Port of Tacoma Commissioners are expected to vote this week on whether direct a little more than $1 million in additional funding toward an ongoing project to clean up the former Arkema manufacturing site between Blair Waterway and Hylebos Waterway on the Tacoma tide flats.

The former chemical plant ceased operations in 1997 and most of the buildings were torn down, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology. The Port purchased the nearly-78-acre, three-parcel property located at 2901, 2920, and 3009 Taylor Way in May 2007 and assumed all environmental remediation responsibilities. Since then, commissioners have approved spending to allow staff to determine the extent of the contamination, develop a clean-up plan, and complete a feasibility study as part of an agreement with the Washington State Department of Ecology. In total, the Port is expected to spend nearly $3.5 million on this portion of the project.

Other project phases include design work and clean up construction. The overall cost to develop the property for future Port of Tacoma operations, such as a marine terminal, is expected to cost between $23.4 million and $43.4 million.

The Port of Tacoma Commission is expected to vote on a resolution to authorize spending an additional $1,036,611 on the current phase of the clean-up project during its meeting on Thurs., March 27, at 12 p.m. in the Fabulich Center, 3600 Port of Tacoma Road, Room 104. Copies of the agenda and meeting materials are available online here and here, respectively. Meetings are streamed live online at portoftacoma.com.