Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen/Seaport Landing

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) held a public comment period between February 4 and March 5, 2019 for Agreed Order DE 15953.  No comments were received. The Agreed Order is now final.  Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority will use past investigations and close data gaps to develop a remedial investigation, feasibility study, and cleanup action plan.  The environmental covenant that was placed on the wrong parcel will be removed.    

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.