In December 2000, Portland Harbor was listed as a Superfund site by the federal government because there is contaminated sediment in the river. The Portland Harbor Superfund Site is the Willamette River from Sauvie Island to the Broadway Bridge.

Many organizations, including the City of Portland, have been involved in the detailed studies of the location and type of contamination--and will be taking part in future clean-up actions. 

The City of Portland is involved in Portland Harbor in many ways. The City’s goal is to ensure that the cleanup is designed and carried out in a cooperative, collaborative manner between all governments and stakeholders, resulting in an efficient and cost effective remedy that manages sources of contamination, prevents or minimizes recontamination, improves the health of the river, promotes economic development and implements natural resource restoration.

More specifically, the City:
  - is a member of the Lower Willamette Group, a group of potentially responsible parties who have voluntarily stepped forward for the initial phase of the Superfund work. 

  - is working with DEQ to identify sources of potential contamination to stormwater;
  - has worked with DEQ and other private and public parties to sample sediments upriver of the site;
  - has worked with EPA to conduct additional fish tissue sampling in the river;
  - is working with the Port of Portland and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a proposal for federal funding for orphan sites in the Harbor under the Water Resources Development Act;
  - is working with Natural Resource Trustees to identify areas for potential habitat restoration;
  - is working with state and federal elected officials to keep them informed about Portland Harbor; and
  - will be working with Portland citizens to ensure that EPA gets community feedback on the proposed remedy for Portland Harbor.

Portland Harbor - Willamette River Superfund Basics Part 1. “A description of the Willamette River Portland Harbor Superfund site. The video discusses where the Superfund site is, the key pollutants, the Superfund process, and how the public can provide input.”  by Willamette Riverkeeper, February 27, 2013

DRAFT Portland Harbor Environmental Impact Statement and Restoration Plan Released for Public Review

In early July 2012, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a draft programmatic environmental impact statement and restoration plan for public review. The Plan identifies a restoration approach to compensate for injuries to natural resources in Portland Harbor in the Lower Willamette River. The Trustees seek damages to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of natural resources and services injured by the release of hazardous substances in Portland Harbor. Click here for the draft documents, comment forms, and listings of public meetings.

New Study on Economic Impacts of Portland Harbor Clean-Up

• Click here for the study, released in July 2012.
  
• Click here for a slide-show summary of study.
• Click here for Commissioner Fritz news release.

Additional Portland Harbor Superfund Resources