2017 aerial view of Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup site (on right with the white tarps) and part of the RG Haley International cleanup site (on left).
If you’ve heard a bit of noise or noticed equipment and trucks moving in and out of various locations along the Bellingham waterfront, there’s good reason for it: construction work is a go at three Bellingham Bay cleanup sites.
Cornwall Avenue Landfill and RG Haley cleanup sites
Two cleanup sites along the Bellingham waterfront, Cornwall Avenue Landfill and RG Haley International, have been closed off to the public for more than 25 years. That will change in the future, because construction — the on-the-ground work to clean up contamination — is finally getting started after years of studying these sites and figuring out how to clean them up. The best part? These two sites will become Bellingham’s future Salish Landing Park.
It will be exciting to finally say goodbye to the giant white tarps and see these cleanup sites transformed into a community destination. Soil, groundwater, and in-water sediment at the two sites are impacted by different types of contaminants, including heavy metals, petroleum compounds, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), at levels above the limits set by Washington’s cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act. Since there is too much contamination to fully remove it from both sites, the focus is on eliminating contact to protect people and the environment.
Cornwall Avenue Landfill, 1954
The Cornwall Avenue Landfill site was once used as a city landfill and for sawmill operations. It contains an estimated 295,000 cubic yards of municipal waste and 94,000 cubic yards of wood waste. The material under the white tarps is dredged sediment from the bay. It was reused to cap (or cover) the contamination and will be reconfigured to construct a landfill capping system. The shoreline will also be stabilized, and in-water areas near the shore will be covered with a thin layer of clean sediment. These actions will limit rainwater from carrying contaminants into groundwater and the bay, while also preventing the buildup of landfill gases and erosion.
RG Haley International, 2003
The RG Haley International site is right next door. It was once used for lumber, coal and wharf operations, as well as wood treatment. During construction, contaminated soil will be isolated through solidification or covered with a capping system so rainwater can’t seep through it and carry contaminants into the groundwater. About 2,300 cubic yards of contaminated shoreline sediment will be excavated and contained beneath the capping system. Other in-water areas will be covered with sand or sand amendments to contain the contamination and treat groundwater flowing through it.
Harris Avenue Shipyard cleanup site
A bit further south in Fairhaven, a portion of the Harris Avenue Shipyard cleanup site has also been getting cleaned up. Starting in the early 1900s, shipbuilding activities and other operations contaminated the soil, groundwater, and in-water sediment. Construction crews have already excavated shallow soil and replaced it with clean soil, gravel, or asphalt. They have also excavated and solidified deeper soil to prevent contamination from reaching groundwater. This work is almost complete with the final stages wrapping up this winter.
What happens next?
During construction at all three sites, efforts are being made to minimize impacts on the community, and after construction, each cleanup site will be continually checked to make sure the cleanup is doing its job. Regular monitoring of groundwater will occur and every five years each cleanup site will be thoroughly evaluated and documented. Longterm protection of people and the environment is the goal.
Other cleanup sites in Bellingham are also undergoing cleanup or getting close to it. The I & J Waterway cleanup site started construction last year and will continue into 2026, with more to follow. Construction will also get started in the next few years at other Bellingham Bay cleanup sites, including Whatcom Waterway and Georgia-Pacific West.
Bellingham Bay cleanup
The Bellingham Bay cleanup comprises 12 sites coordinated through the Bellingham Bay Action Team, a bay-wide multi-agency effort to clean up contaminated sediment, control sources of sediment contamination, and restore habitat, with consideration for land and water uses.
Questions or concerns? Please contact the public involvement coordinator, Kristen Forkeutis, at Kristen.Forkeutis@ecy.wa.gov or call 425-240-4353.