Willamette River Cleanup
It’s Your River. It’s Your Voice. It’s Your Choice.
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About the Portland Harbor Cleanup Site
The Portland Harbor Site spans 10 miles of the Lower Willamette River. The river sediments, surface water, and the fish that reside in the harbor have high levels of PCBs, PAHs, dioxins/furans, DDT and other pesticides which present an unacceptable risk to people’s health, especially subsistence and tribal fishers, and to the environment.
Under EPA cleanup plan, contaminated sediments at the site will be addressed through dredging, capping, enhanced natural recovery, and monitored natural recovery. Approximately 394 acres of sediment, out of 2,190 total acres in the site, will be actively remediated with dredging and capping, including removal of over three million cubic yards of contaminated sediments. Approximately 1,774 acres of the site with lower contaminant levels are expected to recover naturally over time.
Active cleanup construction work is expected to take about 13 years and cost $1 billion. Following the active cleanup construction phase, EPA expects a 100-fold reduction in contamination-related cancer and other serious risks. The river’s natural recovery process will further reduce these risks.
Portland, Port Join Settlement With Monsanto Over PCBs Contamination
Reported on OBP 6/24/2020 by Monica Samayoa: The City of Portland joins over 2,500 other government entities in reaching a proposed nationwide multi-million-dollar class settlement Wednesday with the agricultural chemical giant Monsanto. The Port of Portland and the...
Feuds Among EPA, Companies Delay Cleanup of Contaminated Harbor
Reported by Sylvia Carignan on bloomberglaw.com: A tug of war over one of the country’s most toxic sites is pitting the EPA against a handful of companies paying for cleanup. The companies have sought to reduce the scale and cost of the cleanup at Portland Harbor, a...
CAG General Meeting May 13, 2020
CAG Board Members Michael Pouncil, ChairDoug LarsonSarah Taylor Presenters and Panelists DEQLauren Wirtis, HostErin McDonnellDan HafleyMike PoulsenRebecca Wells-AlbersLaura Knudsen, EPAKaty Weil, MetroDwight Leisle, Port of Portland Estimated Number of Participants:...
EPA Provides Grant Funding to Support Environmental Justice Communities Impacted by COVID-19
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to improve the environment and public health conditions of low-income and minority communities through our daily efforts to ensure all Americans have clean air, safe water, and access to information to make...
March 11 Meeting Summary & Materials
Please review the final meeting summary from the March 11th, 2020 EPA Public Forum (with support from DEQ and the CAG). All presentations and related materials from the March 11th Public Forum are now available on EPA’s Portland Harbor website (in the ‘Public...
DEQ Requests Comments on Proposed Portland Harbor Source Control Decision for City of Portland Outfalls Project
*Comment by 5/29/2020* DEQ Requests Comments on Proposed Portland Harbor Source Control Decision for City of Portland Outfalls Project: DEQ proposes to issue a source control decision that finds the city adequately investigated the sources of potential stormwater...
EPA’s Response to the Post-ROD Comment Letter from PRPs
EPA has responded to the post-ROD comment letter received on March 9, 2020 from four Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) for the Portland Harbor Superfund Site (including Evraz Inc., Gunderson LLC, Schnitzer Steel Industries, and Vigor Industrial). EPA’s response...
EPA is issuing two Unilateral Agreement Orders to initiate remedial design at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site
From US EPA: EPA is issuing two Unilateral Agreement Orders to initiate remedial design at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site: one to Evraz, Inc. to address contamination adjacent to its Rivergate plant between River Miles 1.9 and 3.2 on the...
WILLAMETTE COVE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
from Portland Harbor Community Coalition: On March 2nd, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) started a 60-day public comment period for Willamette Cove. DEQ has proposed a remedy for this toxic site that includes removing some of the worst toxins...
Draft Portland Harbor Superfund Site EPA Community Involvement Plan Now Available for Public Feedback! Deadline Extended to May 11
From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency We are pleased to announce the release of the Draft Portland Harbor Superfund Site EPA Community Involvement Plan (Draft CIP) for public feedback. To provide feedback, please read the three points below: Share your...
Companies Challenge Portland Harbor Superfund Cleanup Plan
Reported by Cassandra Profita on OPB. As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was announcing eight major cleanup agreements for the Portland Harbor Superfund Site this week, four companies were filing a petition challenging the agency’s core...
$24 million reimbursement fund ‘bolsters’ number of firms agreeing to clean contaminated Portland Harbor
As reported on Oregonlive by Everton Baily, Jr: "The agency announced Monday that it reached agreements with nearly two dozen companies, including Chevron, Exxon and Shell Oil, between December and last Wednesday to restore eight portions of the Portland Harbor...