City of Port Angeles Launches Rayonier Site Cleanup
And Redevelopment Outreach

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ECOLOGY RELEASES PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF RAYONIER OFF-PROPERTY SOIL DIOXIN STUDY

February 10, 2009 - Earlier today the Washington State Department of Ecology released preliminary results of the Rayonier off-site soil dioxin study. Nathan West, Director of Community & Economic Development for the City stated, "The results of the study are good news for Port Angeles. Only minor levels of dioxin were found. Department of Ecology will not require property owners to take clean up action on the basis of this report."

The dioxin study results ranged from 0.8 parts per trillion to 76.3 parts per trillion which are relatively low levels. In contrast the Environmental Protection Agency sets a national threshold of 1000 parts per trillion as their residential clean up threshold. West further stated, "The results for Port Angeles are encouraging because the study was intended to find the highest concentrations of dioxins and the results were low".

Evidence of dioxin can result from wood burning, trash burning, vehicle emissions, and other natural sources. These results are expected for any area with a long history of human activities. It is important to note that the Department of Ecology provided no information on the source of the dioxins in these preliminary findings.

CITY and PORT BEGIN NEW PARTNERSHIP for CLEAN UP AND REDEVELOPMENT OF RAYONIER MILL SITE and PA HARBOR

May 20, 2008 - The City of Port Angeles and the Port of Port Angeles, working in close cooperation with Washington State Department of Ecology and Rayonier have entered into a new approach to the cleanup and redevelopment of the former mill site and the Port Angeles Harbor.

Solving a Community Challenge Through Community Stewardship
For the Benefit of the Community - Requires a New Perspective

This new partnership brings community stewardship to bear in solving one of our community's biggest environmental issues. This commitment to move cleanup and redevelopment activities forward in a collaborative community partnership will harness local scientific expertise with a global reputation and worldwide experience.

This partnership will be committed to ensuring that site cleanup and redevelopment occurs in a timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. This new approach will promote scientific innovation, advanced educational opportunities, and community involvement.

The City and Port have entered into an interlocal agreement to bring the powers of the City and Port into alignment to take on this stewardship.

Through the authority of the City, a public corporation has been chartered and charged with City and Port powers to carry out these important activities for the benefit of the community. To be known as the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Development Authority some of the key tasks it will assume include:

The City and the Port have approached the creation of this new development authority as an equal partnership wherein each will contribute resources to enable it to implement these tasks. In addition, Port Angeles Harbor-Works will work with private, state and federal funding partners to leverage local resources with the goal of addressing harbor-wide environmental concerns.

Concurrently, through the North Olympic Peninsula Innovation Partnership Zone (IPZ) we can access world class science and technology leadership and coordinate education and public outreach. Designated by the State in 2007, this community-based IPZ consists of the Battelle Memorial Institute , the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Peninsula College, and the Clallam Economic Development Council, with the Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim serving as the operational center of the IPZ. The goals of the IPZ are to promote private and public technology investment and partnerships, facilitate technology transfer and educational outreach, and support the creation of new high-technology jobs.

This opportunity will demonstrate that it is possible to develop an innovative, community-based approach to solving one of our community's biggest environmental issues, while addressing the social and economic needs of the region.

With the help of regulatory agencies, property owners, other interested parties, and the involvement of the newly formed IPZ, this opportunity will serve as a model for future community-based development throughout the Puget Sound region.

The City and Port met in joint session to approve respective government documents for approval. More information will be forthcoming.

Board Members:
Orville Campbell, Jerry Hendricks, Bart Irwin, Karen McCormick and Howie Ruddell.

Executive Director
Jeffrey Lincoln
Phone: 360-457-1055
Email: jlincoln@paharborworks.org


Port Angeles Harbor-Works Public Development Authority
P.O. Box 2609
Port Angeles, WA 98362
www.paharborworks.org

City Council Receives Update on Rayonier Redevelopment & Planning Phase I

In April 2007, the City of Port Angeles entered into an agreement with the Department of Ecology to facilitate a community-based process focusing on the planning and redevelopment of the former Rayonier Mill site. This agreement was the first step in what is envisioned as a multi-phased process of harbor cleanup planning and waterfront redevelopment.

