On Apr. 10, 2000, the Oregon Health Science Centers (OHSU) Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) announced the award of a five-year, $11 million federal grant to establish a Superfund basic research center in Oregon.

A consortium of scientists brought together by CROET landed one of 17 Superfund Basic Research program grants given out every five years in a rigorous scientific competition. This grant was awarded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to the interdisciplinary team of investigators from CROET (lead institution), Oregon State University (OSU), and Battelle Pacific Northwest Division.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the 8-acre Astoria Marine Construction Company (AMCC) site is in Astoria, Oregon for listing on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2011. The site is situated on the east bank of the Lewis and Clark River at its confluence with Jeffers Slough and includes low-lying land adjacent to tidal flats. Since 1924, a marine shipyard has operated at the site. Site activities contaminated soil, sediment and groundwater with hazardous chemicals.

Cleanup began in 2020. Sediment remedial areas were excavated and disposed offsite at the Hillboro, OR landfill, and a levee was restored in the former burn pit areas. The remaining cleanup will conclude in 2021 with capping of the north yard and construction of the stormwater treatment basin.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, based on the completion of the cleanup of the Astoria Marine Construction Company site, determined that they could issue a Conditional No Further Action determination for the site. They held a public comment period in early 2024 about their proposal to issue a Certification of Completion and Conditional No Further Action determination for the site, meaning that the site is cleaned up and no more work is needed for cleanup.