Interesting! Does this mean Evergreen Pulp still exists? If so, have they met their obligations to pulp workers and regulatory agencies?
Who will show up to represent Evergreen Pulp? Will David K.K. Tsang show up? Interesting!
Evergreen Pulp Mill is being sued by Basic Chemical Solutions. This case was originally set for June 25, 2012, but has been changed to July 9, 2012 at 1:45 PM in Courtroom 8 at which time they will set a trial date. The defendant in this case is David K.K. Tsang. (Case # DR 090188)
Interesting! Does this mean Evergreen Pulp still exists? If so, have they met their obligations to pulp workers and regulatory agencies? Who will show up to represent Evergreen Pulp? Will David K.K. Tsang show up? Interesting!
0 Comments
According to the Humboldt County Assessor's Office the following actions are listed on the property formerly known as the Samoa Pulp Mill and now owned by Freshwater Tissue Co:
Lot Line Adjustment 4-6-2012 Survey 3-30-2012 LIS Pendens 1-18-2012 Grantor: Ferma Corp and Freshwater Tissue Co. Grantee: Bayview Environmental Services The "object of said action is to foreclose and enforce a mechanics lien recorded on October 19, 2011" for $155,654,00. LIS Pendens 8-10-2011 Grantor: Freshwater Tissue Co., Bob Simpson, Charles Benbow and Donald Nolan Grantee: Ferma Corp. This action is a similar action to enforce a lien for "Breach of contract, common count, quantum meruit and alter ego liability case against Freshwater..., false promise, intentional misrepresentation against Freshwater...to foreclose and enforce that mechanics lien on and against Freshwater..." Mechanics Lien 7-6-2011 Bayview Environmental Services Inc. $121,651 for Asbestos Abatement Services Mechanics Lien 6-20-2011 Ferma Corp. $1,335,936.15 for labor, materials, services and equipment used for demolition services, asset recovery work and related activities. According to the court clerk, these liens have not been removed. Court Date according to Court Records June 18, 2012 1:30 PM Courtroom 8 Case Management Conference If anyone has more information about Freshwater Tissue Co. and possible title changes, please let us know. In a letter dated May 7, 2012, David Parson of the North Coast Regional Water Board said,
"Please note that the start date and posting of maps on "westeureka.weebly.com is April 1, 2012 and will continue for about 60 days through May 2012." "Some identified locations (e.g. log deck) are on adjacent property which is not part of the AOIs. In addition, some locations are in the industrial part of the former pulp that is currently being demolished and for health and safety reasons we do not currently have safe access to these locations. However, identified locations (e.g. black liquor area and bleach plant) within the industrial part of the former pulp mill will be temporarily held for future examination when safe access exists." "Some locations within the accessible AOIs were identified that required a more detailed examination. These locations focused on the former machine shop, water treatment plant, truck dock, and sand blasting locations within several AOIs. We compared all available sample locations and sample results for these locations and confirmed what has been identified. These data are available to the public in reports prepared by SHN, PES, and others and are located on the ...Geotracker site. There are several locations where historic discharges have created soil and groundwater pollution that we know about and are documented." We shall continue our efforts and continue our requests for any person with specific information to indicate where, what, and about when discharges occured within the AOIs we are examining. " The full text of the letter is on the Geotracker site. According to an advertisement in Sunday's Times Standard, Freshwater Tissue is auctioning off equipment including: the complete chip plant, complete machine shop c/w lathes, band saw, shop press, automotive repair shop, lift trucks and a long list of other equipment.
