Susanville Indian Rancheria of California/Sierra Army Depot

Dark glazing on Herlong house provides evidence of high mineral

content in water (October 2004)

Site Overview

Site Location

Sierra Army Depot, Herlong, California

Site Description

The Susanville Indian Rancheria was established in 1923, as a 30-acre parcel to house Native Americans from four tribal groups, including Maidu, Paiute, Pit River, and Washoe. Over the years, Susanville Indian Rancheria land-base has increased, but holdings are short of accommodating the growing population. In November 2000, the Rancheria acquired 72 acres from the U.S. Department of the Army under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act. The acquired land, held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, includes 60 housing units in the Herlong Parcel at the Sierra Army Depot.

Since the land transfer, tenants moved into the affordable Herlong housing and discovered problems with drinking water quality. The Herlong community is concerned about presence of high mineral content and potential perchlorate contamination in well water that serves as drinking water source. Existing Army water and wastewater treatment facilities are outdated. The Susanville Indian Rancheria is trying to address environmental justice issues associated with drinking water quality, and existing water and wastewater treatment facilities. In 2004, a new U.S. Penitentiary was constructed in Herlong, which is serviced by new water and wastewater treatment facilities. Susanville Indian Rancheria was not able to meet the financial requirements set by the Herlong Utilities Corporation nor be brought on board with residential services. Although the new facilities have capacity to provide for the small housing complex, Susanville Indian Rancheria Council expressed that they did not get a fair offer for inclusion in the updated utility service arrangement.

Susanville Indian Rancheria provided EPA with a Sampling and Analysis Plan to develop new wells and monitor groundwater and drinking water resources. In 2005, they conducted a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment to study quality of water resources. The Rancheria Environmental Protection Department Manager requested assistance from EPA, Department of Defense, and the State to access documents and scientific information related to potential presence of health hazards on trust lands. Susanville Indian Rancheria has initiative to further investigate Herlong housing safety issues, alternative water utility service programs, and land reuse options that support economic development.

Currently the tribal environmental department is developing a brownsfields program to help address BRAC properties site assessment and restoration needs.

BRAC housing in Herlong, part of SIR brownfield assessment plans

BRAC housing in Herlong, part of SIR brownfields assessment plans

Organization Requesting Assistance

Susanville Indian Rancheria (SIR) Environmental Protection Department

Beginning Date

October 2004

Summary of TOSNAC Assistance

TOSNAC assistance entailed technical review of two documents that were prepared for EPA Region 9 by Susanville Indian Rancheria (SIR). The Kansas State University TOSC Coordinator, Peter Kulakow, consulted with the Susanville Indian Rancheria Environmental Protection Department Manager, Tim Keesey, about field-based site characterization technologies and data quality objectives for drinking and groundwater analyses. Brownfields outreach material and training was provided to build SIR capacity to address site assessment and cleanup needs. Additional details of TOSNAC document review, consultation and outreach services are described below.

Herlong site visits, meetings and several phone consultations with Susanville Indian Rancheria Environmental Protection Department Staff, Tribal Chairman, and Community Members;

Review and comments for SIR BRAC site Sampling and Analysis Plan;

Review and comments for SIR BRAC site Phase II Environmental Site Assessment;

Provided resources about health and environmental concerns related to perchlorate contamination and high manganese levels in drinking water.

Technical support for development of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Integrated Resource Management Planning Grant program;

Developed fact sheets for general public and tribal community pertaining to SIR BRAC and Brownfields program site assessment concerns;

SIR Tribal Brownfields Workshop I: Introductory Brownfields, Herlong, CA, November 17, 2006;

SIR Tribal Brownfields Workshop II: Risk Exposure Concerns, March 15, 2007.

To help build Susanville Indian Rancheria capacity to track contaminant concerns, the TOSNAC Coordinator and Tim Keesey joined an Advisory Board for the California Environmental Justice, Environmental Public Health Tracking (EJ-EPHT) Program, sponsored by the Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Health Services (EHIB-CDHS). They attended two Planning Consortium meetings and participated on several conference calls to help define and address California Tribal EJ-EPHT needs (Oct. 2004 through June 2006). Susanville Indian Rancheria was able to initiate dialogue with the EHIB-CDHS Planning Consortium and discuss strategies to involve Tribal communities in California EJ-EPHT program development.

Outreach meeting with SIR environmental protection department in March 2007

Outreach meeting with SIR Environmental Protection Department

(March 2007)

Publications

Fact Sheet - BRAC and Brownfields Sites, Susanville Indian Rancheria Properties Sierra Army Depot, Herlong, CA

References

Sampling and Analysis Plan, Susanville Indian Rancheria Trust Lands Sierra Army Depot, Lassen County, Herlong, California, August 2004.

Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, Susanville Indian Rancheria Trust Lands Sierra Army Depot, Lassen County, Herlong, California, September 2005.

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: