The Puget Sound Initiative was established by Governor Gregoire in 2007 with the goal of restoring the health of the Puget Sound by 2020. One objective of the initiative and the Governor’s funding plan is to facilitate the cleanup of waterfront properties through the state’s Model Toxics Control Act regulated by the Department of Ecology (Ecology). The PortGardnerBay was identified by Ecology as a priority bay that will be addressed under the Puget Sound Initiative. Significant state funds will be dedicated to cleanup stressed waterfront properties and sediments. Since 2007, the Port, Department of Ecology, and other parties have been working together to cleanup identified properties owned by the Port.
The Everett Waterfront
From salmon fishing to cargo shipping, the Everett waterfront plays a significant role in many lives and is vital to our local economy and environment.For more than a century, the Everett waterfront has proven to be a regionally significant center of industrial and maritime commerce, bringing a healthy stream of commercial products and jobs to the economy.
It is the current and former home of saw mills, pulp and paper plants, smelting plants, ship builders, a variety of maritime support services, marine shipping terminals, bulk fuel terminals, naval military facilities, marine construction, and many other industries and commercial businesses. The waterfront is also a place of wonderful recreational opportunities, including boat launches and marinas, shoreline trails, waterfront parks, and the expansive beaches of JettyIsland.
Since the establishment of environmental laws and regulations over the last several decades, local waterfront industries and businesses have been upgrading to more environmentally friendly facilities and have conducted a variety of environmental cleanups. Through the Puget Sound Initiative, Ecology identified remaining significant cleanup projects in the area.
In cooperation with the Department of Ecology, the Port has put forth substantial effort in the Puget Sound Initiative at its properties along the Everett waterfront and is continuing to make meaningful progress. The Port currently has four significant cleanup projects underway – click on the links below to learn more about the details and status of each of the Port’s cleanup projects:
Other Port Gardner Bay properties identified that are not directly related to the Port of Everett include the Jeld-Wen site, ExxonMobil Petroleum Bulk Storage Plant (now Kimberley-Clark's employee parking lot), and the East Waterway near the Navy Base.
The cleanup efforts in and around Port Gardner Bay will only expand and enhance the recreational and occupational opportunities of the area for generations to come.
