Results and project retrospectives from over a decade of removing toxic creosote-treated pilings and overwater structures from Puget Sound
Presentation Abstract
Many experts have said that Puget Sound is dying the death of a thousand cuts. One of these “cuts” is the on-going contaminate source of derelict creosote-treated materials leaching toxic chemical compounds, most notably polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, into the aquatic environment. In 2004, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources created the Creosote Removal Program (CRP) to lead removal efforts of derelict creosote-treated pilings and overwater structures from marine and estuarine waters throughout Puget Sound. Without a comprehensive, centralized program to remove derelict creosote-treated materials, these pilings and structures would persist until they inevitably break apart and subsequently wash onto beaches or other sensitive environments where contaminate leaching can be more concentrated and the effects upon marine organisms more pronounced. In order to systematically and efficiently undertake removal efforts, the CRP has developed a comprehensive inventory of derelict treated pilings, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to guide removal efforts, a cost effective contracting process, and obtained programmatic permits all of which enable the CRP to prioritize and remove an average of eleven hundred and fifty pilings a year. To date, the program has removed 13,873 creosote-treated pilings, surpassing our Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) Near-Term Action goal of removing 13,000 pilings by 2020. An additional 275,872 ft2 of overwater structure has been removed, enhancing light penetration necessary for aquatic vegetation and removing impediments to nearshore sediment transport processes. Despite meeting our PSP goal, there are still over 16,000 derelict treated pilings polluting Puget Sound. This presentation will look at how the program has been successful with a discussion on the how sites are prioritized, the value of partnerships, setting realistic targets, and future goals. We will also discuss the challenges the program has faced and how we’re adapting based on experiences from past projects.
Session Title
Remediation
Conference Track
Protection, Remediation and Restoration
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Creosote; Hazardous waste site remediation--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Creosote Removal Program (Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Results and project retrospectives from over a decade of removing toxic creosote-treated pilings and overwater structures from Puget Sound
2016SSEC
Many experts have said that Puget Sound is dying the death of a thousand cuts. One of these “cuts” is the on-going contaminate source of derelict creosote-treated materials leaching toxic chemical compounds, most notably polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, into the aquatic environment. In 2004, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources created the Creosote Removal Program (CRP) to lead removal efforts of derelict creosote-treated pilings and overwater structures from marine and estuarine waters throughout Puget Sound. Without a comprehensive, centralized program to remove derelict creosote-treated materials, these pilings and structures would persist until they inevitably break apart and subsequently wash onto beaches or other sensitive environments where contaminate leaching can be more concentrated and the effects upon marine organisms more pronounced. In order to systematically and efficiently undertake removal efforts, the CRP has developed a comprehensive inventory of derelict treated pilings, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to guide removal efforts, a cost effective contracting process, and obtained programmatic permits all of which enable the CRP to prioritize and remove an average of eleven hundred and fifty pilings a year. To date, the program has removed 13,873 creosote-treated pilings, surpassing our Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) Near-Term Action goal of removing 13,000 pilings by 2020. An additional 275,872 ft2 of overwater structure has been removed, enhancing light penetration necessary for aquatic vegetation and removing impediments to nearshore sediment transport processes. Despite meeting our PSP goal, there are still over 16,000 derelict treated pilings polluting Puget Sound. This presentation will look at how the program has been successful with a discussion on the how sites are prioritized, the value of partnerships, setting realistic targets, and future goals. We will also discuss the challenges the program has faced and how we’re adapting based on experiences from past projects.
