The public is encouraged to comment on proposed plans for cleaning up the old Shell Tank Farm that companies had used to distribute petroleum products and other chemicals.
The comment period this Friday and runs through Jan. 8, 2014. The Washington Department of Ecology is asking for comments on:
- A proposed legal agreement called a consent decree that outlines cleanup actions agreed to by Ecology and the Port of Anacortes. The port bought the site in 1929.
- Findings from a site investigation and an evaluation of possible cleanup options.
- A proposed cleanup action and cleanup requirements.
- A draft public participation plan for how interested people will be updated on the cleanup project and how they can be involved.
The port leased the property between 13th and 14th streets east of what is now the McDonald's on Commercial Ave. to Shell Oil and other companies between 1930 and 1987. They used it to distribute gasoline, diesel, oil, and other chemical products. Storage tanks, piping, and structures were removed in the 1980s. The port now uses the site for vehicle and boat trailer parking.
Site investigations found several chemicals and metals in the soil and groundwater. Those include gasoline, diesel, heavy oil, benzene, cadmium, and various hydrocarbons.
The draft documents can be reviewed on Ecology's Former Shell Tank Farm web page. Documents can be reviewed in person at:
- Anacortes Public Library at 1220 10th St. in Anacortes.
- Ecology headquarters at 300 Desmond Drive SE in Lacey. Contact Carol Dorn for an appointment at 360-407-7224 or
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Here's how to submit comments:
- Mail them to site manager Nick Acklam, Department of Ecology, Toxics Cleanup Program, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600.
- Email them to
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Ecology is cleaning up several Anacortes-area sites, including the Former Shell Tank Farm, under the Puget Sound Initiative. An Ecology team works with local governments, site owners, area tribes, and other stakeholders to help shape those cleanups.