Toxics Initiative and Enforcement

Humboldt Baykeeper is developing the Humboldt Baykeeper Toxics Initiative to catalogue and characterize the many contaminated sites around Humboldt Bay, as well as any associated threats. Baykeeper is working in conjunction with organizations also working on Bay issues to develop a needs-assessment for the program based on case files from the Regional Water Board and Humboldt County Department of Environmental Health.

Historic industrial activity continues to impact Humboldt Bay and have long-term implications for the health of local residents, the ecology of Humboldt Bay, and the local economy. As an example, past use of fungicides and wood preservatives at mills with compounds containing pentachlorophenol (also known as "penta") led to the release of contaminants that are continuing to reach the Bay. Practices at many mills resulted in spills of these compounds and resulted in ground and water contamination. Contaminants are continuing to enter the water supply in areas where they were used in the past and continue to enter Humboldt Bay through storm water and ground water discharges.

In addition to the site-specific approach that will be implemented on the sites of concern around the Bay, the Toxics Initiative will work to identify chemicals of concern in Humboldt Bay itself. By establishing a greater understanding of the substances that are affecting the Bay, issues such as cumulative and indirect impacts can be quantified, and strategies for dealing with them can be developed.

Humboldt Baykeeper plans to address these sites and substances on a case-by-case basis, while providing information to Humboldt Bay residents to help enable them to take independent action in their own lives to address the contamination of our community.

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