Lower Duwamish Waterway Cleanup Public Comment Periods

WA Ecology Blog

Published March 9th, 2026

Detected March 11th, 2026

Summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology has opened three public comment periods related to the Lower Duwamish Waterway cleanup. These periods cover the Jorgensen Forge site, the South Park Marina site, and a new consent decree for the overall waterway cleanup, with comment periods running through April 22, 2026.

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What changed

The Washington State Department of Ecology is initiating three distinct public comment periods concerning the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) cleanup. The first two periods, from March 9 to April 22, 2026, are for the Jorgensen Forge site and the South Park Marina site, focusing on studies of contamination and cleanup options. A third comment period will begin later in March for a new consent decree filed in federal court, which outlines cost-sharing responsibilities for the LDW cleanup.

Regulated entities and interested parties are encouraged to review the studies and the consent decree and submit comments by April 22, 2026, for the first two sites, and by the unspecified deadline for the consent decree. While these are public comment periods and not directly binding, participation is crucial for shaping the final cleanup plans and legal agreements. The agency is also holding community office hours in March to discuss these matters.

What to do next

Review studies and legal agreements for Jorgensen Forge and South Park Marina cleanup sites.
Submit comments on the Jorgensen Forge and South Park Marina cleanup plans by April 22, 2026.
Monitor for the opening of the comment period for the LDW consent decree and review its details.

Source document (simplified)

Blog > What You Can Do

Three comment periods for the Lower Duwamish Waterway begin in March

This month, we’re trying out a video update to keep you informed about the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) cleanup. Let us know what you think!

But if you prefer to still get your updates in writing, we’ve got you covered.

Jorgensen Forge public comment period

The Jorgensen Forge cleanup site is in Tukwila along the Duwamish River. You may remember it as a large pink factory on the I-5 side of the river. This property was used to manufacture propeller shafts and other equipment for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Later it was used for steel and aluminum fabrication, until operations closed down in 2018.

Some early cleanup has occurred, including demolishing the old factory and removing underground storage tanks.

Ecology and the potentially liable party have been studying the contamination at the site and figuring out options for cleaning it up. Those studies are available for public comment March 9 – April 22, 2026.

South Park Marina public comment period

We are also holding a public comment period for a second cleanup site at the same time. South Park Marina is on the other side of the river, slightly downstream of Jorgensen Forge next to the South Park Bridge. It was the site of many businesses, including an auto repair shop, a drycleaner, a gas station, and a drum reconditioning operation, before being developed into a marina in 1961.

Those industrial uses have created a complex cleanup site, with many different kinds of pollutants. The study that examines the types and extent of contamination and an amendment to the legal agreement that governs the cleanup of the site are available for public comment March 9 – April 22, 2026.

LDW consent decree

A public comment period for a new consent decree for the LDW cleanup will begin later this month. Cleanup crews are currently in their second season of dredging contaminated sediments out of the Upper Reach of the river, but the legal document about who will pay for the work has just been filed in federal court. This legal agreement is called a consent decree and describes who will pay and what percentage of the cost that they’ll be responsible for.

Community office hours

Want to talk about any of these topics with our staff? We’ll be at the following neighborhood meetings in March:

South Park Neighborhood Association meeting, March 10, 2026, at the Duwamish River Community Hub. The meeting starts at 6 p.m.
Georgetown Community Council, March 16, 2026, at the Old City Hall in Georgetown. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. This year, we plan to have fewer standalone office hours but we’ll still come to see you at community meetings and events.

Contamination cleanup Northwest Region share: Email Submit feedback Mar 11, 2026

Scarlet Tang

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