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Scenic view of Portland Harbor with ships docked, surrounded by greenery and Mount Hood in the background.Scenic view of Portland Harbor with ships docked, surrounded by greenery and Mount Hood in the background.

Remediation of a Superfund mega site 

Our team is collaborating with federal agencies, tribal government and private partners to remediate Portland Harbor and the Willamette River.

Client

USEPA Region 10

Location

Portland, Oregon

Practices

Connect with an expert

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Keegan Roberts PhD, PE
Contaminated Sediments Discipline Leader

A targeted sediment remediation solution to address a long-term contamination problem

Contamination of the Willamette River dates back to the 1920s and is extensive enough to make it one of the nation’s largest Superfund sites. Since 2007, CDM Smith has provided technical support on remediation designs and actions plans for the EPA to address this complex cleanup across a 10-mile stretch of the river.

A $1.05B remediation project

With combined remedies, this project is expected to substantially reduce cancer risk from exposure to contaminated sediment.

365 acres of contaminated sediment

The site is composed of 2,220 acres over a 10-mile reach, with large amounts of contamination requiring remedial construction.

Coordinated action across 120+ PRPs

The project involves coordination among state and federal agencies, over 120 PRPs and tribal governments.

Endangered species habitat at risk

This project protects the lower Willamette River, a habitat for endangered species like Chinook salmon and Steelhead trout.

In order to support EPA’s feasibility study on the Portland Harbor site, CDM Smith provided technical expertise across source consideration, sediment and contamination evaluation. Collaborating with U. S. Army Corps and EPA, our team tailored remediation strategies based on specific site conditions, improving long-term safety and reducing exposure risks for local communities. The reduced risk and exposure to toxins within the sediment will make the surrounding communities a safer and cleaner place to live, work and play in.

Curious to learn more?

Connect with an expert to find out how we delivered this project.

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Keegan Roberts

Environmental Engineer

Keegan specializes in contaminated sediment assessment and remediation, from evaluating contaminants to designing remedies, overseeing sampling and assessing models for capping and dredging.

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