Lava Cap Mine

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NPL Site

Nevada City, CA

Lava Cap Mine is listed in the EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System with an NPL status of NPL Site and a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 33.66. The site is located in Nevada City, CA. Superfund National Priorities List inclusion is the EPA's formal designation that a contaminated site qualifies for long-term federal cleanup authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

EPA Superfund records catalog 43 contaminants associated with this site, documented through the remedial investigation process. Construction of the cleanup remedy has not yet been designated as complete in the EPA record.

NPL listing does not, by itself, establish a health risk to nearby residents, it triggers federal authority to investigate, score, and remediate. HRS scores of 28.50 or above qualify a site for the NPL; the ranking weighs contaminant toxicity, release pathways, waste quantity, and affected population. For current site conditions and community health guidance, contact the California environmental or health agency and the EPA Regional Superfund office listed on the official site profile.

What is the cleanup status of this Superfund site?

NPL Status
NPL Site
Federal Facility
No
Construction Complete
No
HRS Score
33.66
Deleted from NPL
No

Contaminants

Contaminant Media
ANTIMONY Sediment
ANTIMONY Soil
ANTIMONY Surface Water
ARSENIC Groundwater
ARSENIC Sediment
ARSENIC Soil
ARSENIC Surface Water
BARIUM Surface Water
BERYLLIUM Surface Water
CADMIUM Sediment
CADMIUM Soil
CADMIUM Surface Water
COBALT Sediment
COBALT Soil
COBALT Surface Water
COPPER Sediment
COPPER Soil
COPPER Surface Water
CYANIDE Sediment
CYANIDE Soil
CYANIDE Surface Water
IRON Sediment
IRON Soil
LEAD Sediment
LEAD Soil
LEAD Surface Water
MANGANESE Sediment
MANGANESE Soil
MANGANESE Surface Water
MERCURY Sediment
MERCURY Soil
MERCURY Surface Water
NICKEL Sediment
NICKEL Soil
NICKEL Surface Water
SELENIUM Sediment
SELENIUM Soil
SILVER Sediment
SILVER Soil
SILVER Surface Water
ZINC Sediment
ZINC Soil
ZINC Surface Water

Location

City
Nevada City
Coordinates
39.2281, -120.9699

Other Superfund Sites in California

Site Name Status HRS Score
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. NPL Site 37.93
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Building 915) NPL Site 31.94
Aerojet General Corp. NPL Site 54.63
Afterthought Mine NPL Site 50.00
Alameda Naval Air Station NPL Site 50.00
Alark Hard Chrome NPL Site 50.50
AMCO Chemical NPL Site 50.00
Applied Materials NPL Site 31.94
Argonaut Mine NPL Site 58.31
Atlas Asbestos Mine NPL Site 45.55

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Lava Cap Mine Superfund site?
Lava Cap Mine is an active National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund site located in Nevada City, CA. It has a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 33.66. Superfund sites are contaminated locations identified by the EPA for long-term cleanup.
Is Lava Cap Mine dangerous to live near?
The presence of a site on the EPA National Priorities List does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. EPA evaluates sites through a comprehensive process including remedial investigation and risk assessment. Cleanup activities may still be ongoing. For site-specific health questions, contact your state environmental or health agency.
What is the HRS score for Lava Cap Mine?
Lava Cap Mine has a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 33.66. The HRS is the EPA's principal mechanism for evaluating Superfund sites, scores of 28.50 or greater qualify for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk based on toxicity, waste quantity, release likelihood, and affected population.
What contaminants are at the Lava Cap Mine site?
The EPA has identified 43 contaminants at Lava Cap Mine. Contaminant data is maintained in the EPA's Superfund database and is based on site investigations conducted during the remedial process.
What is the cleanup status of Lava Cap Mine?
Lava Cap Mine is currently NPL Site on the National Priorities List. The EPA Superfund cleanup process includes phases from preliminary assessment through post-construction completion.

About Superfund

The National Priorities List (NPL) is the list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.

The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is the principal mechanism the EPA uses to evaluate sites for placement on the NPL. Sites with an HRS score of 28.50 or greater are eligible for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk.

The EPA's Superfund cleanup process typically follows these phases: preliminary assessment, site inspection, NPL listing, remedial investigation/feasibility study, remedy selection, remedial design/action, construction completion, post-construction completion, and NPL deletion. Some sites remain on the NPL for decades.

PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. The presence of a site on the NPL does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. For site-specific health questions, consult your local environmental or health agency.

Related

Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro Editorial