Source: Wood Treatment Facility and Shipyard, since early in
the 20th century
Release: Primarily PAHs, mercury and heavy metals
Primary Injury: Marine resources associated with sediments such
as English Sole are believed to be most impacted, as well as the natural
resource services they provide to other resources and to humans
Remedial Assessment
In 1987, EPA listed the Wyckoff-Eagle Harbor Superfund site due to
contamination in ground water, soils, and sediments. The site encompasses the
former Wyckoff wood-treating facility (operated from 1903 to 1988), a former
shipyard, and roughly 500 acres of contaminated Eagle Harbor sediments adjacent
to these former facilities. The site was contaminated with residue from the
wood treating facility including creosote, pentachlorophenol (PCP), and various
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The shipyard contributed organic
compounds and heavy metals to the Eagle Harbor sediments, notably mercury,
lead, copper, and zinc. Different environmental media, sources of
contamination, enforcement strategies, and environmental risks in different
areas of the site led to the division of the site into four work areas called
operable units.
The operable units (OUs) include:
NOAA has worked closely with EPA throughout the remedial process to ensure that
selected remedies are protective of NOAA trust resources. In the initial stages
of the remedial process, NOAA identified receptors at risk and informed sample
plan design to collect data and subsequent data analysis. Once data were
collected and pathways to receptors were identified, NOAA provided technical
expertise with respect to ecological risk assessment. Trust resources of
concern include benthic invertebrates, fish such as resident English sole and
juvenile ESA listed Chinook, and marine mammals. If an OU did demonstrate risk
to trust resources, NOAA made recommendations on the remedial design. In
addition, NOAA staff partnered with the EPA to provide support and equipment to
conduct a sampling investigation on a re-contaminated portion of the Soil OU,
the West Beach.
Remediation of Eagle Harbor sediments has now been completed, and monitoring of
the effectiveness of the remedy is underway.
Injury Assessment
Information from the remedial investigation and other sources is being used in
the assessment of injury to natural resources in the West Harbor OU.
