ASARCO Tacoma Smelter Shoreline Armoring and Outfall Repair; Tacoma, WA. 2023 – Present

MSA worked as a subcontractor of Brice Engineering to write a Water Quality Monitoring Plan (WQMP) and complete the water quality monitoring work required for a shoreline armoring and outfall repair project located at the historic site of the Asarco Tacoma Smelter Facility in the Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats Superfund Site. During its 100 years of operation, slag fill formed the western shoreline of Commencement Bay. Four toxic metals (arsenic (As), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)) were identified as potentially occurring at elevated concentrations during construction and, therefore, presented the greatest potential for environmental concern. The WQMP was prepared as per guidelines set forth by the EPA, the Clean Water Act Section 404, and the State of Washington’s Water Quality Standards (WAC 173-201A-240). One objective of this WQMP was to determine whether dissolved metals were being released during the excavation and reworking of the slag in the peninsula shoreline. A second objective of the WQMP was to determine if the construction would cause or contribute to turbidity and potential resuspension of known contaminated sediments from the former smelter facility. An MSA Project Manager ensured all communication and project tasks ran smoothly and provided oversight and QA/QC.