SEATTLE – 

Current and former owners of a former service station property that now is part of the Stone Way Apartments in Seattle have reached agreement with the state Department of Ecology to address contaminated soil and groundwater by continuing earlier cleanup efforts.

Ecology seeks public comment on the  agreement (pdf), known as an “agreed order,” from Dec. 7, 2020 through Jan. 20, 2021. The document outlines the process under Washington’s cleanup law to study the site’s contamination, develop cleanup options and propose a cleanup plan. The work would be done by the parties signing the agreed order, Chevron Environmental Management Company and Stone Way Apartments LLC.

Ecology also invites comments on a public participation plan (pdf). It describes how Ecology will inform and involve the community about the cleanup process.

History and contamination

A gasoline service station operated at 1215 N. 45^th St. from about 1935 to 1969. Standard Oil Company, a predecdessor of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., bought the service station property in 1954. During the 2005 excavation for the Stone Way Apartments building, five underground storage tanks and about 2,490 tons of soil were removed. The soil was replaced with clean fill material.

Chevron installed monitoring wells in 2005, and began annual sampling of groundwater. In 2006, the company used one of these wells to remove petroleum products that floated on top of the groundwater. More petroleum products were extracted in 2013, using a process that injects a detergent-like chemical.

The Stone Way Apartments were built over a protective barrier and an underground parking garage. The barrier and garage’s ventilation system were designed to protect the interior spaces from vapors that can rise through the soil from petroleum products still present. Part of the study under the agreed order will gather data to confirm that this vapor protection is working.

Online meetings

Ecology will present two web meetings to provide information and answer questions about the site and its proposed cleanup. It is recommended to register in advance and to log in prior to the starting time:

• Dec. 15, 2020 – 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Dec. 17, 2020 – 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Translations of the English presentations will be available during the meetings by phone in six languages. Dial 206-456-6050. Press 1. Enter the code for your language choice:

Click on each language listed above to download a translated set of presentation materials and web meeting instructions in a pdf document.  

Cleanup and commenting information

Find information – including fact sheets in all the languages listed above – about the site’s contamination and cleanup process at Ecology’s website or these direct links:

In addition to commenting online, people are welcome to mail or email comments and questions to Dale Myers, site manager. The email address is Dale.Myers@ecy.wa.gov; the postal address is 3190 160th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 98008; or call 425-649-4446 with questions.

Ecology will consider all comments before finalizing the agreed order and public participation plan.