Bremerton Gasworks Site

Site Description

The Bremerton Gasworks Site is located about a mile and a half from downtown Bremerton, Washington. It occupies land along the Port of Washington Narrows in Puget Sound. The site, a former coal gasification plant, is now used for commercial and industrial purposes. Sediments, soils, and groundwater at the site have been contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons from tars associated with the gasification processes used at the former facility, along with heavy metals and benzene.

The Washington State Department of Ecology, EPA, Cascade Natural Gas, and the U.S. Coast Guard have been involved in assessments of the site as well as a limited beach cleanup. Contamination in beach sediments, upland soils, and groundwater may require cleanup well beyond actions taken to date.

Bremerton Gasworks Site Added to National Priorities List

Documents supporting the site listing can be viewed at the Kitsap Regional Library, 1301 Sylvan Way, Bremerton, WA 98310, 380-405-9100, or the EPA Records Center, 1200 6th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, 206-553-4494 or online by visiting: http://epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm

For more information, please contact Debra Sherbina (sherbina.debra@epa.gov), Community Involvement Coordinator, 206-553-0247.

Site Contaminants

Sediments, soils, and groundwater at the site are contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons from tars, along with heavy metals and benzene.

Investigation and Cleanup Activites

On May 8, 2012 we added the Bremerton Gasworks Site to the National Priorities List (NPL). The next step will be to conduct a comprehensive site investigation.

Site Risks

Contamination sources left at the site could contaminate the Washington Narrows, a part of Puget Sound designated a national priority as one of the nation's great water bodies. Two species of federally listed endangered or threatened fish live near the site. Puget Sound is used as a sport and commercial fishery. The Suquamish Tribe uses the area as a subsistence fishery.