Commission Directs Staff to Pursue Upland Disposal

Port to work with King County on Terminal 30 dredge project

The Port of Seattle Commission today directed its staff to work with King County to dispose of about 20,000 cubic yards of dredged materials from Elliott Bay in an approved upland landfill.

"We strongly support policies and projects that grow our region's maritime industrial economy in an environmentally sustainable manner," said Port Commission President John Creighton.

"This terminal project is very important for our future," Creighton added, "but we must proceed by keeping in mind that environmental stewardship is a top priority. We see this as in line with our goal to be among the cleanest, greenest, most energy-efficient ports in the country."

The dredged material - part of a project to return the Port's Terminal 30 to use as a container terminal - contains a small concentration of PCBs. A total of 60,000 cubic yards are to be dredged to deepen the channel from a current 44 feet to 51 feet to accommodate large container ships.

About one-third of the material with the highest concentration of PCBs would be land filled; the remainder would be disposed of in an approved open-water site in a deeper part of Elliott Bay.

The Commission action today calls for the staff to develop a cost-sharing agreement with the county for the disposal, as well as to seek federal funds.

Port staff also will go back to the four regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over the project to ensure that upland disposal will not delay the project.

Terminal 30 has been used as a cruise ship facility for the past five years. Because of growth in international trade, the Port will convert it back to use as a container facility. When combined with a nearby terminal, the new 70-acre facility is scheduled to be open for cargo and container use by 2009. It has been leased for 30 years by SSA, the company which also operates Terminal 18 in the Seattle harbor.

Cruise operations will move to Pier 91, near Magnolia, in the 2009 season.

"We are very pleased to be able to work with King County on this project," Creighton said. "We commend the County Executive and the County Council for their leadership on this and other environmental issues. We would like the Port to explore further collaboration with the County on efforts to ensure and maintain a healthy Puget Sound and waterways in and around the County."

However, Creighton noted that it is essential any change of plans for the Terminal 30-Terminal 91 project be accommodated under the current schedule.

"Both these facilities must be open for the 2009 season," Creighton said. "We have customers who are depending on our schedule, and thousands of workers in the Puget Sound area, in associated industries, who rely on the Port to deliver construction projects on time."