PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      7b 
STAFF BRIEFING 
Date of Meeting     August 20, 2013 
DATE:    August 12, 2013 
TO:     Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Elizabeth Leavitt, Director, Aviation Planning and Environmental 
Bob Duffner, Environmental Compliance Programs Manager, Aviation 
SUBJECT:  Lora Lake Environmental Remediation Briefing 
SYNOPSIS 
In 1998, the Port of Seattle purchased the Lora Lake Apartments property in the City of
Burien to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for a flight safety
zone for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Third Runway.  Prior to the
construction of the Lora Lake Apartments complex in 1986, the developer of that project
performed cleanup of contamination from the prior 45 or so years of industrial use. With
the Washington Department of Ecology's acceptance of the work performed, apartment 
buildings were constructed on the site. However, as the Port prepared to establish the
required safety zone, it discovered that not all the contamination had been removed.
Further investigation showed that significant levels of dioxin and other contaminants
remained. In the former industrial work areas of the property, contamination had spread
to surface soils and had affected ground water elsewhere in the property. 
On September 24, 2013, the Commission will be asked to authorize execution of a
Consent Decree with the Department of Ecology for environmental remediation of the
site. When cleanup is completed, the portion of the property not required for use as a
safety zone will be redeveloped in cooperation with the City of Burien for a use that is
compatible with Airport operations. This memo provides background on the Lora Lake
environmental remediation efforts in anticipation of the September request to enter into
the Consent Decree. 
BACKGROUND 
The Lora Lake Apartments property was the site of a barrel cleaning facility in the 1940s 
and 1950s, and an auto wrecking yard in the 1950s through the 1980s.  Both of these
types of industrial uses are known to have had high potential for releasing contaminants
to the environment.  The Novak Barrel Washing Company ceased to exist sometime in
the late 1940s or early 1950s. Burien Auto Wrecking went out of business when the
property was purchased by the Mueller Development Company in the mid-1980s for the
construction of the apartment complex. 

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
August 12, 2013 
Page 2 of 4 
During the construction of the apartment complex in 1986-87, the developer conducted
environmental investigations and remediation that were approved by the Department of
Ecology under standards in place at that time. 
By 1999 all residents had vacated the property in anticipation of the construction of the
Third  Runway  and  redevelopment  for  airport  and  airport-compatible  light
industrial/commercial use. Due to delays in Third Runway construction, and prior to
demolition, the Port sold the property to the King County Housing Authority for a limited
period, for residential use. King County sold the property back to the Port in July 2007,
at which time the Port demolished a sufficient number of structures to comply with FAA
regulations for Airport runway operation. At that time, the Port conducted environmental
sampling to obtain information about site conditions for future propertyredevelopment. 
Sample data indicated significant contamination remained at the site.  Further
investigations confirmed those findings. 
During the remedial investigation of the apartment site, the Department of Ecology
ordered the Port to collect samples of sediment in Lora Lake. Those sediments contained
dioxin contamination that could have migrated from the apartment parcel. It was also
discovered that sediment had been dredged from the Lake in 1982 and placed on Airport
property in what is now call the dredge material containment area (DMCA). 
The Lora Lake Apartment Parcel is located within the City of Burien's Northeast
Redevelopment Area (NERA). The city identified the NERA as an area affected by
present and future aviation activities. The city and Port have partnered to prepare a
redevelopment strategy for the NERA. The redevelopment strategy identified the Lora
Lake Apartment Parcel as appropriate for large-scale commercial or industrial uses such
as auto dealerships or air cargo logistics. 
Cleanup of the apartment parcel will consist of the removal of approximately 19,000
cubic yards of dioxin contaminated soil with a concentration greater than 100 parts per
trillion (pptr). This soil will be transported to a landfill permitted to accept this type of
material. Soil remaining on the site with a concentration less than 100 pptr, but above the
cleanup level of 11 pptr will be covered with a barrier to prevent direct contact with
people or animals. The Cleanup Action Plan will give the Port the option to relocate and
consolidate the soil between 11 pptr and 100 pptr (approximately 30,000 cubic yards) to a
nearby, secure portion of the Airport where it will be covered to prevent direct contact
with people or animals. This option leaves the apartment parcel in an improved condition
for redevelopment, and is an option the Port can elect to implement should the
redevelopment plans indicate it is prudent. 

At Lora Lake itself, contaminated sediments will be capped by filling the lake with
approximately 38,500 cubic yards of clean fill, and restoring it to a wetland similar to the

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
August 12, 2013 
Page 3 of 4 
surrounding area. The fill will be engineered to immobilize the dioxin contained in the
lake sediments. 
On September 24, 2013, staff will request authorization for the CEO to execute a Consent
Decree to implement the remediation of the Lora Lake Apartments cleanup site. A public
comment period will be held in October or November 2013 on the  Remedial
Investigation/Feasibility (RI/FS) Report, the Consent Decree and the Cleanup Action
Plan.  After the Consent Decree has been finalized the Port will begin extensive predesign
sampling in early 2014 with design of the apartment parcel and lake parcel
cleanup completed in mid-2015. The apartment parcel cleanup will be completed during
the Ssummer of 2016, with the lake parcel remediation occurring in the Ssummer of
2017. 
Total cost for the entire cleanup is estimated at $18.2 million. The cleanup costs of the
Lora Lake Apartments parcel and the Lora Lake parcel will be accounted for differently.
The $4.9 million cleanup at the lake parcel will be accounted for as an operatingcost 
(recognized in 2013) as the property is part of the object- free area within the runway
protection zone, and therefore no development is permitted. The Lora Lake Apartments
parcel is not necessary for airfield operations (although a corner is in the controlled action
area of the runway protection zone). The Port's intent is to clean up the property in
anticipation of sale. The $13.3 million clean-up costs are being accounted for as nonoperating
costs ($11.5 million recognized as non-operating expense in 2012, $1.8 million
recognized as non-operating expense in 2013). 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
Computer slide presentation. 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
December 4, 2012   The Commission authorized (1) execution of an
amendment to the 2009 Agreed Order for additional environmental
investigation and remediation planning for the Lora Lake Apartments site; (2)
design and preparation of construction documents for environmental
remediation at the site; and (3) amend ment of  the professional services
agreement for environmental remediation at the site to $4.4 million, which was
more than 50 percent over the original contract amount. 
December 6, 2011 - , the Port Commission authorized 2012 expenditure of
$56.5 million  from Port environmental reserve funds for environmental
remediation of various Port properties for which remediation funds had been
reserved. The Lora Lake Apartments property was included in that
authorization. 
June 9, 2009  The Commission authorized execution of an Agreed Order with
the Washington Department of Ecology, issued under the Model Toxics Control

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
August 12, 2013 
Page 4 of 4 
Act, for environmental investigation of and evaluation of remediation methods
for the Lora Lake Apartments property. 
May 5, 2009  The Commission authorized procurement of environmental
consulting services to support the Port's implementation of the Lora Lake
Apartments property remediation.