Did you know that Richmond is home to another EPA Superfund site?
United Heckathorn is a contaminated site, located at the top of the Lauritzen Channel (between S. 2nd and S. 4th, south of Cutting Ave.) with pesticide contamination that extends well beyond into adjoining area waterways and the San Francisco Bay. It was initially classified as a Federal Superfund site in 1990.
The US EPA serves as the lead regulatory agency and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is the supporting regulatory agency overseeing the cleanup of the contaminated upland and submerged lands.
City of Richmond, CA 2024. Photograph.
Not So Fun Fact: All fish and shellfish from the Lauritzen Channel are toxic, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).
Search for Superfund Sites Where You Live
EPA Plans to Clean Up Heckathorn
Several US EPA-approved remedial actions — including upland capping of contaminated soil and limited dredging of contaminated sediments — have been conducted over the last many decades at Heckathorn. However, it’s been determined that there has been a partial remedy failure. In particular, the failure covers a portion of the originally impacted submerged lands in the Lauritzen Channel.
This winter, the US EPA plans a formal proposal for additional cleanup actions to address the current remedy failure. You can expect to see calls for community meetings and outreach to engage the Richmond community. Their ultimate goal is to establish local support and to minimize opposition to the new cleanup plan.
Take Action on Heckathorn
Our friends at the Richmond Shoreline Alliance highly recommend that the US EPA approve a new remedy that is comprehensive and appropriate to the needs of the community. The cleanup plan should:
- Consider imminent climate change and sea level rise
- Be a complete and permanent remedy
- Strongly take into account the heavy environmental injustices faced by Richmond's diverse, working-class community for generations
Act Now: Get Updates on the Heckathorn Cleanup
RPA is proud to stand with the Richmond Shoreline Alliance as we monitor how our regulatory agencies plan to clean up the Heckathorn site.
Get in touch for updates on public meetings, data releases, and local organizing efforts. Let's work together to make sure the US EPA gets it right this time.