The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Complex is a 650-acre federal facility in Bremerton, Washington, that has operated since 1891. Ship overhaul, repair, and decommissioning work left behind contamination in soil, groundwater, and marine sediment. The site was added to the National Priorities List in May 1994 and is still active on that list today.
Contaminants include heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, copper, and zinc. Organic contaminants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and petroleum hydrocarbons. Pesticides such as chlordane, dieldrin, DDT, and endrin have also been found. These substances are spread across soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment in different parts of the site.
The site is split into six operable units (OUs), which are separate geographic or problem-specific cleanup areas. Several have completed physical cleanup work. OU NSC finished in 1999, OU A terrestrial work finished in 2000, OU B Final (terrestrial) finished in 2006, and OU D is now a Bremerton park. Marine remedial action for OU B ran through December 2023. However, mercury contamination in Sinclair Inlet sediments and marine life continues to pose health risks, particularly for subsistence fishers eating fish and shellfish from the inlet. The EPA concluded in 2022 that OU B Marine cleanup is not protective of human health and the environment, while the Navy assessed it differently. A focused feasibility study for mercury remediation is planned. Human exposure is not currently under control across the site. A new investigation into PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination is underway, with key phases estimated for 2026 and 2027. The next five-year review is estimated for late 2027 through early 2028.
The Navy is the lead federal agency for cleanup. The EPA and Washington State Department of Ecology share joint oversight of OU B. The Department of Ecology has lead oversight for OUs A, D, and NSC. Institutional controls, including land-use restrictions and zoning that prevents residential development, remain in place across the site. The Navy transferred one parcel to the City of Bremerton in 2007, which opened Harborside Fountain Park that same year. Sinclair Inlet is a traditional harvest area for the Suquamish Tribe and supports commercial fishing and recreation.
The Navy established a community Restoration Advisory Board to involve the public in cleanup decisions, though that board was adjourned in December 2008. Community members can contact the EPA Remedial Project Manager. Administrative records are available at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest office in Silverdale, three branches of the Kitsap Regional Library, and the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center in Seattle.
