A long‑running pollution problem on Tacoma’s Tideflats has turned into a high‑stakes contract showdown, with a Pennsylvania chemical company arguing that the Port of Tacoma knowingly bought two contaminated parcels “as is” and should now live with the fallout. The Port wants nearly $10 million back for investigation and cleanup at the former PQ operations, and PQ’s recent response and counterclaims have set up a federal courtroom fight over what the 2008 contract really covered, who is on the hook under environmental law, and who pays for the next round of remediation on Taylor Way.
Lawsuit and site history
The Port of Tacoma filed suit in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on Feb. 20, 2026, asking a judge to order PQ LLC to reimburse the public for…..