Sherwood Receives EPA Grant to Clean up Former Tannery Site

Sherwood Receives EPA Grant to Clean Up Former Tannery Site

The City of Sherwood has been notified of a pending $5 million grant from the federal Environmental Protection agency to clean up a former tannery site next to the city’s downtown.

“This grant will enable the City to clean up the tannery site that has been an ongoing environmental threat to the Tualatin River Wildlife Refuge,” said Mayor Tim Rosener. “It has the added benefit of allowing us to relocate the public works facility and open up four acres for redevelopment in downtown Sherwood.”

“This redevelopment also holds immense potential for job creation and much-needed middle housing, contributing to our community's economic growth and livability,” the mayor added. “It's a win-win-win situation for Sherwood – an environmental, housing and jobs trifecta.”

EPA and Sherwood will negotiate final terms of the grant. City officials hope to begin the cleanup later this year. The cleanup will involve a 25-acre site formerly occupied by the Frontier Leather Tannery. A portion of the site is in the 100-year Rock Creek floodplain.

The tannery began operations in 1947 using chromium oxide to tan cow and deer hides from local slaughterhouses and split them into halves. The less valuable halves were buried on site. Sludge was discharged into two lagoons on the property.

Frontier Leather also leased a building operated by lead‐acid battery manufacturers from 1956 to 1972, which led to removal of 743 tons of lead‐contaminated soil in the mid‐1990s. A fire nearly destroyed the facility in 1981. Portions were rebuilt and the tannery remained in use until 1998 when Frontier Leather went bankrupt. The former tannery was vacant for nearly 10 years when it burned to the ground in 2006.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality added the site to its Orphan Site List in 2002. Initial assessments identified chromium, lead and other heavy metals in soil and sediment at concentrations exceeding human health and ecological risks. A FY14 EPA Brownfields Site‐Specific Assessment grant funded a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and draft Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives.

Washington County acquired the site through tax foreclosure between 2012 and 2014. Sherwood purchased the site in 2023.

The preferred remedial action includes excavation and off‐site transportation of contaminated soils and sediments with metals concentrations above cleanup levels from the Rock Creek floodplain. Here are details of the cleanup plan.

“With the aid of Brownfields MAC funding, communities can achieve significant and positive outcomes for their neighborhoods and businesses,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Assessing and cleaning up pollution are crucial steps in building thriving, healthy communities.” 

“These federal investments throughout Oregon will convert old brownfields into fresh opportunities for jobs and new catalysts to build our state’s communities into even better places to live and work,” said Senator Ron Wyden. “I’m gratified Oregon has secured these federal resources, and I’ll keep battling to secure additional federal funds that support our economy and quality of life for all Oregonians.”

“Redeveloping brownfield sites and addressing once polluted, abandoned areas gives local economies a boost, protects public health and helps revitalize communities”, said Senator Jeff Merkley. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding is headed to communities in Oregon to address this legacy pollution. These critical federal investments will help spur growth in our communities and advance environmental justice, all while creating good jobs.”