Brownfields Initiative Grant

Little Lake Industries Mill Site Brownfield Cleanup

The former Little Lake Industries Mill property, historically known as the South “I” Street Mill, consists of three parcels located on the east side of South I Street, north of Butcher Slough. The City of Arcata received an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Cleanup Grant to support remediation efforts at this site. Cleanup activities begin July 14, 2025, and involve the excavation and removal of contaminated soil from an approximately 4,200-square-foot area.

For questions about the EPA grant, please contact Jennifer Dart at jdart@cityofarcata.org or 707-825-2112.
For project-specific inquiries, contact Steven Luu at sluu@cityofarcata.org or 707-825-2152.

• The Phase 1 Report for Targeted Brownfield Assessment was published in September 2002 by Innovative Technical Solutions, Inc. (ITSI).  The Scope of Work for this project, dated November 15, 2001, involved performing a TBA of the South I Street Mill Reuse Project in Arcata, California. The purposes of this TBA are to compile historical information and to prioritize areas with a potential for environmental concerns or contamination.
• The Phase 2 site assessment for Targeted Brownfield Assessment was published in June 2003 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Region 9, in coordination with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), tasked Weston Solutions, Inc. (WESTON) to conduct a Targeted Brownfields Site Assessment (TBSA), Phase II Investigation of the South I Street Mill Reuse Project (SISMRP) site, located in Arcata, Humboldt County, California. The objectives of the this Phase II Investigation are to determine whether soil and groundwater at the site have been impacted by analytes of concern (AOCs) from historic site uses, to assess the vertical extent of contamination, if present, to conduct disposal characterization of kiln-sealed cement bricks and pipe insulation located at the site, and to determine if the soil/rock stockpiles located on the site can be reused as construction fill. This final report summarizes the field activities conducted by WESTON on December 16th through December 20th, 2002, and presents the results from the sampling event.
• The Sampling and Analysis Plan Amendment for the South I Street Mill Reuse Project Targeted Brownfield Assessment Phase 2 B was published in March 2004. On September 12, 2003, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), tasked Weston Solutions, Incorporated (Weston) to conduct a follow-up investigation at the Arcata Mill Site in Arcata, Humboldt County, California. Weston completed a Phase II Targeted Brownfields Assessment (Phase II TBA) of the site in December 2002 and prepared a draft final report. The TBA was conducted on behalf of the City of Arcata; the site history and details of that investigation are presented in the Phase II report. This Sampling and Analysis Plan Amendment (Phase II B) is an extension of the EPA-approved South I Street Project Reuse Project, Arcata, California TBA Sampling and Analysis Plan (Phase II SAP).
• The Site Investigation Report of Findings was prepared in October 2019 and is based on site investigation activities that were conducted on the two parcels on the east side of South “I” Street, while the Johnson Tract (APN 503‐251‐014) located west of the site across South “I” Street was not included. 
• A Draft Site Conditions Report and Data Gaps Investigation Work Plan was prepared in June 2018 and summarizes results of previous site investigation activities completed and a work plan to address identified data gaps.
• A Draft Site Cleanup Plan was prepared in October 2020 and includes a description of current conditions, proposed cleanup goals, a brief evaluation of remedial options, and a work plan for site remediation.
• The Site Cleanup Plan for the former Little Lakes Industries Mill was prepared by Engineering Firm SHN in December 2020. Previous investigation activities conducted at the site to assess contamination associated with historical use have identified dioxins at concentrations above permissible thresholds in the former kiln area. This Site Clean-up plan summarizes current conditions and outlines methods planned for implementation during site cleanup activities. This work is funded by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields grant. 
• The Wetland and Other Waters Delineation Report for the Little Lakes Former Industrial Site (Assessor Parcel Numbers 503-232-004, -013, -016) was published in August 2024 by Engineering Firm SHN. Fieldwork was performed under the direction of an SHN soil scientist, with an MS in soil science, and an SHN wetland ecologist, with an MS in biology, with over 20 years of combined wetland and other waters delineation experience. The purpose of this wetland and other waters delineation is to identify wetlands and other waters as defined by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), State of California State Water Board, California Fish and Game Code, California Coastal Act (CCA), and City of Arcata to determine their extent and composition across the study area. The results of this report can be used in planning for future development opportunities and permitting of any future project.
• The Biological Resource Assessment for Little Lakes Former Industrial Site (Assessor Parcel Numbers 503-232-004, -013, -016) was published in September 2024 by engineering Firm SHN. SHN has prepared this Biological Resources Assessment for the Little Lakes Property adjacent to the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. This report documents environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHA) and special-status botanical and animal species present or potentially occurring within the study area. Fieldwork was conducted on May 8 and 21, and July 15 and 16, 2024, which included the bloom period for special-status plant species potentially occurring onsite. Two special-status botanical species and three sensitive vegetation communities (considered non-wetland ESHA) were observed within the study area. Three special-status animals were observed in the study area and several others have the potential to occur onsite, at least seasonally.