The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled a $93.4 million plan to clean up the Heckathorn Superfund site in Richmond, California. This cleanup involves dredging and removing contaminated sediment from the Lauritzen Channel, a waterway that was used during World War II for shipbuilding. The plan also includes covering the dredged areas with a mix of activated carbon and sand, and installing protective caps in certain sections. The funding for this plan will come from private companies that are responsible for the pollution. The EPA claims this is the most effective long-term solution, aiming to reduce health and environmental risks, improve water quality, and reduce the need for ongoing monitoring. However, local community groups have voiced concerns about the EPA's plan. The Richmond Shoreline Alliance (RSA), a local environmental group, had previously proposed its own cleanup plan, which was supported by the city of Richmond and Senator Jesse Arreguín. According to RSA coordinator Janet Johnson, the EPA did not consider this community-driven proposal, which called for a complete cleanup of the area. The group argues that the EPA’s plan does not fully address the extent of contamination. The EPA’s plan includes dredging contaminated sediment from parts of the Lauritzen Channel and covering the dredged areas with a protective layer of activated carbon and sand. It also involves installing barriers along the shoreline, sealing pipes, removing old wood pilings, and cleaning storm drains that lead into the channel. The companies responsible for funding the cleanup are not named in the plan, but in a previous cleanup attempt in the 1990s, several companies were involved, including Montrose Group and Rhone Poulenc, Inc. One of the companies, Levin-Richmond Terminal, Inc., claims it did not cause the contamination and has been cooperating with the EPA. The EPA's plan does not address concerns about rising sea levels, which scientists warn could increase flood risks for hazardous sites like the Heckathorn site. The Lauritzen Channel became contaminated in the decades following World War II when companies like United Heckathorn Chemical Co. disposed of chemicals in the water. The area is currently closed to fishing due to health risks from two toxic chemicals, DDT and dieldrin, which can affect marine life and humans who consume contaminated fish. The EPA estimated in 2010 that eating fish from the channel could increase the risk of cancer by more than one in 1,000 people. Residents and environmental groups have expressed frustration about being excluded from the decision-making process. They argue that the EPA’s plan uses comparisons to other bay waters to set cleanup goals, which they say avoids more stringent standards. They also question where the contaminated material will be disposed of, a detail not included in the plan. In the 1990s, some of the dredged material was sent to a landfill in Arizona, near a Native American reservation. The EPA is holding an open house on October 21 to present the plan and gather public input, with the comment period open from September 30 to December 29.