Portland Harbor Superfund Site

Site summary

The Portland Harbor Superfund Site in Portland, Oregon, is the result of more than a century of industrial use along the Willamette River.

Water and sediments along Portland Harbor are contaminated with many hazardous substances, including heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), dioxin, and pesticides. These compounds have been found to be harmful to human health and the environment.

The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List in December 2000. The current study area extends from the Columbia Slough to the Broadway Bridge.

EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are working in coordination with potentially responsible parties to clean up contaminated sediment and control sources of additional contamination.

Who pays for the investigation and cleanup?

Announcing draft feasibility study public information sessions

The draft feasibility study is expected to be submitted to EPA for review on March 30, and will be made available for public review shortly after. The study describes various options for cleaning up Portland Harbor. We're holding a series of public information sessions to discuss the feasibility study:

Wednesday, April 11, 6pm to 8pm (open house 5:30pm to 6pm)
St. John's Community Center, 8427 N. Central St., Portland
Thursday, April 12, 1pm to 3pm (open house 12:30pm to 1pm)
Portland Building Auditorium, 1120 SW 5th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Portland
Wednesday, April 18, 6pm to 8pm (open house 5:30pm to 6pm)
June Key Delta Community Center, 5940 N. Albina Street, Portland
Thursday, May 10, 6pm to 8pm (open house 5:30pm to 6pm)
Ecotrust Building- Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center, 721 NW Ninth Avenue, Portland

Learn more about the feasibility study information sessions

"Early Action" cleanup areas

Early Action cleanup areas are parts of a Superfund site that may become a threat to people or the environment before the long-term cleanup is completed. The following areas within the Portland Harbor Superfund Site have already begun or completed cleanup activities:

Arkema - A former pesticide manufacturing facility contaminated with high levels of DDT and other chemicals.
Gasco-Siltronic - A former manufactured gas plant contaminated with tar deposits from past manufacturing.
Terminal 4 - A former industrial site contaminated with pesticides, PCBs, metals, and PAHs.
Triangle Park - A 35-acre former industrial site with soil and groundwater contamination.
U.S. Moorings Early Action Area - A former industrial site contaminated with metals, solvents, and petroleum by-products from historical boat maintenance activities.