EPA Superfund Site

PORTLAND HARBOR

OR | EPA ID ORSFN1002155

About this site’s exposure pathways: As of November 2024, Portland Harbor is considered Human Exposure Not Under Control based on data collected as part of the Remedial Investigation. Both Portland Harbor Potentially Responsible Parties, under EPA and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) oversight, and EPA have collected and analyzed sediment, surface water, groundwater, and fish tissue data at the site. Contaminants of concern include heavy metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and dioxins/furans. The known exposure pathways for people are fish and shellfish consumption, ingestion of surface water, and direct contact with sediments. All of these pathways result in unacceptable exposures to humans. EPA has determined that the greatest health risk from exposure to contamination in Portland Harbor is from eating resident fish and to infants that are breast-fed by mothers who eat resident fish on a regular basis. The State Health Department has issued a health advisory and posted signs advising people to limit consumption of fish from the site. However, people are likely still eating the fish and fishing is observed daily at the site. DEQ is working with upland facilities to investigate and control ongoing sources of contamination to the site. EPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) in 2017 and an Explanation of Significant Differences in 2019. The site is currently in Remedial Design. EPA posts major documents on its website and sends information regarding meetings and availability of major documents to a listserv (over 1,000 people) and has monthly meetings with the Citizen Advisory Group (which are open to the public). EPA has also reached out to neighborhood associations, non-profit environmental representatives and local organizations to provide training, small group discussions, presentations and multilingual materials regarding human health risks. The ROD estimates the cleanup will take 13 years, and will begin in 2027 when remedial design is complete. Based on this, it is anticipated that the site will achieve Human Exposure Under Control on October 2040.