PORT ANGELES — The state Department of Ecology will open a public comment period for the Western Port Angeles Harbor cleanup site from Thursday to Feb. 18.
A draft consent decree, draft cleanup action plan and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Determination of Non-significance developed with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe are available for review at tinyurl.com/bdedx8vv.
A fact sheet summarizing the information with details about the cleanup plan can be found at tinyurl.com/43m8p5fe.
The cleanup site is located at the west end of Port Angeles Harbor. Industry activity over the years released contaminants posing health risks to human and marine life in the area. Those included dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals like mercury.
The site is separate from the Rayonier Mill cleanup area; information about the status of the latter can be found at tinyurl.com/429jphpp.
Parties participating in cleanup include the city of Port Angeles, Georgia-Pacific, Merrill & Ring, Nippon Paper Group, the Port of Port Angeles and Owens Corning.
The Department of Ecology will host a public meeting and open house to share information about the cleanup from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 5 at Field Arts & Events Hall, 201 W. Front St. The cleanup site manager will make a presentation about planned cleanup activities, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Ecology staff will be available for one-on-one discussions from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Written comments will be accepted throughout the evening.
To submit comments online, go to go.ecology.wa.gov/comment11907. Or mail or email Connie Groven, site manager, state Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47775 Olympia, WA 98504-7775, connie.groven@ecy.wa.gov.
