Del Norte County operated a temporary pesticide storage facility on a 1-acre parcel just north of Crescent City from 1970 to 1981. Contaminated waste and rinse water from pesticide containers were released into an unlined basin, polluting soil and shallow groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The NPL is the federal government's roster of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country.
The main contaminants found in both soil and groundwater are 1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), 2,4-dinitrotoluene, chromium, and trans-1,2-dichloroethene. EPA identified these chemicals by assessing who could be exposed, measuring contamination levels, and evaluating health and ecological risks. The contamination threatened groundwater used by nearby residences, farmland, and private wells.
EPA excavated contaminated soils and installed a groundwater treatment system starting in 1989. That system removed about 95 percent of contamination within four years. Groundwater monitoring continued after construction was complete, and by 2022 the key contaminant, 1,2-DCP, had fallen below the cleanup goal of 5 parts per billion for four consecutive monitoring events. EPA determined in 2023 that all cleanup goals had been met and that the site allows for Unlimited Use and Unrestricted Exposure, meaning no restrictions on how the land can be used or who can be present. Human exposure and groundwater migration are both under control, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
EPA deleted the site from the NPL in September 2002 and conducted five five-year reviews over the years to confirm the cleanup remained protective. The 2020 review confirmed it did. Because all cleanup objectives have been achieved, federal law no longer requires further five-year reviews. The Del Norte County Agriculture Department office and related facilities now operate at the site. The county has considered using parts of the property to support local land use growth, and as of December 2024, one on-site business employed six people.
Community members with questions about the site can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager, who handles technical questions about cleanup work, or the Community Involvement Coordinator, who handles questions about public participation and community concerns.