Also being sold by private sale are: the Chemical Recovery Boiler, Condensate Stripper, Kiln, Evaporation Plant, Brand new Duflow medium consistency pump, pulp bale presses, dewatering screw press made of stainless steel and more. For a complete list of articles for sale check out www.pahlindustrial.com. We guess they are not going to make pulp!!! But, what about the cleanup????? Demolition plan???? Public information???? If you have information about the whereabouts of chemicals on the Samoa Pulp Mill property, the Water Board is interested. They have provided maps so it is easier to be very specific. The following information will also help them know exactly where to drill:
1) The former pulp mill is subdivided into eastern and western portions. This is done because the western portion is actively undergoing demolition and we have limited access due to health and safety reasons. Once demolition is complete we will have safe access to the western portion. The eastern portion is where we are currently putting investigation and cleanup efforts because of the potential discharge threat to Humboldt Bay. Within each portion the area is further subdivided into AOIs based on constituents of concern and physical attributes. 2) The type of input we are requesting needs to be composed of where, what, and about-when. Without these input parameters we are at a loss of where to look and what to test for. The about-when is requested because some compounds degrade through time and therefore other test methods may be necessary. 3) The duration the Water Board staff will accept input is about 60-days, You can give your information as a comment on this blog to protect your identity. On the Geotracker site that is kept up by the California Water Board, the Samoa Pulp mill (Freshwater tissue) is listed as a category 1 site.
This means that they are given the same level of concern as a dry cleaner or other small commercial facility. The number of fines and lawsuits connected with the Samoa Pulp Mill site would seem to argue that this site is much more toxic than a dry cleaner. Indeed it has been a major source of pollution. A level 1 site supposedly does not pose an immediate human health threat and does not extend off the site. Has anyone tested the ground around the mill site. Also, a category 1 site has generated little or no public interest. This one is probably true. We cannot help but wonder why. There certainly was a lot of interest when the mill was planning to open. When the mill announced that it was not going to open,it disappeared from the public consciousness as if it never was. ???????????? On November 17 and 18, 2011 the wells on the Samoa Pulp Mill site were tested. Arsenic, Chromium and Manganese were above the reporting level. For example, the reporting level for manganese is 20 and the level in the well was 1200. These chemicals are all on the prop. 65 list of substances known to cause cancer. For a complete listing of statistics on tests on the wells, see Geotracker.
The wells at the Freshwater Tissue Co. formerly Evergreen Pulp Mill were tested in October 2011. The following cancer causing chemicals are still above the reporting level: arsenic, chromium, manganese,
1112 tetrachoroethene, 111 trochlorethane, trichlorethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), 11 dichlorethene, and vinyl chloride. On the geotracker site under Evergreen Pulp, Samoa, CA under Site maps and documents dated August 30, 2011 SHN has made a study of the drains under the pulp mill site. "It is possible that chlorinated hydrocarbons could have been discharged to the historic drain systems near MW9 adjacent to the office, shops, stores, machine building and pulp storage warehouse." Freshwater Tissue's request for a lot line adjustment was first granted by the local Coastal Commission and then appealed by several commissioners on the State Coastal Commission. Now, we have learned that the Coastal Commission has withdrawn its appeal and that the lot line adjustment has been granted. The appeal included many environmental concerns and it is unclear why these were ignored in granting this lot line adjustment. The conditions of approval have not been granted yet. The change in lot lines is said to follow the uses more closely. This is puzzling since Freshwater has not said what uses it plans for their property.
Freshwater Tissue Co. will need a new coastal permit for any new use of the property-- in other words to do anything but make pulp. There is an ongoing cleanup going on at the pulp mill site including asbestos removal.
Freshwater applied and was approved by the Humboldt County Coastal Commission for a lot line adjustment. This was appealed by several members of the State Coastal Commission who were concerned about the environmental sensitivity of the pulp mill site. Freshwater withdrew its application. We will be checking on further developments with the Coastal Commission. There are no new permit applications with the North Coast Regional Air or Water Districts. Freshwater Tissue still holds a water permit that lets it release storm water and waste from the pulp process. They are paying to keep this permit, although they are making no pulp. We are unsure why. Freshwater Tissue which had so much to say while they were planning to start up the mill is very quiet about their plans for the future. |
AuthorWe live here in West Eureka have been victims of Evergreen Pulp's pollution. Now Freshwater Pulp wants to start it up again. We would like to know your thoughts and experiences with this. Now that Freshwater is not going to reopen, we are concerned about the massive quantity of contaminants that have been dumped on the site. These sites usually leak into adjacent areas and people live 750 yards from the point of maximum impact, the most polluted point, a Hot spot. We are also concerned that the Marina center site be properly cleaned up and will continue to discuss other local issues here. However, we will not let the mill issue rest until we actually see the smokestacks go down and the site is cleaned up. Archives
June 2019
Categories |