Comments are due April 2 on Cal Poly Humboldt's plans to build a parking lot on the site of a former lumber mill in the Arcata Bottoms. This is a new comment period triggered by a major change to the project, so if you commented previously, your input may no longer apply.We hope you will join us in advocating to the University to conduct a full review of contamination on the site in an Environmental Impact Report. The Recirculated Mitigated Negative Declaration—a shortened version of a full EIR—fails to assess the known contamination on the site, and as a result, poses risks to construction workers, neighbors, and future users of the site, as well as fish and wildlife in Janes Creek and Humboldt Bay. Photo: The lumber mill in operation adjacent to Foster Avenue and Janes Creeek in 1955. Photo by Merle Shuster (Shuster Collection, Cal Poly Humboldt Digital Archives).The site is adjacent to Janes Creek, which supports juvenile Coho salmon and other protected species. Janes Creek flows into Humboldt Bay, which is listed as Impaired by dioxins and furans. This impairment was caused by former lumber mills like the one that once operated on this property.Although the mill ceased operations years ago, very high levels of dioxins and furans remain in the soil from a wood preservative called pentachlorophenol. Since 2023, we have been encouraging the university to seek U.S. EPA Brownfields grants to clean up the site, but we have gotten no response despite numerous attempts.Grading the site is likely to mobilize these extremely long-lasting contaminants, which are some of the most toxic chemicals ever manufactured. The environmental review also fails to address the toxic tire chemical 6PPD-q, which is extremely toxic to coho salmon.Now, the University has added a path and footbridge over Janes Creek to address concerns about bike and pedestrian safety on Foster Avenue. The Recirculated Mitigated Negative Declaration lacks analysis of dioxin contamination that must be done before soil disturbance to protect human health and the environment.Comments are due via email by April 2 to Facilities Management
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
1 Harpst Street
Arcata, CA 95521
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