City of Arcata Seeks Funding for Cleanup of Butcher Slough

This is a press release from the City of Arcata:

The City of Arcata is proactively seeking to address legacy contamination within Butcher Slough and a section of the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary which remains in the environment from previous ownerships and wood products industry activity on the property. 

The city currently has an EPA Targeted Brownfields Assessment technical assistance grant to characterize potential contamination at legacy wood products industry sites within the city. Preliminary results indicate that the Butcher Slough site has high levels of contaminants of concern including dioxin. This location is one of dozens of former industrial and lumber sites along the shoreline of Humboldt Bay with legacy contamination. 

The city is collaborating with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and Humboldt Baykeeper to develop a voluntary cleanup agreement and proposal to the Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) program through the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, the Arcata City Council will consider a resolution to apply to the ECRG program. 

Funding from ECRG will help the city develop a cleanup plan and engage the community around cleanup options for continued protection of public and environmental health. The cleanup plan also includes a greater vision of increasing ADA-accessible parking and nature paths in the Arcata Marsh to increase access and promote the health and wellness of Arcata residents. Continued passive recreation along official trails in the Arcata Marsh is not expected to be a threat to human health as dioxins are concentrated in sediments and soils beneath the gravel surface of trails. 

The City has been proactively seeking grants for characterization of potential contamination, development of cleanup plans, and implementation of cleanup activities for former Redevelopment Agency properties and City properties as well as pursing partnerships with private landowners interested in cleaning up and redeveloping their properties. 

For more information, please call the Environmental Services Department at (707) 822-8184.