Environmental Program

 Shipping Berth Pilot Interim Cleanup Action

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Port of Olympia (Port)  entered an agreement to allow the Port to remove a portion of dioxin-contaminated sediment from two shipping berths.

The draft agreed order and State Environmental Policy Act determination of non-significance is located on Ecology’s website, http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/budd_inlet/budd_inlet_hp.htm.

Budd Inlet Health Consultation

The Washington State Department of Health, and a cooperative Agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), has issued a Health Consultation for Budd Inlet. This report, dated July 28, 2008, made the following conclusions:

  1. Dioxin and PCBs represents a "no apparent public health hazard" for children or adults exposed in a one-day-per-week or 52 days per year exposure scenario to contaminants present in sediments.
  2. Dioxin represents a "no apparent public health hazard" for the general population and the Squaxin Island Tribe (children or adults) consuming bottom fish or shellfish in Budd Inlet.

The complete report can be found at the following web site:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/publications_pdf/HealthConsults/334172budinlet.pdf

Port SEPA Process

Cascade Pole

East Bay Infrastructure

Other Active SEPA Files

Budd Inlet Restoration Partnership

The Port, along with partners LOTT, the City of Olympia, the City of Tumwater, Thurston County and supported by  the Department of Ecology, have been working on a cooperative team strategy to lead to a comprehensive cleanup of Budd Inlet.  The group, coordinated by the Thurston County Extension of WSU, worked through 2008 to gather input and research on-going efforts of the individual partners that will lead to immediate progress on restoring Budd Inlet.

The results of the Phase 1 study can be found at the link below: 

Phase I Report