The Portland Harbor Superfund Site in Portland, Oregon, is the
result of more than a century of industrial use along the
Willamette River. Water and sediments along Portland Harbor are
contaminated with many hazardous substances, including heavy
metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH), dioxin, and pesticides. These compounds have
been found to be harmful to human health and the environment.
Because of the contamination, some types of fish found in
Portland Harbor, such as bass, carp and catfish currently pose a
health risk to those who eat them. Portland Harbor was added to
EPA's National Priorities List in December 2000. The current
study area extends from the Columbia Slough to the Broadway
Bridge. EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
are working with potentially responsible parties to clean up
contaminated sediment and control sources of additional
contamination. The Final Human Health Risk Assessment for
Portland Harbor Superfund Site is availabl