The City began Phase I by inviting 35 stakeholder groups to attend individual meetings and provide input on their vision for the future of the Rayonier site. More than 50 individuals, representing 30 stakeholders groups, participated in these meetings. Five core focus issues emerged during this process:

1. Greenspaces and Ennis Creek restoration
2. Waterfront trail and public access
3. Economic opportunity
4. Land Use and redevelopment
5. Infrastructure and institutional controls.

On October 11, 2007, stakeholders were invited to a public meeting where core issue groups developed a consensus vision and identified representatives to present the vision at an October 18 th public forum. The public forum was well-attended and gathered community input on the core issues as identified by the stakeholder groups resulting in a broad range of stakeholder and public input. Following the forum, the public and stakeholder visions for the site were summarized into a draft report.

Two steps were identified as being critical to the completion of Phase I. These included (1) a conceptual plan identifying potential land uses on the former mill site consistent with the public vision and (2) identifying the critical path for carrying out future phases of the project. These steps were completed in early February of 2008, and will be included as part of the final Phase I report.

City Council received an update during a work session at their regular meeting on February 19, 2008. Council comments and questions were the focus of the work session and the public was invited to attend and observe.

PHASE ONE REPORT
This report was prepared in association with an interagency agreement between the State of Washington Department of Ecology and the City of Port Angeles. The report details work completed by the City of Port Angeles on Phase I, which consisted of an evaluation of redevelopment issues in relation to the Rayonier Mill Site.

Phase I Report
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Restoration and Redevelopment Key to Future Use
The City of Port Angeles has launched an aggressive program to bring the community together to focus on the future of the Rayonier Mill Site.

Under a $50,000 grant from the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), the City will convene key stakeholders to facilitate the environmental cleanup and redevelopment of the75-acre site.

The grant, as part of the Washington State Puget Sound Initiative, is designed to speed cleanup and redevelopment of one of the region's highest priority environmental restoration projects.

"Port Angeles has an opportunity to create new economic and long-term environmental benefits for the Olympic Peninsula with the redevelopment of the Rayonier Mill Site," said Mark Madsen, former city manager.

"Our outreach will focus on the opportunities for future use. Through this effort, the cleanup will be completed faster; the environment will be safer; jobs will be created and the public will have a greater opportunity to take part in the developing a vision for the future of the Port Angeles waterfront."

The mill stopped operations in 1997 and Ecology assumed regulatory authority over the cleanup in 2000. Chemical by-products used during mill operations left contamination that needs to be cleaned up before the property can be re-used.

Ongoing environmental studies are assessing the nature and extent of the contamination and the best technical options for cleanup. However, a more comprehensive review of the cleanup and possible future uses for the site will now be possible with the Ecology grant to the City.

"The City of Port Angeles is uniquely positioned to convene all the parties involved at the site," said Madsen. "As stewards of not only land use policies but of the community's trust, the City will ensure private sector, Tribal, environmental and public sector stakeholders will be tasked to work together in a results-oriented process."

Phase I of the project will consider the integration of cleanup and potential redevelopment and reuse options and strategy for the site. Phase II will produce a practical cleanup and development site plan as part of a broader harbor-wide strategy. It is envisioned that a third phase will begin work on a new harbor resource management plan.

The City of Port Angeles began work on the project this week by inviting stakeholders to work with City representative. The next steps involve creating measurable milestones for progress and a final report to Ecology later this summer.

"We plan to deliver a product that will result in a vibrant legacy project that will serve generations to come," said Madsen.

Contact Information
For more information please contact:

Nathan West
Director of Community & Economic Development
360-417-4751 or nwest@cityofpa.us

Teresa Pierce
Executive Communications Coordinator
360-417-4630 or tpierce@cityofpa.us

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