PORT ANGELES — The primary goal over the next two to three months for Harbor-Works Public Development Authority’s new executive director, Jeff Lincoln, is to begin the process of bringing the Rayonier Inc. site into public ownership.
The public development authority is chartered with acquiring the Rayonier site at the end of Ennis Street, or getting control of it through an agreement, directing its cleanup and redevelopment.
“We know it is pretty badly contaminated,” the recently hired Lincoln told the public development authority’s board of directors Monday.
The Rayonier site is contaminated with pockets of PCBs, dioxin, arsenic and other toxins left by its pulp mill, which operated there for 68 years before closing in 1997.
The state Department of Ecology has supervised the cleanup, which is estimated to be completed by the end of 2012, since 2000.
Lincoln is hopeful that the cleanup and development of the site could be done in about six years.
He said that communicating with the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe — which is a partner in the cleanup with Ecology and Rayonier — about the archeological sensitivity of the site is of paramount importance.
He said submitting a grant to Ecology for the planning phase of the project was on his checklist.
“It must be submitted very quickly in order for us to start defraying the costs from the local community,” he said.
“We also need to establish the scope of work and contract for legal services.”
He expects to have a host of meetings for the board, including with staff from the city of Port Angeles, Clallam County, the Port of Port Angeles, Ecology, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rayonier and others.
“I know that for an appointed board, this is very strenuous, but it will be beneficial,” Lincoln said.
He said he also hopes to gather and review the studies that already have been done.
“There is no need to reinvent the wheel here,” he said.
Lincoln said he would work with Rayonier to obtain documents that haven’t been public information to see if those contain studies that would be helpful in the cleanup.
“Through all of this, a plethora of permits will need to be obtained,” he said.
Lincoln asked the board to come up with some specific goals and expectations for him for the next six-or-so years.
“I really would like you guys to hold my feet to the fire,” he said. “If I’m not on track to reach one of those goals, then I can come back to you and communicate why that is the case, but I would like to know what you would like to see out of me.”
In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called the site “moderately contaminated,” perhaps 2 or 3 on a scale of 10.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
