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Port warns of multi‑million cleanup at Railroad Avenue; Scappoose airport upgrades move forward
Summary
Port representatives told the Economic Development Committee the Port’s capital improvement plan includes a required seismic refit at Port Westward and a staged remediation of Railroad Avenue contamination estimated at about $30,000,000; Scappoose Airport generator and tarmac resurfacing projects are nearly ready or underway.
Port officials briefed the Columbia County Economic Development Committee on capital projects and long-running environmental cleanup needs that could span decades.
A Port representative described two costly priorities in the port capital improvement plan (CIP): a seismic retrofit at Port Westward and a decades-long cleanup of a former railroad-tie manufacturing site on Railroad Avenue. The presenter said the Railroad Avenue remediation has been in planning for decades and described the estimated price tag: "we are now talking about a $30,000,000 price tag." The cleanup will be executed in stages and will rely heavily on grants and external funding.
On Scappoose Airport, the Port representative said a standby generator installation is nearly complete and tarmac resurfacing is under way; the port is also marketing a hangar that so far has had no viable tenants and has engaged a professional agency to manage leasing.
Committee members asked about master plan status and project timing; the Port representative said some project approvals are expected by the first quarter of next year but cautioned the schedule has slipped in the past. The Port representative emphasized grant dependence for large remediation work.
Next steps: port staff said they will continue grant seeking, complete permitting for near-term projects, and provide updates to the committee as due diligence and approvals proceed.
