Commencement Bay is located along the southern portion of the Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Several river systems empty into the bay, including the Puyallup and Hylebos. Tideflats, deltas and estuarine habitats within Commencement Bay have been heavily impacted due to anthropogenic uses including dumping, dredging and industrial growth (Figure 1). Heavy industry (including two Superfund sites), a wastewater treatment facility and a deep-water port occupy much of the coastline of Commencement Bay. The Puget Sound, including the Bay, remains a highly productive ecosystem despite our efforts. However, contamination from metals, hydrocarbons, and solvents are documented. City, county, state and federal agencies have initiated current remediation efforts. Marine plants and animals are showing signs of distress, with greater detrimental effects noted within each higher level of the Bay's food web. Shellfish harvesting is prohibited, and large mammals are dying in earlier life stages with pollution-induced diseases including cancer and starvation. For this report, we have examined eight sites within the Commencement Bay to compare their chemical, physical and biological properties with the locations from which they were extracted. With this information, we can compare with previous studies and form a clearer picture of the current conditions of Commencement Bay.