Unocal Edmonds Bulk Fuel Terminal 0178
Current Status
Last updated: April 2024
2024 Public Comment Period
The next public comment period is delayed until the summer of 2024 to allow for more document preparation time. Read more information about future public comment periods below.
2023 - 2024 Cleanup Updates
The Department of Ecology and Chevron Environmental Management Company held two community updates to provide project information and answer questions. See November 2023 postcard mailer.
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Tuesday, December 12, 2023: Hybrid Open House
Presentation (in-person and online) and Q&A -
Tuesday, February 13, 2024: Online Update Meeting
Presentation (online) and Q&A
Most Commonly Asked Questions and Answers
Please review the 2024 Unocal Edmonds Questions and Answers Sheet that summarizes the most commonly asked questions and answers about the cleanup site.
Sign Up For Updates!
Future Public Comment Periods
Feasibility Study Comment Period
According to the WA State Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) our team is preparing to hold a 45-day public comment period for the documents listed below. During the comment period, Ecology will host a hybrid public meeting both in-person and online using the Zoom platform to provide project information and answer questions.
- Revised Draft Feasibility Study Package (comprised of the 2017 Draft Feasibility Study and the 2024 Draft Feasibility Study Addendum): An evaluation of ways to clean up the Site, and a recommended preferred cleanup alternative. The Terrestrial Ecological Evaluation (TEE) will also be included.
- Updated Public Participation Plan: A description about how Ecology will inform the community about site activities and ways to become involved.
Ecology will inform the community about the public comment period dates as soon as that information is available. Thank you for your continued understanding as we work to thoroughly finish these draft documents for your review and comment.
Cleanup Action Plan Comment Period
Upon completion of the public comment period Ecology will review and respond to comments. Then, the next 45-day public comment period (with a hybrid public meeting) will be scheduled for the documents listed below.
- Draft 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 all of the above documents have been ongoing between Ecology and Chevron Environmental Management Company (Chevron), the Potential Liable Person (PLP).
Kristen Forkeutis and Ian Fawley, Outreach Specialists, will continue to lead the outreach planning for this site.
Cleanup Site Status
- Ecology completed early cleanups (called Interim Actions) in 2003 for the Upper Yard
- Ecology began Interim Actions on the Lower Yard in 2001.
- A dual-phase extraction system (that removes and treats petroleum in soil, groundwater, and air) continues in the Lower Yard while Ecology is monitoring the results, which will inform the cleanup action plan.
- 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.
General Cleanup Process
The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps (see graphic) over a variable timeline.
Site Background
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.
Cleanup Work So Far
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.
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1992 |
Unocal installed recovery wells in the Lower Yard and began removing petroleum product from the groundwater.
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1993 |
Union Oil of California (Unocal) enters into cleanup agreement (Agreed Order) under Model Toxics Control Act with Ecology.
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1994 |
Remedial Investigation began; sampling and analysis of soils and groundwater.
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2001 |
Interim cleanup action plan for Upper Yard approved by Ecology.
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2002 |
Approximately 100,000 tons of contaminated soil removed from Upper Yard.
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2003 |
Cleanup of Upper Yard complete.
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2004 |
Range of cleanup options for Lower Yard selected.
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2005 |
Phase 1 of Point Edwards opens on the site of former Upper Yard.
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2007 |
Ecology and Unocal enters into another cleanup agreement (Agreed Order) to conduct interim actions.
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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.
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2010 |
Completed data collection and monitoring of Lower Yard cleanup.
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2011 |
Ecology determines that additional cleanup steps are needed for Lower Yard; Ecology approved Feasibility Study Work Plan.
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2014 |
Unocal, a subsidiary of Chevron, submits draft Feasibility Study for full Lower Yard cleanup.
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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.
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2016 |
Interim Cleanup Action work plan approved for the 2 remaining areas on the Lower Yard.
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2017 |
Agreed Order amendment becomes effective after NPDES Permit issued to support interim action cleanup in 2 remaining areas on Lower Yard.
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2018 - Present |
Limited re-design of Dual-Phase Extraction System to cover a few localized spots throughout the Lower Yard.
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Requesting Accommodation
If you speak a non-English language, free language services are available.
Documents 135
Legal 4
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Unocal Edmonds Agreed Order Amendment | 6/19/2017 | Agreed Order Amendment |
Unocal Edmonds Agreed Order | 7/5/2007 | Agreed Order |
Unocal Edmonds Bulk Fuel Terminal AO DE 4460 document location list | 6/25/2007 | Agreed Order |
Unocal Edmonds In the Matter of Remedial Actionby: Union Oil Company of California dba Unocal | 10/25/1993 | Agreed Order |
Public Information 18
State Environmental Policy Act 1
Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
Unocal Edmonds- SEPA | 7/6/2015 | SEPA Documents |
Technical Reports 112
Places to see print documents
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Northwest Regional Office15700 Dayton Ave NShoreline, 98133Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.
Contaminants 6
Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons | C | C | ||||
Metals - Arsenic | RB | |||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Benzene | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Diesel | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Gasoline | C | C | ||||
Non-Halogenated Organics - Petroleum-Other | C | C |
- S
- Suspected
- C
- Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
- B
- Below Cleanup Levels
- RA
- Remediated-Above
- RB
- Remediated-Below
- R
- Remediated