Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund Site cleanup plan public comment period ends
- LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that it has completed another step in the process to complete the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund Site cleanup plan.
The 160-acre Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site sits on the shore of Clear Lake in Clearlake Oaks.
The plan proposes cleaning up significant portions of the site in Clearlake Oaks, specifically the mine area, the Elem Indian Colony and contaminated soils in the residential area to the southwest of the site.
The EPA said the extended public comment period for the plan closed on Monday.
The comment period had included a series of open houses, and in-person and virtual public hearings and question and answer sessions.
The next steps, expected to run into the fall and winter, include responding to all comments and documenting the final plan in an official document called a “record of decision.”
From this year through 2025, the EPS will gather data and prepare cleanup designs.
That will be followed in 2025 and 2026 by the beginning of the cleanup, which is estimated to take three to five years depending on what phase one reveals.
From 2023 to 2028, the EPA will continue studying the north wetlands, Clear Lake and sediment to see how best to control mercury and other contaminants in these areas.
Background and resources
To view the site’s website for other information, click here.
• Administrative record: To view the detailed documents on how EPA developed cleanup options, please visit the website’s site document and data tab or click here.
• Proposed plan brochure: To view at a glance information about the proposed plan, please click here.
• Paper copies: Several key site documents in the record, the proposed plan and other files are available in hard copy at the locations below. Please call locations to confirm hours/availability:
Redbud Library
14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake
Telephone: 707-994-5115
Lake County Library
1425 North High St., Lakeport
Telephone: 707-263-8817
Superfund Records Center
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: 415-947-8000
For any other questions related to the process or next steps, contact Gavin Pauley, the site’s community involvement coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 415-535-3725.