Acre of polluted Elliott Bay mud to be removed

A polluted patch of Elliott Bay mud is scheduled for cleanup this fall.

Mud covering approximately 1 acre offshore from Seattle's Myrtle Edwards Park will be dredged and disposed in a landfill. The sediment is polluted with lead, mercury, silver, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other dangerous chemicals.

The $3.5 million cleanup project is being paid for by King County's Wastewater Treatment Division.

The pollution came from a pipe carrying storm water that streamed off roads and sewage that overflowed during heavy rains. The pipe -- known as the Denny Way Combined Sewage Overflow -- was replaced two years ago with a deeper outfall in combination with a project to better treat and control the water.

The dredged area will be covered with clean sand and gravel. The project should take 10 weeks beginning in mid-November.

The public can comment on the plan through Oct. 8. It is available online at goto.seattlepi.com/r965, at the downtown Seattle Public Library, or the Department of Ecology's Northwest Regional Office at 3190 160th Ave. S.E. in Bellevue. Copies can be ordered by calling 360-407-7472.