Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Port of Olympia plans to resume sediment sampling in Budd Inlet by late February or early March, as part of its effort to determine the extent of contamination in the area.
The work is being conducted under an agreement with the Washington State Department of Ecology that requires the port to investigate contamination, evaluate possible cleanup actions and propose a cleanup plan.
The work covers three sub-areas: East Bay and West Bay, as well as the northern boundaries of Budd Inlet. Sampling in East Bay took place in January 2024, followed by work in West Bay in March 2025.
During a briefing to the Port of Olympia Commission on Monday, Jan. 26, Port of Olympia Environmental Manager Jonathon Wolf said the next round of sampling focuses on the third sub-area, which is going to include 146 samples from 101 locations.
“If all goes according to plan, sampling should start by the end of February or early March, and typically it runs four to six weeks,” Wolf said.
The northern boundary of the third sub-area is yet to be fully defined, as the port has been asked by the Department of Ecology to expand the coverage area.
“Ecology wants us to go out there. We said, ‘I mean, there's no way we're going to sample that entire area at a high density.’ But we're willing to go out,” Wolf said.
Wolf also pointed to an area where a former Navy fleet was anchored as a site of contamination. He said the Department of Ecology wants the area to be included.
“Ecology said, ‘Well, you know, this may not be your responsibility, but we don't assign responsibility. We just want to know where the pollution is, so you're going to go out there and do some samples,’” Wolf said.
He said the fleet was anchored in the area shortly after the Korean War. He said paint and oil from those ships were the likely source of contamination.
The port will also return to East Bay during the next sampling phase. Wolf said additional samples are needed to determine how deep contamination extends near Moxlie Creek and how far hydrocarbons have spread from an outfall across Swantown Marina.
Wolf also shared preliminary results from sampling in West Bay. He said the data has not yet been validated, but provided a general overview.
Testing for dioxins and furans showed concentrations above the state screening level of 19 nanograms per kilogram.
“The screening level — the level at which action may need to be taken — is 19 nanograms per kilogram,” Wolf explained. “To put that in perspective, that's parts per trillion. That's one drop of water out of 20 Olympic sized pools.”
Samples from the northern portion of West Bay averaged about 44 nanograms per kilogram, while southern samples averaged about 28 to 29 nanograms per kilogram.
“The takeaway from this … is that we’re not talking magnitudes of order here,” he said.
Higher concentrations were found in two main areas: in scattered locations at the northern portion of West Bay and in the southern portion under marinas and near a joint outfall by the City of Olympia and LOTT Clean Water Alliance.
Testing for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, also showed amounts above the screening level, which is at 78 nanograms per kilogram. Wolf said those levels were found primarily under West Bay Marina, along the industrial western shoreline, near outfalls and under berth areas.
According to Wolf, the works costs $22 million. Roughly $16 million of the cost is covered by grants and state appropriations, with the remaining $6 million coming from the port.
Wolf said the port is also pursuing a separate $12 million remedial action grant, which would include $6 million from the Department of Ecology and a $3 million match from the Washington State Department of Commerce. He said the funding would allow the project to move forward before the port has to draw from its own funds.
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Boatyarddog
As per Past "Cleanups" we know that the Port will downplay and reverse accountability. These Poisons continue to linger under these sediments in AREAS that Humans and Wildlife Habitate. IT IS Imperitive that the Port Shut The Marine Terminal portion of the PORT and Ban ALL NEW DREDGING. SHUT THE MARINE TERMINAL DOWN. End the Log Loading and Focus on Bulk goods, and Promote Tourism
Friday, January 30 Report this
warrenh50
I know this can't possibly be correct, but from the information in this story it seems we are paying 22 million dollars for 146 environmental test samples! As usual in these Jolt stories, we need more in-depth, and background, information please.
Friday, January 30 Report this
Boatyarddog
@Warrenh50. Alarming isn't It? Questions should be asked for this amount
Friday, January 30 Report this
Boatyarddog
OH and Mr Wolf is incorrect! The Port is GOING to do EXACTLY what The D.O.E. SAYS IT HAS TO DO. Or Face another LAWSUIT & Lose It All. This Is Exactly why The Project changed Governance from the D.E.S. to D.O.E. Because they Are Better at this.
Friday, January 30 Report this