Harbor cleanup project receives $900,000

By Stefanie Donahue

The Department of Ecology (DOE) has received $900,000 in state funding for the cleanup of the former Blaine Marina Inc. site.

In 2015, the DOE discovered potentially hazardous chemicals in the groundwater and soil at the site which is located on Port of Bellingham property. That same year, Blaine Marina Inc. closed

after 60 years of business.

Three fuel storage tanks dating back to 1955 are suspected to be the source of the leak. The tanks were used to disperse fuel at an adjacent dock and provided tanker trucks with home heating oil, according to the DOE.