The company agreed to make a variety of infrastructure changes to prevent contaminated runoff from entering soil and groundwater; continue water sampling for the next two years to determine if the changes have been effective; allow Humboldt Baykeeper’s attorneys to inspect the facility twice and pay it $7,500 for doing so; pay $40,000 for environmental projects to improve water quality on Mad River or Humboldt Bay; and pay the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation $10,000 to build permanent public toilets in order to reduce contamination of Humboldt Bay, according to court documents.
Humboldt Baykeeper Executive Director Jennifer Kalt urged potential buyers of former timber mill properties to determine whether soil and groundwater at the site has been contaminated with chemicals.
In addition, the company was also ordered to partially reimburse Humboldt Baykeeper’s law firm Aqua Terra Aeris LLP $91,000 for investigation, consulting, attorney-related and other costs incurred during the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims the company had also not fully reported its industrial activities.
Humboldt Baykeeper claimed Royal Gold had already begun construction on the project without proper permits.
Planning and Building Director John Ford confirmed to the Times-Standard on Tuesday that the company had not obtained county permits before it began construction.
Once the county’s environmental review is completed, Ford said that Royal Gold will need to submit another environmental review — or a finding that their project would not significantly impact the environment — which the public and Board of Supervisors will have a chance to review.