Hacker Creek Property Seized by Clean-Up Company

Jim Crook of Northcoast Environmental Construction on the Hacker Creek Property last year

Several days ago, Northcoast Environmental Engineering seized the property where the 500-1000 gallon diesel spill at an illegal marijuana grow occurred last May.  Part owner Jim Crook explained, ” This is the first time in 18 years of going down there I’ve gotten stuck [with the cost of cleanup].”  His small firm has put in months of work cleaning the creek and its surrounds at a cost of $250,000.  Crook explained that the stress of being unable to collect the money from property owner Albert Tordjman had “come close to making me get really sick.” Eventually, the company felt they had to hire an attorney to recoup their losses.

Crook is unsure what he and his business will do with the land.  “We’ve seized the property…[Now} we have to leave it up to the attorneys and the accountants.” At the moment, “we’ll probably just go ahead and finish cleanup” of the remaining booms, pads, etc…. One of our people will probably stay there.”  He hastens to reassure the community, “We don’t want to stick our nose in anything.”  He adds, “We’re probably going to keep it…” but they just haven’t decided.

He is worried about how they will deal with the debt they accrued.  “We have to pay off that $250,000 [but] we’ll survive ’cause we’re a little guy and we don’t give up.”

Although the county and State Water Board has yet to put a hold on the property, they too, have expenses and fines they had planned to recoup from Tordjman.  According to Jeff Poel with Humboldt County’s Division of Environmental Health at the Dept. of Health and Human Services,  “We haven’t filed a lien yet.  We have to get a judgement from a court….We got some money [from Tordjman] but not all.”

When I expressed some sorrow for the owner, Poel answered without sympathy,” [Diesel growers are] taking our natural resources—air and water—and using them for profit…They are putting Carbon Dioxide into the air by burning 1000’s of hours of diesel…The pollution goes into our atmosphere…They could be putting their plants in the sun which is a net carbon sink.”

The county, the state, the neighbors, the clean-up crew, and most especially the owner have all lost a great deal from this disaster.

UPDATE: I just spoke to someone who read the posting on the property itself and reported to me that the property has not yet  been actually seized.  Instead, NC Environmental Engineering received a creditor’s judgment and has placed a levy on the piece which, if uncontested, will allow him to cause the property to be sold or seized or by some other means enable NCEE to collect on their judgment.

UPDATED UPDATE: According to George Rolff, the Realtor (Country Real Estate 707 923 2725), Tordjman is “still trying to pull this out of the fire.”  The tests on the water have “no diesel showing” but the state isn’t willing to totally release liability in the slight case that something further happens.  Banks are unwilling to lend money to purchase as long as that caveat is still on the deed. There is still a hope that a cash buyer might be able to purchase the property but the worry is that the property sale can’t cover the costs of clean-up and the incurred fines.

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8 Comments
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Kato
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Kato
14 years ago

Thank you for keeping us informed about what’s happening there, Kym.

Staff
Member
14 years ago

The wave of destruction that flowed outward from the spill is impossible for me to look away from–its like an ugly carwreck by the side of the road. You tell yourself you’ll just drive by but you find yourself gawking in horror.

$2000 worth of containment and that indoor would be pulling in money still.

anomalous
Guest
anomalous
14 years ago

“$2000 worth of containment and that indoor would be pulling in money still.”

A half-dozen full-sunners and that place would be a clean, green, silent paradise still.

“Contained” petrochemicals would still be hazardous material stored near a creek in earthquake & wildfire country and still being burned into cancerous air contaminants. I’m looking at the same car wreck but instead of thinking he should have had a seatbelt on, I’m thinking he chose the wrong road.

Staff
Member
14 years ago

You’re right, of course. I was merely pointing out that without having to change very much–the outcome could have been a lot different. The better choice, in my mind, would be to put them in the sun but people tend to make changes more slowly–bit by bit.

Kato
Guest
Kato
14 years ago

I like Jim’s shirt. Sure hope he doesn’t lose it over this ordeal.

The difficulty with slowly changing our habits is that consequences don’t often wait for us…

Staff
Member
14 years ago

I’m glad you noticed his shirt. I left the photo blown up large so people could see it. I think it says something about him and his company–at least I hope so.

You speak the truth about consequences not waiting for our ability to change and you are so right. I can’t bear to ever see another Hacker Creek but still, we only change when we’re ready. Hopefully, by presenting all the options, people will see the possibilities and make what changes they feel they can. Any choice in the green direction makes me happier.

Kato
Guest
Kato
14 years ago

By leaving the photo large, you’ve also kept his phone number prominent!

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[…] Environmental part owner, Jim Crook, explained to me that his company now owns the property but there has been some vandalism and some […]