Port Angeles Rayonier Mill 2025 Comment Period

Marian and Casey,

My comments on the Rayonier Mill cleanup in Port Angeles are attached. 

There are many reasons to do a complete cleanup at this site. I hope a full analysis is completed and the desires of the community are respected. Please require R...↓ayonier to do a complete cleanup as described in Option 5.

Thank you,

Paul Pickett

Port Angeles, WA

360-359-3435

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” 

- Dr. Jane Goodall

I object to the WA Dept of Ecology proposed draft Interim Action Plan for many reasons as follows:

1)  An Interim Action Plan is not a Final Remedial Action Plan required by Washington law under the Model Toxics Control Act.

2)  The proposed final clea...↓nup actions are likely to cause significant environmental harm by leaving 128,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment on a 10 acre portion of the upland area of the Rayonier Mill Site in Port Angeles, WA.

3)  The Rayonier Mill cleanup site is culturally, historically, and environmentally important to the greater Port Angeles community and must be cleaned up to the highest safety standards for unrestricted land uses.

4)  This siete was a significant Klallam village, a major portion of the City of Port Angeles tax base, and an environmentally sensitive area due to the Olympic Discovery Trail (a major public recreation use), Ennis Creek (a salmon rearing stream), and Port Angeles Harbor shoreline.  The 10 acre hazardous waste dump covered by a 2 foot protective cap bordered by the Tail, Creek, and Shoreline is the absolute worst placement for a perpetual hazardous waste dump.

5)  After many years of study and evaluation of cleanup options (28 years since the Rayonier Mill closed down in 1997), Ecology proposes a Level 3 cleanup as the final cleanup action instead of a Level 5 clean up as required by MCTA - an abject failure for which the Department of Ecology is ashamed.

6)  Most agency and general public comments oppose this the retention of hazardous waste in place limiting how the land in the capped area can be used for any other purpose than protecting the public from the contamination from being released again - these opposing agency and public comments demand a Level 5 cleanup.

My perspective in making these comments is from my nearly 50 years as a professional urban planner, including 26 years as a SEPA Responsible Official for the Cities of Tukwila, Port Angeles, Arlington, and Sultan.

The Rayonier Mill hazardous waste site cleanup has been the most inept environmental protection effort by public officials that I have witnessed firsthand since 1997.

Bradley J. Collins FAICP

August 11, 2025

Dear Marion Abbett 

The Rayonier Pulp Mill property site has been in stasis for too many years.

It is time the Dept of Ecology step up and require that Rayonier fulfill its obligations to restore and protect this land for the future betterment of Port ...↓Angeles Harbor and the Ennis Creek watershed. 

Continuing to ignore the necessity of a cleanup by trying to hide the issue under concrete and behind a fence is gross mismanagement of obligations by both Rayoiner and Washington State. 

It is time to end the game playing and restore the health of the ecosystem and protect the people and ocean environment from further delay tactics.

I support the decision of the Port Angeles City Council to implement Option 5 for restoration and so should the Department of Ecology.

Sincerely

Debi Maloney

I support the permanent solution of Alternative SL-5 for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA. Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound which will greatly l...↓imit future development, is unacceptable.

I support the permanent solution of Alternative SL-5 for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA.

Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound is unacceptable. Thi...↓s would present a long term risk of future contamination from natural disasters and would greatly limit development opportunities that our town desperately needs. Port Angeles does not need to be stuck with a toxic waste dump. Rayonier is a profitable company. They can fully clean up their mess.

I have been following the issue of the contamination left behind by Rayonier for decades!  The current proposal described in SL-3 is totally unacceptable and a slap in the face to the residents of Port Angeles.  SL-5 is the only responsible way forwa...↓rd and should be the only option considered.  Do the right thing!

Respectfully,

Mary Jacoby

318 West 6th Street

Port Angeles, WA 98362

I wanted to let you know I fully upport the Port Angeles City Council decision - Option 5

We need to factor in to its cleanup cost analysis impacts to fish, wildlife, the environment and human health. All contaminated soils should be removed, and remo...↓val of all concrete pads and pilings. Ensure Ennis Creek is restored to its original shape and meanders.

This cleanup is so very important and Dept. of Ecology should do the right thing and fix all the damage that humans have done. If we can easily break it we should be able to fix it. thanks, John Gussman

Dear Mr. Sixkiller,

I am a granddaughter of a World War II Army veteran and University of Washington graduate. My grandfather fought aboard to protect our American freedoms. I am writing you because I believe Rayonier Industries has created a toxic me...↓ss in Port Angeles and refuses to acknowledge any responsibility to make things right. The property is fenced off and it's an eyesore to look at for those that walk, bike and enjoy the water views. Personally, this feels like a deliberate environmental attack. There are no salmon living in Ennis Creek. Where is the stewardship to protect the salmon? Rayonier has abandoned the salmon and people of Clallam County. This property continues to damage Washington's most beautiful, yet poorest counties in the state. 

I know you have many priorities, but would consider making the Port Angeles Rayonier Industries toxic property your number one? The current and future generations citizens of Port Angeles, the salmon and Salish Sea desperately need your leadership to correct this mess. I have been aware of this environmental problem since the 1980's.

Any help you can lend to my requests would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and considering my plea for help.

Respectfully,

Terri DiMartino

Sequim, Washington 

I support the permanent solution of Alternative SL-5 for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA. Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound which will greatly l...↓imit future development, is unacceptable.

Dear Ms. Abbett

I urge the Washington Department of Ecology to select Alternative SL-5 for the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles. SL-5 offers a permanent cleanup that supports the City’s Comprehensive Plan and allows for future development.

Alt...↓ernative SL-3 is unacceptable. It leaves contaminated soil in place under a capped mound, creating perpetual maintenance needs, risk of failure, and a permanent 7-foot-high, 10-acre eyesore that limits development in a community with few available sites.

Independent analysis shows SL-3’s costs are underestimated and SL-5’s are overstated. The proposed 10-year cleanup is far too long—Port Angeles and the Olympic Peninsula have already waited nearly 30 years. It’s time for a lasting solution and accountability. Select SL-5 and require Rayonier to meet an accelerated, reasonable schedule.

Thank You

Kim Reynolds

I support the permanent solution of Alternative SL-5 for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA.  Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound which will greatly ...↓limit future development, is unacceptable and detrimental to our home. This land should be cleaned up.

I support the permanent solution of Alternative SL-5 for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA. Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound which will greatly l...↓imit future development, is unacceptable

Thank you 

Jeanette MAHLOW 

Port Angeles resident 

Kindness Matters  

Rayonier Mill site should have been declared a super fund years ago.

SL5 is the only solution.  Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound which will greatly limit future development, is totally unacceptabl...↓e. We already have covered vented piles of soil from the mill already located around our city that are not usable and in questionable areas.  These should be removed as well.

Judy Perry

Hello,  I would like to write to you in support of a permanent solution for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA. Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound w...↓ould greatly limit future development, and is unacceptable.  It would leave a 10-acre, seven-foot-tall mound of capped toxic soil and sediment, surrounded by a fence, in perpetuity.  The soil contains dioxins, PCBs, metals, diesel, and oil.   This would greatly limit any future development in the area, and would conflict with the City's Comprehensive Plan for mixed-used development in the area.  I would very much appreciate any efforts towards a full and permanent cleanup solution, including removing the contaminated soil.   Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jesse Anderson

Port Angeles, WA

The only solution is SL 5!  Why should Port Angeles be forever a toxic waste site? Covering a huge area with soil etc. with SL 3 creates a hazard that will continue forever.  but the chances of climate change water rising and or the Cascadia event pu...↓ts Port Angeles in harms way forever.  We owe our children and grandchildren more than leaving them with a toxic hazard.  Solution is SL5!!!

Thank you for making our life safer

Elaine Bailey

I firmly support the permanent solution of Alternative SL-5 for contaminated soil and sediment at the former Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles, WA. Proposed Alternative SL-3, leaving contaminated soil in place forever in a capped mound which will gr...↓eatly limit future development, is unacceptable. 

I’ve lived in Port Angeles for 42 years and remember the closing of the mill and the promises to clean up the site! These promises were delayed and stalled and never kept! Those responsible for the pollution MUST be held accountable for the harm to our waterfront. The area is part of a city plan to increase to livability of our town and make more of the waterfront accessible to all of us.

We put up with years of air pollution and water pollution and now it must be cleaned!!!

Sincerely,

Lois F. W. Danks

1621 South F Street

Port Angeles, WA 98363

360-808-3196

I support clean up of the former Rayonier mill site cleaned up to Level 5 — the only level that would have ALL contaminants taken to an appropriate landfill such as one in eastern Oregon.  

Thank you for your work and effort toward this goal.

Mary W Mi...↓nton, MSW, LICSW

2442 Lower Elwha Rd, Port Angeles, WA 98363

Hello Washington state Department of Ecology,

I am writing regarding the proposed clean-up plan for the Rayonier site in Port Angeles.

Any clean-up plan for the site must be comprehensive in order to take into account long-term protection of aquatic li...↓fe, animal terrestrial life, avian life, soils, plant life and human life not only on the immediate site but in connected areas of the site as well.  After all, like John Muir said, "Everything is connected to everything else in the Universe."

For these reasons, I am supporting alternative SL-5 as the best alternative because it provides for a permanent and long-term solution to the problems, unlike SL-3 which is inadequate to address all of the above long-term and connected issues.

Thank you for taking my concerns into your decision-making process.

Ron Good

151 Gehrke Road

Port Angeles, WA 98362