The stalled cleanup of a tainted Lake Washington property in Renton could get a boost with a proposal to give it federal Superfund status, a label reserved for the nation's most-polluted sites.

The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday announced it was nominating 25 acres of land and shoreline on Renton's northeastern flank, known as the Quendall Terminals site, to the Superfund list.

The property, just off Interstate 405 at 4503 Lake Washington Blvd., was once home to a creosote and tar plant that left the land and lake sediment contaminated with toxic chemicals including cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene.

EPA officials cautioned that even if the site is listed, it could be years before cleanup begins. Public comment on whether to list the site will be accepted for 60 days. Then additional studies of the contamination may be needed before cleanup plans are made.

Still, the proposal raised hopes that the site could finally be cleaned up enough to develop it into a mix of retail, apartments, town houses and possibly offices, along with public access to the waterfront.

"I think rather than being a hindrance to development, we think that the listing proposal will help spur action," said Renton economic-development director Ben Wolters. "It is one of the last parcels on the lake of that size that has wide development potential."

No cleanup has occurred since the state Department of Ecology began oversight of the site in the 1980s. The EPA took over earlier this year.

Information

Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List: www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/newprop.htm

To submit comment on the proposal: www.regulations.gov

Robert Cugini, vice president of Barbee Mill, which became part owner of the property after the creosote plant shut down in 1969, said he was hopeful the cleanup plans would be acceptable for everyone involved.

Several previous attempts to clean up the land have failed. The city of Renton once considered taking over the site, cleaning it and then selling it. At another point, billionaire Paul Allen's Vulcan company, which owns 20 acres to the north, was negotiating to buy the land. But both those attempts foundered.

King County has eight Superfund sites, including the lower Duwamish River and old county landfills. There are 46 Superfund sites statewide.

Warren Cornwall: 206-464-2311 or wcornwall@seattletimes.com