Brownfield Sites

 

Click on a Brownfield Site on the map for more information.

Mud Lakes Lindemann Road Sand Point Draper Lakeshore South Johnson Road Dump Bear Trail Tailer Road Power Dam Road

SAND POINT

The Sand Point site is KBIC Tribal Trust property, wholly owned by KBIC and located entirely within the KBIC L'Anse Reservation boundaries. Sand Point totals several hundred acres in size. The Site itself consists of an extensive beach area, approximately 45 acres in size, with approximately 2.5 miles of lakefront, located on the Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior. This property has great potential for recreational development, but prior to cleanup consisted of a bare, sparsely vegetated wasteland.

The Sand Point site is impacted by industrial copper mining processing waste (stamp sands) from the Mass Mill, an early 20th century copper ore processing plant that was located approximately 4 miles north of Sand Point. During copper ore processing at the Mass Mill, billions of pounds of stamp sand waste was deposited into Keweenaw Bay. Lake currents have since carried these stamp sands southward and deposited them onto the 2.5 miles of the Community's property at Sand Point. Some of the problems created by the stamp sand deposits include high concentrations of heavy metals; copper, mercury, and arsenic contamination in the groundwater, surface water, and sediments; deficiencies of major nutrients and near toxic levels of copper and iron concentration exist in the plant vegetation. High concentrations of copper, mercury and arsenic have also been found in fish samples.

With help from the U.S. EPA, the Great Lakes Commission - Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Program, USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Upper Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council, a soil cover was constructed over approximately 35 acres of stamp sands at Sand Point, a tribally owned beach area along the western shore of Lake Superior's Keweenaw Bay. The soil cover will serve to decrease contaminant loading into Keweenaw Bay by reducing stamp sand erosion, increase biodiversity, and allow for vegetation growth on a previously barren landscape.


Before


After

Sand Point Documents:
Record of Decision for Sand Point Cleanup
Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives
Sand Point Master Plan

MUD LAKES

The property is a typical non-tidal marsh commonly found it the northern U.S. It is low-lying and is likely close in elevation to Lake Superior. Approximately two-thirds of the property is marsh with interconnecting bodies of open water comprising the remaining third. A small stream that enters from the southwest supplies the marshes and ponds with water and discharges to Lake Superior near the northeast border of the property adjacent to the metal fabricating shop. KBIC was involved in a Wetlands Reserve Program (administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service) in the late 1990's that provided for the construction of a water control structure in order to stabilize water levels. There is an unpaved road on the northern portion of the Lakes that leads to a wildlife-viewing platform.

Illegal dumping has occurred along the northeastern and eastern boundaries of the property. Refuse includes petroleum products, building debris, household wastes and may include industrial wastes as well. NR staff has also observed stained soils and an oily sheen on surface waters.

Mud Lakes Documents:
Phase I Environmental Assessment

DRAPER LAKESHORE

Following an All Appropriate Inquiry, KBIC purchased the property from the previous owners, Audrey Draper Chapman and Marion Draper Braem (the Drapers). The Drapers used  the lakeside property as a lot on which they parked and resided in a RV during the summer. Standard Oil, Grand Rapids Trust Company, Rubicon Lumber Company, and numerous other private individuals have previously owned the property. According to the Drapers, a knowledgeable person, and historic air photos, a gas station was formerly located on the property.

The property is currently vacant. The portion where the former gas station is suspected to have been is gravel-covered, level, and appears to consist of fill soils. This area is slightly higher in elevation than the rest of the property. The remaining portion of the property is low lying and ranges from flat to rolling terrain covered in grasses, small shrubs, and trees ranging in various sizes. There are vehicle remnants (a car frame with engine block) partially buried and covered with vegetation, suggesting the possibility that there may be more refuse buried on the property. Two pipes that extend vertically out of the ground may indicate the presence of underground storage tanks (USTs) that remain on the premises.

Draper Lakeshore Documents:
Phase I Site Investigation/All Appropriate Inquiry

SOUTH JOHNSON ROAD DUMP

The property is KBIC trust land. The land currently consists of vacant forestland, with the Zeba Creek running through the property and eventually emptying into Lake Superior. Illegal dumping of household wastes, white goods, automobile parts, garbage burning, and possible dumping of light industrial wastes and waste oils has occurred, potentially contaminating the property.

POWER DAM ROAD

The property is 28 acres of mostly flat, low-lying terrain located entirely within the KBIC L’Anse Reservation at the intersection of Power Dam Road and US-41. The property is trust land restricted to tribal members for residential or business lease. Fifty percent of the site is forested while the other half is occupied with residential and businesses. Highway US-41 divides the property into east and west. One residence and two outbuildings are located to the east. Four residences with one outbuilding, junkyard, a fish shop building, self storage building, and a small fireworks stand are located to the west. The focus of a recent Phase I Environmental Assessment was the larger western portion and location of the junkyard.  The junkyard covers approximately 11 acres of the property and consists of: old vehicles, storage tanks, drums and containers with unknown contents, batteries, heavy machinery, farm machinery, tires, gas tanks, oil filters, vehicle engines, miscellaneous vehicle parts, scrap metal, and some white goods.

LINDEMANN ROAD

The property is KBIC Trust Land currently leased as residential, located a mile north of the Village of Baraga in the western portion of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) L’Anse Reservation.  Environmental concerns include remnants of a dilapidated trailer by the roadside and a large amount of dumped material behind the trailer. Dumped material includes cars, barrels, tires, appliances, cans, bottles and a variety of household garbage. Dumping extends beyond the ˝ acre lease boundaries.

TAILER ROAD

The property is 59 percent KBIC Trust Land and 41percent allotment land. The property is located about a mile north of the Village of L’Anse in the eastern portion of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) L’Anse Reservation. Tailer Road runs east and west and borders the property on the north side. The property was used as residential at one time. The former residence burned down in 2004, at which time no one was living in it. Historically, solid waste, white goods, and other materials were dumped on a portion of the property. In 2006, KBIC cleaned up part of the site with an Open Dump Cleanup Grant. The cleanup included removing debris from the site. No environmental sampling, soil removal or fill material were used in the cleanup. The access road to the dumping location was bermed to restrict access and prevent future dumping, and “No Dumping” signs were posted. In the clearing on the eastern portion of the property remnants of the dumping that was cleaned up remain including several areas of stained soil and stressed vegetation. A vehicle track winds through the property leading to the second area of dumping in the southern portion. Environmental concerns include soil staining, stressed vegetation and areas of dumping. Dumped material at the cleaned up site included cars, tires, appliances, oil filters, gas tanks, batteries, boats, car parts, insulation, paint cans, and building material. Dumped materials at the area that has not been cleaned up include tires, appliance, barrels, gas cans, burn barrels and building debris.

BEAR TRAIL

The property is located north of the Village of L’Anse in the eastern portion of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community L’Anse Reservation (KBIC). The property is KBIC Trust Land (66.67%) & Allotted Land (33.33%). Remnants of a homestead are on the property. Historically, solid waste, white goods, and other materials were dumped on portions of the property. The property is currently vacant land with a mix of cleared and forested areas. A vehicle track runs through the property along which at least 5 places of dumping are located. Environmental concerns include areas of dumping, some of which are located near a residential area. Dumped material includes old cars, batteries, tires, appliances, household trash, motor oil, barrels and various other materials.