Puyallup Tribe, state and local partners begin removal of creosote pilings at Dickman Mill to restore salmon habitat

Puyallup tribal leaders, a state legislator and Metro Parks Tacoma on Monday celebrated the start of work to remove creosote-soaked pilings at the former Dickman Mill waterfront, calling the operation a key step toward restoring salmon habitat and returning the shoreline to public use.

An organizer at the event said the pilings and other derelict structures have long contaminated Commencement Bay and described a multi-site cleanup program the state prioritized. "We have lost over 60% of our kelp and eelgrass beds in the entire Puget Sound and over 90% just in the South Sound," the organizer said, framing the removals as necessary for habitat recovery.

Bill Starrett, identified at the event as chairman of the Puyallup Tribe, said the waterfront had been taken from tribal ownership in the past and that removing the old pilings is important for both tribal fisheries and community access. "This has been killing fish for 150 years," Starrett said, adding that the work will allow eelgrass and other habitat to recover.

State Representative Dan Bernoski (28th District) said the project required continued legislative investment. "This is an expensive project that is very important," Bernoski said, and he pledged to continue working with partners to secure funding.

Marty Stump, chief planning officer for Metro Parks Tacoma, described the site’s decades-long transition into a public shoreline and outlined ecological safeguards tied to the removal. He said staff and partner organizations temporarily removed 18 purple martin nesting boxes from the pilings and will reinstall them in the tidal estuary in time for the birds' spring return.

Organizers said the state targeted four of the worst derelict sites, dubbed the "Filthy 4," and that the legislature provided funding to remove those structures. During a question-and-answer period, an organizer cited project figures, saying the overall program budget included about $10,800,000 with roughly $3,500,000 directed to this particular removal effort. Reporters were told crews must schedule work around fish-protection windows and that removal operations are staged to limit ecological disturbance.

Event speakers emphasized the work is part of an ongoing, multi-agency effort. Metro Parks Tacoma plans to participate in a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation–supported study in 2025 to develop a long-term strategy for the Commencement Bay shoreline, working with the Port of Tacoma, the City of Tacoma and local tribes.

Organizers said the immediate pile removal at this site is expected to be completed quickly, with teams aiming to finish the current phase within about a week, but cautioned that removing other structures and restoring broader habitat areas can take months or years and depend on funding and regulatory timing. The presenters closed by thanking partnering agencies, tribal leaders and community members for their roles in the effort.