Western Port Angeles Harbor

This site is currently in the cleanup design phase. The following parties are participating in the cleanup:

• City of Port Angeles
• Georgia-Pacific LLC
• Merrill & Ring
• Nippon Paper Industries USA Co., Ltd.
• Owens Corning
• Port of Port Angeles

These parties have signed a legal agreement with Ecology to ensure the cleanup proceeds according to Ecology’s plan. Ecology will oversee the cleanup work to make sure it meets state cleanup standards.

As of September 2025, we anticipate engineering design, sampling, contracting and permitting the cleanup will take roughly 3-4 years. This timeline is due to the complexity and size of the site.

Stay Informed:

Visit our website to learn more about cleanups under the Model Toxics Control Act.

You can also receive updates about this site and other cleanup efforts in Port Angeles by:

• Subscribing for updates using the blue "Subscribe to this site" button at the top of this page. Subscribers will receive weekly email alerts when there are new documents, open comment periods, or site updates. You can learn more about this tool on Ecology’s blog.
• Joining Ecology’s Cleanups in Port Angeles email list.
• Reviewing our 2025 status update on Port Angeles cleanup sites.

The Western Port Angeles Harbor cleanup site is located in the western portion of Port Angeles Harbor. This project focuses on cleaning up contaminated marine waters and sediments. Additional cleanups may be needed to address upland sources of contamination.

Study areas

Ecology conducted a harbor-wide sediment investigation that identified two main source-areas of contamination. As a result, the harbor has been divided into two study areas:

• Western Port Angeles Harbor Study Area
• Rayonier Mill Study Area

The Western Port Angeles Harbor cleanup will address contamination from sources on the harbor’s western shoreline. The Rayonier Mill cleanup will address contamination linked to the former mill site on the harbor’s eastern shoreline.

Historic Sources of Contamination

In the past, industries along the western shoreline of the harbor discharged liquid waste directly into the harbor and lagoon. Contaminated stormwater also flowed into the harbor. Several pulp and lumber mills burned saltwater-soaked wood debris as fuel, which created hazardous substances such as dioxins. These substances were released through smokestacks and later settled into the harbor’s marine sediments.

Extent And Location of Contamination

The site’s Remedial Investigation identified what contaminants are present. We also located the areas where contamination concentrations are high enough to require cleanup under the Model Toxics Control Act. The contaminants that require cleanup include:

• Dioxins/furans
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
• Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs)
• Metals

People, pets, or wildlife may be exposed to hazardous chemicals by physically contacting or consuming contaminated sediment. Eating contaminated seafood can also expose people and wildlife to hazardous chemicals.

Ecology investigated Port Angeles Harbor in 2008 as part of a broader initiative to clean up Puget Sound. We found toxic substances in the harbor’s sediments that threatened human health and the environment. Cleanup is being carried out under the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), Washington’s cleanup law.

Agreements and Parties Involved

In 2013, Ecology entered into a legal agreement called an Agreed Order (AO) with five Potentially Liable Persons (PLPs) responsible for the site’s cleanup. These PLPs are collectively known as the Western Port Angeles Harbor Group.

The PLPs who signed the 2013 Agreed Order (1 MB) include:

• City of Port Angeles
• Georgia-Pacific LLC
• Merrill & Ring
• Nippon Paper Industries USA Co., Ltd.
• Port of Port Angeles

Owens Corning is also a PLP and is participating with Ecology and the group during the cleanup design and cleanup construction phases.

Investigation and Study

As part of the 2013 legal agreement, the Western Port Angeles Harbor Group did two major studies:

• A Remedial Investigation (RI) to find out which contaminants are in the harbor, what their amounts are, and where they are located.
• A Feasibility Study (FS) to look at different cleanup options, and compare them based on cost, effectiveness, and how permanent the solution would be.

Ecology shared the results of these studies for public review in 2020. After considering community feedback, we finalized the RI/FS report. The report is available in three volumes:

• Volume 1: Remedial Investigation (RI) (46.8 MB)
• Volume 2: Feasibility Study (FS) (51.6 MB)
• Volume 3: Appendices (30.8 MB)

You can also review the 2020 Responsiveness Summary (4.2 MB), which includes a summary of public comments and our responses.

Consent Decree and Next Steps

Ecology developed a Cleanup Action Plan, which explains:

• How cleanup will be carried out
• Why the chosen options were selected
• The cleanup schedule, standards, and requirements

In early 2025, Ecology held another public comment period on the cleanup action plan, a legal agreement (called a Consent Decree), and an environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The review found that the cleanup is not expected to cause significant new environmental problems.

After reviewing comments, Ecology determined that no major changes were needed. Responses are available in the 2025 Responsiveness Summary (1 MB).

In August 2025, all parties signed the Consent Decree (8.1 MB), and the Cleanup Action Plan (12.5 MB) was finalized. The project is now moving into the next phases: cleanup design and construction.