Field Sampling Report 11/1/2010 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Port of Olympia Post-Dredge 15-Month Monitoring Report 10/28/2010 Interim Action Documents
Budd Inlet Sediments Priest Point Park Field Sampling Plan 9/1/2010 Sampling and Analysis Plan
Port of Olympia Post-Dredge 9-Month Monitoring Report 3/8/2010 Interim Action Documents
Port of Olympia Post-Dredge 3-Month Monitoring Report 9/15/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix G Data 2 Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix G Data 1 Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix B Contractor Dailies Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix J SPI Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix I Bathymetry Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix H Validation Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix F Water Quality Reports Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix E Water Quality Sed Plans Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix D Sand Cover Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix C Port Dailies Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Appendix A Photos Completion Report Berths 2 and 3 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Port of Olympia Interim Action Dredge Completion Report 6/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Port of Olympia Water Quality Monitoring and Sediment Sampling Plan 1/1/2009 Interim Action Documents
Port of Olympia Interim Action Dredging And Disposal Plan 10/28/2008 Interim Action Documents
Budd Inlet Sediments Sediment Characterization Study 3/12/2008 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Budd Inlet Sediments Summary of Existing Information and Identification of Data Gaps 4/1/2007 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Budd Inlet Sediments Sampling and Analysis Plan 3/1/2007 Sampling and Analysis Plan
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 3

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals - Other S
Halogenated Organics - Dioxins/Furans C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons 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.