Semiahmoo has 36 sites within 5 miles that have been listed by the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) as toxic waste cleanup sites. Of these 36 sites, 14 have received No Further Action (NFA) designations, meaning they have met DOE’s cleanup requirements such that no further action is needed. This leaves 21 listed sites which are in the process of being investigated or cleaned up. The Semiahmoo Environmental Committee has reviewed these sites and has determined that a few sites have the potential of impacting the environment within our Semiahmoo community. One such site is called the Westman Marine Cleanup Site. It is located within Blaine Harbor, just across Drayton Harbor from our Semiahmoo community. It is an active boatyard which, for over the past 40 years, has contaminated harbor waters, soils and adjacent marine sediments with a myriad of toxic contaminants. These include gasoline and marine diesel fuels, various volatile organic constituents (VOCs), PCBs, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals. In addition, an organo metal, called tributyltin (TBT) has also be found in the sediments adjacent to the site. TBT is an especially toxic material and has been banned from use in the US and in the majority of the countries around the world. Since all water is shared water, the SRA Board wanted to emphasize to the Department of Ecology that this cleanup will impact our Harbor and beach, and sent the following letter to the Department of Ecology supporting the comment letter sent by member of our community. Click HERE to view the comment letter. Click HERE to view the SRA support letter. The Environmental Committee will monitor and post new information on the plan for and timing of the cleanup, as well as any impact it may have on our local waters. Return to home page