Stella-Jones Arlington public comment period

Documents available for review and comment include:

• Draft agreed order: This legal agreement ensures that the cleanup follows state law.
• Draft public participation plan: This plan encourages community involvement in cleanup decisions.

How to submit comments

This public comment period opens Jan. 26, 2026 at 12 a.m. and closes Feb. 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Submit your comments in the following ways:

• Online public comment form
• Email janelle.anderson@ecy.wa.gov
• Mail: Paul Bianco, Site Manager, Department of Ecology, Northwest Region Office, P.O. Box 330316, Shoreline, WA 98133

When the public comment period ends, we will consider all comments and may change the documents based on them. After considering all comments, the documents will become final.

Will there be a public meeting?

At this time, there are no public meetings scheduled for this comment period. We will hold a public meeting if 10 or more people request one. To request a meeting, please contact Janelle Anderson at 425-301-6454 or janelle.anderson@ecy.wa.gov.

Site background

Stella-Jones currently owns and operates a 39-acre wood pole treatment facility in Arlington. The site has been used for treating poles since 1960. JH Baxter owned and operated the wood treatment facility from 1971 to 2007. Stella-Jones purchased the operation in 2007 and leased the property. They eventually bought the property in 2024.

In 1960, pole treatment and storage happened mostly in the northern part of the property. Wood utility poles were treated with chemicals to repel pests and reduce insect damage. Until about 1990, the chemicals used included both creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP). The facility continued using PCP until 2022 and now uses DCOI (4,5-Dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one). DCOI is a safer water-based wood preservative used on utility poles to protect against decay.

More information

• Read the Stella-Jones Arlington focus sheet (publication 26-04-004)
• Visit the Stella-Jones JH Baxter Arlington cleanup site page

Translations

We offer translation and interpretation services at no cost. To request documents in Spanish or for more information in your language, please email janelle.anderson@ecy.wa.gov or call 425-301-6454. If you call, ask for an interpreter and wait to be connected with one.