Portland Harbor

Overview

Portland Harbor covers a 10-mile stretch of the lower Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. It was added to the EPA's National Priorities List in December 2000 after more than 150 years of industrial activity including shipbuilding, petroleum refining, metal salvaging, and power generation. The river sits within reach of over 500,000 people in the Portland metro area and provides habitat for endangered salmon and steelhead runs.

Contamination affects river sediment, surface water, groundwater, fish tissue, and upland soil. Detected contaminants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins and furans, heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, volatile organic compounds including benzene and trichloroethene, and pesticides such as DDT and dieldrin. More than 170 specific contaminants of concern have been identified in the Uplands project area alone. Human exposure is not yet under control across the entire site, and groundwater contamination is ongoing and not stabilized.

In January 2017, EPA selected the cleanup remedy, calling for dredging, capping, and natural recovery across 394 acres of contaminated sediment and 23,305 lineal feet of riverbank. The estimated cost is about $1.05 billion, and cleanup is expected to take roughly 13 years. A 2019 update adjusted the cleanup level for one contaminant, benzo(a)pyrene, based on revised health risk data. The site is organized into 19 project areas. As of January 2021, all areas requiring active cleanup had entered the remedial design phase. Remedial design work is expected to be completed between December 2027 and February 2028, with final remedial action estimated to begin around that same time. Early cleanup actions have already been completed at several areas including Terminal 4, Triangle Park, and U.S. Moorings. EPA has identified over 150 potentially responsible parties, and multiple cleanup agreements have been signed with companies, agencies, and other parties covering various river segments.

Redevelopment is also moving forward in some areas. The University of Portland purchased and cleaned up the 35-acre Triangle Park area and plans to build housing, athletic fields, and a public waterfront trail. As of December 2024, 78 businesses operated on-site, employing about 3,830 people and generating roughly $1.57 billion in annual sales.

Community members can stay involved through the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group, which meets monthly on the second Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Portland Harbor Collaborative Group holds quarterly hybrid meetings in March, June, September, and December. EPA has published a Community Involvement Plan, a public data portal with analytical data and reports, and a StoryMap covering tribal, environmental justice, and general site histories. An independent technical advisor, Dr. Marcus Griswold, was selected under EPA's Technical Assistance Grant program to help communities interpret site documents. Recorded presentations on specific project areas are also available for public review.