Hoopa Valley Brownfields Site, California

Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation along the Trinity River

Site Overview

Site Location

Northern California

Site Description

The Hoopa Valley Tribe resides within California’s largest Indian Reservation, which is located along Trinity River in beautiful Humbolt County. Tribal lands have been impacted by mining and closed lumber mills, classified as Hoopa Superfund and Brownfields Sites. Primary contaminats concerns relate to heavy metals from copper mining and pentachlorophenol used in lumber mill processes.

The Hoopa Cal-Pac Lumber Mill Property was previously classified as a Superfund site. After soil removal and remediation measures were completed, the Hoopa Valley Tribe received Brownfields assessment funding to perform Phase I and Phase II assessments which were conducted in-house using their own EPA certified sampling plan for heavy metals and pentachlorophenol. The Tribe is currently in the process of producing Brownfields development plans. Significant cultural risk issues are associated with the Brownfields site near the Trinity River.

The Hoopa Veneer Site (Masonite Mill Mescat site) covers 27.5 acres on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in Humboldt County, California. The site is in a rural industrial area bordered by residential neighborhoods, an abandoned lumber storage area, an operating timber yard, and Highway 96. The Trinity River is directly across the highway. The abandoned planer building still stands on the site. Several wells surround the site serving irrigation and domestic uses. The Hoopa Tribe currently has a cooperative agreement with the EPA to further investigate the Veneer Site for Superfund listing.

Organization Requesting Assistance

Hoopa Valley Tribal Environmental Protection Agency

Beginning Date of Assistance

May 1999

Summary of TOSNAC Assistance

Through partnership with Western Region HSRC, TOSNAC provided services related to Cal-Pac and Hoopa Veneer Site.

Aid during Brownfields Community Involvement Plan development
Superfund and Brownfields site visits and phone consultations
Review and comments provided for Cal-Pac Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
Technical support during development of Tribal Data Quality Objectives plans for cleanup and redevelopment activities
Review and comments provided for Hoopa Veneer Site Field-Sampling Plan

References

Hoopa Valley Tribal EPA Brownfield Community Communication Plan, Brownfield Pilot Project. Submitted to EPA by Emily Husted, Environmental Planner and Boyd Ferris, Brownfield Coordinator, April, 1999.

Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. Hoopa Valley Tribe Cal-Pac Property, Hoopa, Humbolt County California. Prepared by Bob Ulibarri, AICP/REA, Hoopa Valley Tribal Environmental Protection Agency, Dec. 20, 1999.

Field Sampling Plan: Hoopa Veneer Site (AKA Masonite Mill Mescat Site CAD 039112966). Hoopa Tribal Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Superfund Cooperative Agreement No. V 999885-01-0, April, 2000.

Teepee Burner at Hoopa Valley Cal-Pac Mill Site

(July 1999)

NOTE: The EPA TOSC and TOSNAC programs have ended. Communities seeking technical assistance should contact:

- Karen Martin at EPA Headquarters at 703-603-9925, Martin.Karenl@epa.gov; or

- EPA personnel identified at the bottom of the TOSNAC Information Contacts below:

TOSNAC Information Contacts

Brenda Brandon

TOSNAC Program Manager

E-mail: brendabrandon@msn.com

Voice: 785.749.8498 OR 785.532.6519

Mailing addresses

Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center
155 Indian Ave., Box 5001
Haskell Indian Nations University
Lawrence, KS 66046

Center for Hazardous Substance Research

104 Ward Hall

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 66506-2502

Michael Fernandez

Western Region Hazardous Substance Research Center
1148 Kelley Engineering Center
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-5501

Voice: 541.737.4023

Voice: 800.653.6110
michael.fernandez@oregonstate.edu

Boyd Ferris
Hoopa Valley Tribal Council
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 1348
Hoopa, CA 95546

Voice: 916.625.5515