Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen/Seaport Landing

500 N Custer St Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County
Facility Site ID: 1126 Cleanup Site ID: 4987

  • Brownfield

  • This site has received funding as part of our Brownfields Program.
    Brownfields Public Funding: $348,954.00

More about cleanup

Current Status

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.    

Site Description

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.

Site use restrictions called institutional controls are in effect

Institutional controls can be fences, signs, or restrictions on how the property is used. For instance, an institutional control may prohibit installing drinking water wells or disturbing a protective cap that isolates contamination. These restrictions keep the contamination contained and keep people from being exposed to the contamination. The controls are usually listed in environmental covenants recorded with the county.

Periodic reviews are required when institutional controls are required at a site. Ecology conducts reviews to make sure the controls remain effective and the cleanup still protects human health and the environment. We conduct periodic reviews about every five years.

Environmental Covenant

County Recording #: 980406028
County Recording Date: 4/3/1998

Restrictions/Requirements

  • Prevent the Reuse or Relocation of Site Soil
  • Restrict All Ground Water Extraction/Well Installation
  • Restrict Land Use

Restricted Media

  • Groundwater
  • Soil
Places to see print documents
Legal 9
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Signed Copy of Agreed Order 4/3/2019 Agreed Order
GHHSA - Agreed Order DE 15953 3/28/2019 Agreed Order
GHHSA Restrictive Covenant - Removal 1/7/2019 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism - Removed
Agreed Order DE 11225 - Grays Harbor Historical Seaport 8/17/2015 Agreed Order
Final PLP Determination Grays Harbor Historical Seaport 5/1/2015 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Final PLP Determination DNR 4/23/2015 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Final PLP Determination Weyerhaeuser 3/10/2015 Final Potentially Liable Person Status Letter
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill 1999 IRAP NFA letter 2/8/1999 NFA Letter – non-VCP
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Restrictive Covenant 3/30/1998 Environmental Covenant; Alternative Mechanism
Public Information 7
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Grays Harbor Historical Seaport: Brownfield Success Story 8/15/2021 Focus Sheet
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Responsiveness Summary 2/28/2019 Responsiveness Summary
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Fact Sheet 2/4/2019 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Public Participation Plan Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen 2/4/2019 Public Participation Plan
Responsiveness Summary 8/17/2015 Responsiveness Summary
Public Participation Plan 6/25/2015 Public Participation Plan
Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen Fact Sheet Agreed Order 2015 6/25/2015 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
Technical Reports 23
Document Title Document Date Document Type
draft Seaport In-water RI Part 2 2/9/2023 Remedial Investigation Report
draft Seaport In-water RI Part 1 2/9/2023 Remedial Investigation Report
Upland Remedial Investigation Report (Text, Tables, Figs) draft 12/12/2022 Remedial Investigation Report
Upland Remedial Investigation Work Plan 12/31/2019 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
In-Water Remedial Investigation Work Plan-Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen 11/4/2019 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Final Study Area Investigation - Aquatic Lands Lease 6/19/2019 Remedial Investigation Report
GHHSA 90/10 Grant Match Memo 1/29/2019 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
Seaport Landing Targeted Brownfields Assessment 5/11/2018 Remedial Investigation Report
GHHSA Request to Remove Covenant 9/7/2017 Site Specific Administrative Document - other (Administrative correspondence)
EPA TBA - SQAP Regulatory Criteria Table 3-1 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA - SQAP Tables 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA SQAP Figures 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA - Draft Seaport Sampling Quality Assurance Plan 8/3/2017 Sampling and Analysis Plan
EPA TBA - Final Seaport Landing Sampling Strategy Memo 7/18/2017 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Aberdeen South Waterfront Integrated Cleanup and Redevelopment Plan 12/1/2016 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Focused Investigation Report (Uplands) - Aberdeen Sawmill Site 7/14/2016 Remedial Investigation Report
Focused Investigation Sampling and Analysis Plan Aberdeen Sawmill Site Appendices (UPLAND) 9/19/2015 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Focused Investigation Sampling and Analysis Plan Aberdeen Sawmill Site Text Tables Figures (UPLAND) 9/19/2015 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Study Area Investigation and Alternatives Analysis Work Plan (Tideland Area) 6/12/2015 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Sediment Sampling Report; Washington State Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Lands Lease No. 22-A02150 2/5/2014 Remedial Investigation Report
Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plan Washington State Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Land Lease No. 22-A02150 9/12/2013 Remedial Investigation Work Plan
Independent Remedial Action Report PCP Cleanup 1/17/1997 Final Cleanup Action Report
Independent Remedial Action Report Weyerhaeuser Sawmill Aberdeen, Washington 1/17/1997 Final Cleanup Action Report
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 9

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants R C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Phenolic Compounds R C C
Halogenated Organics - Dioxins/Furans C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons C
Other Contaminant - Other Deleterious Substances C
Metals - Mercury C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Other Non-Halogenated Organics C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel C
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other C C 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.