Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel

NPL Site
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Tacoma, WA

According to the EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System, Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel in Tacoma, WA is listed with NPL status NPL Site. Its Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is 54.63. The public extract catalogs 70 contaminant records for this site. EPA marks construction of the cleanup remedy as complete. NPL listing is a cleanup-authority designation, not a measured health-risk score.

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Superfund National Priorities List inclusion (status and HRS score shown above) is the EPA's formal designation that a contaminated site qualifies for long-term federal cleanup authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). A federal-facility classification means the site is owned or operated by a federal agency, which routes cleanup responsibility differently than a privately owned site.

"Construction Complete" (status shown above) is an EPA milestone marking that the physical remedy work is finished, not that the site has exited EPA oversight; long-term monitoring can continue afterward. Deletion from the NPL is a separate, later step the EPA takes only once it determines every planned response action is finished.

NPL listing is a cleanup-authority designation in the EPA record, not a quantitative health-risk score. HRS scores of 28.50 or above qualify a site for the NPL under the EPA screening model (toxicity, pathways, waste quantity, and affected population factors). For current site conditions and official community notices, see the EPA Regional Superfund profile and the Washington environmental agency.

What is the cleanup status of this Superfund site?

NPL Status
NPL Site
Federal Facility
No
Construction Complete
Yes
HRS Score
54.63
Deleted from NPL
No

Contaminants

Contaminant Media
1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE Groundwater
1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE Landfill Gas
1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE Soil
1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE Surface Water
1,1,2,2-TETRACHLOROETHANE Groundwater
1,1,2,2-TETRACHLOROETHANE Soil
1,1,2-TRICHLOROETHANE Groundwater
1,1-DICHLOROETHANE Groundwater
1,1-DICHLOROETHANE Soil
1,1-DICHLOROETHANE Surface Water
1,1-DICHLOROETHENE Landfill Gas
1,2-DICHLOROETHANE Groundwater
1,2-DICHLOROETHANE Landfill Gas
1,2-DICHLOROETHANE Soil
1,2-DICHLOROETHANE Surface Water
1,4-DICHLOROBENZENE Soil
4-(4-AMINO-3-CHLOROPHENYL)-2-CHLOROANILINE Soil
9H-CARBAZOLE Soil
ALDRIN Soil
ALUMINUM Soil
ANTIMONY Soil
ARSENIC Soil
BENZENE Groundwater
BENZENE Landfill Gas
BENZENE Soil
BENZENE Surface Water
BERYLLIUM Soil
CHLOROETHANE Groundwater
CHLOROETHANE Landfill Gas
CHLOROETHANE Soil
CHLOROETHANE Surface Water
CHLOROETHENE (VINYL CHLORIDE) Groundwater
CHLOROETHENE (VINYL CHLORIDE) Landfill Gas
CHLOROETHENE (VINYL CHLORIDE) Soil
CHLOROETHENE (VINYL CHLORIDE) Surface Water
CHLOROFORM Groundwater
CIS-1,2-DICHLOROETHENE Groundwater
COPPER Soil
DICHLOROMETHANE (METHYLENE CHLORIDE) Groundwater
DICHLOROMETHANE (METHYLENE CHLORIDE) Landfill Gas
DICHLOROMETHANE (METHYLENE CHLORIDE) Soil
DICHLOROMETHANE (METHYLENE CHLORIDE) Surface Water
ETHYLBENZENE Groundwater
ETHYLBENZENE Landfill Gas
ETHYLBENZENE Soil
ETHYLBENZENE Surface Water
LEAD Soil
MANGANESE Soil
NAPHTHALENE Groundwater
PENTACHLOROPHENOL Soil
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) Soil
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Soil
TETRACHLOROETHENE Groundwater
TETRACHLOROETHENE Soil
TOLUENE Groundwater
TOLUENE Landfill Gas
TOLUENE Soil
TOLUENE Surface Water
TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (TPH) Groundwater
TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (TPH) Soil
TRANS-1,2-DICHLOROETHENE Groundwater
TRANS-1,2-DICHLOROETHENE Soil
TRICHLOROETHENE Groundwater
TRICHLOROETHENE Soil
VOC Soil
XYLENE (MIXED ISOMERS) Groundwater
XYLENE (MIXED ISOMERS) Landfill Gas
XYLENE (MIXED ISOMERS) Soil
XYLENE (MIXED ISOMERS) Surface Water
ZINC Soil

Location

City
Tacoma
Coordinates
47.2294, -122.4714

Other Superfund Sites in Washington

Site Name Status HRS Score
ALCOA (Vancouver Smelter) Deleted NPL Site 57.80
American Crossarm & Conduit Co. Deleted NPL Site 30.44
American Lake Gardens/McChord AFB NPL Site 28.90
Bangor Naval Submarine Base NPL Site 55.91
Bangor Ordnance Disposal (USNAVY) NPL Site 30.42
Bonneville Power Administration Ross Complex (USDOE) Deleted NPL Site 53.67
Boomsnub/Airco NPL Site 0.00
Bremerton Gasworks NPL Site 50.00
Centralia Municipal Landfill NPL Site 36.36
Colbert Landfill NPL Site 41.59

How does this site's HRS score compare in Washington?

Of the 69 Washington Superfund sites with a scored Hazard Ranking System (HRS) evaluation, Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel ranks #10 by score (54.63).

Either side of it: General Electric Co. (Spokane Shop) (57.80), Bangor Naval Submarine Base (55.91), Midway Landfill (54.27), Bonneville Power Administration Ross Complex (USDOE) (53.67)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel Superfund site?
Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel is one of the higher hazard-ranked Superfund sites EPA tracks in Washington (HRS 54.63, rank #10 of 69 scored sites in the state), located in Tacoma, WA. Superfund sites are contaminated locations identified by the EPA for long-term cleanup under CERCLA; a higher HRS rank reflects the EPA's scoring model, not a certified danger level.
What does NPL listing mean for Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel?
According to the EPA, National Priorities List (NPL) listing designates a site for long-term federal Superfund cleanup authority. It is a programmatic status in the Superfund Enterprise Management System, not a quantitative health-risk score for nearby residents. EPA records mark construction of the cleanup remedy as complete at this site. Site-specific conditions and community guidance are published by EPA Regional Superfund offices and the relevant state environmental agency.
What is the HRS score for Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel?
Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel's Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is 54.63, placing it #10 of 69 Washington Superfund sites with a scored HRS evaluation -- among the higher-scored sites in the state. Sites with a score of 28.50 or greater qualify for the NPL; the model weighs contaminant toxicity, waste quantity, release likelihood, and affected population, and is not a community health diagnosis.
What contaminants are at the Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel site?
The EPA public Superfund extract catalogs 70 contaminants at Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel, documented through the remedial investigation process. Counts reflect listed records in that extract, not a complete inventory of every substance ever present.
What is the cleanup status of Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel?
Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel is currently NPL Site on the National Priorities List. Construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed. The EPA Superfund cleanup process includes phases from preliminary assessment through post-construction completion.

NPL listing is a cleanup-authority designation in the EPA record, not a quantitative health-risk score. See Superfund Sites Explained for how the National Priorities List, Hazard Ranking System, and cleanup phases work.

Related

Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro