Tacoma, WA
Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel is listed in the EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System with an NPL status of NPL Site and a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 54.63. The site is located in Tacoma, WA. Superfund National Priorities List inclusion 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.
EPA Superfund records catalog 70 contaminants associated with this site, documented through the remedial investigation process. Physical construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed, EPA designates this milestone as "Construction Complete."
NPL listing does not, by itself, establish a health risk to nearby residents, it triggers federal authority to investigate, score, and remediate. HRS scores of 28.50 or above qualify a site for the NPL; the ranking weighs contaminant toxicity, release pathways, waste quantity, and affected population. For current site conditions and community health guidance, contact the Washington environmental or health agency and the EPA Regional Superfund office listed on the official site profile.
What is the cleanup status of this Superfund site?
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
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 | - |
| Bremerton Gasworks | NPL Site | 50.00 |
| Centralia Municipal Landfill | NPL Site | 36.36 |
| Colbert Landfill | NPL Site | 41.59 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel Superfund site? ▼
Is Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel dangerous to live near? ▼
What is the HRS score for Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel? ▼
What contaminants are at the Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel site? ▼
What is the cleanup status of Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel? ▼
About Superfund
The National Priorities List (NPL) is the list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.
The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is the principal mechanism the EPA uses to evaluate sites for placement on the NPL. Sites with an HRS score of 28.50 or greater are eligible for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk.
The EPA's Superfund cleanup process typically follows these phases: preliminary assessment, site inspection, NPL listing, remedial investigation/feasibility study, remedy selection, remedial design/action, construction completion, post-construction completion, and NPL deletion. Some sites remain on the NPL for decades.
PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. The presence of a site on the NPL does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. For site-specific health questions, consult your local environmental or health agency.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.