Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated the next phase of cleanup at the Wyckoff-Eagle Harbor Superfund site on Bainbridge Island. This stage, funded by $80 million from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will span three years and involve realigning the existing wellfield, demolishing outdated thermal pilot test infrastructure, and replacing the current sheet pile wall with a reinforced concrete wall.
“Today we’re kicking off the next phase of our comprehensive cleanup effort at this site,” said EPA Regional Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “And thanks to $80 million in funding from the Biden-Harris Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is accelerating this cleanup work. Once completed this project will expand public access and critical habitat for salmon and other marine species.”
Historically, the site hosted one of the largest wood treatment facilities in the United States, where creosote continues to seep from the ground affecting nearby tidelands. Currently, areas impacted by pollution remain inaccessible to the public.
"This project will return life and community and recreation to this corner of Bainbridge, and I'm proud of the partnership making it happen," stated Governor Jay Inslee. "Once upon a time, Washington's industries made great things at great cost to the land. We've turned the page since then. Our economy is cleaner, and no less prosperous for it."
Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) highlighted the significance of federal funding for regional health and safety: “New federal funding to clean-up the Wyckoff/Eagle Harbor Superfund site is a big deal for our region,” he said. “Cleaning-up this site is important for the health and safety of folks who live in this region now, and for future generations who will make their lives and livelihoods on Puget Sound. Investments like these are part of the reason I supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - and they are strong signs that the Biden-Harris Administration is delivering for people.”
Owned by both the City of Bainbridge Island and Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District, ongoing efforts aim to open more sections of Pritchard Park—a 50-acre recreational area—to public use.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding represents a significant advancement in restoring Wyckoff/Eagle Harbor Superfund Site,” noted City of Bainbridge Island Mayor Joe Deets. “We look forward to when this site becomes a public park where everyone can enjoy its beauty and wildlife.”
The tidelands near Wyckoff-Eagle Harbor house 22 acres of eelgrass beds vital for young salmon and other marine species; eelgrass affected by construction has been relocated nearby.
The EPA collaborates with several entities including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington State Department of Ecology, Suquamish Tribe, among others. Cleanup operations at this site began in 1987.
For further details on cleanup activities and historical context, visit EPA’s Wyckoff-Eagle Harbor Superfund site webpage.
