PORT ANGELES — The environmental cleanup of the property that once housed the Rayonier pulp mill will last at least 1½ more years, the Port Angeles Business Association was told Tuesday.
Business association members have been pressing the state Department of Ecology to step up efforts to complete the Rayonier site cleanup so the property at the mouth of Ennis Creek can re-enter the area economy.
William W. “Bill” Harris, environmental engineer with Ecology’s Solid Waste and Financial Assistance Program, reluctantly told the audience at Tuesday’s PABA meeting that the cleanup could take place by the end of 2006.
“It’s hard to answer that question,” Harris told about 50 attending the breakfast meeting at Joshua’s Restaurant in Port Angeles.
The meeting drew elected officials from state Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, to county, city and Port of Port Angeles leaders.
Harris and Dana Dolloff, Rayonier environmental affairs director, said if the Rayonier property was brought up to industrial standards, only a surface cleanup would be required.
If the site is brought up to “unrestricted” standards — for residential or commercial land uses — soils down to 10 feet deep would have to be excavated and removed.
The site’s “remedial” investigation covers both the marine and upland portions of the site.
Harris said reports on those investigations should be completed within the next six months, followed by a feasibility study and another public comment period.