CA / county FIPS 06063 / county research

Plumas County, California: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Plumas County is 134.6 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Brain & nervous system deaths at 2.2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 266 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (76), Rail grade crossing (51), Industrial wastewater discharge (28). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 40.0231, -120.8055.

How this county ranks in California

View on the heat map Scan an address in this county

Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Plumas County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	9.5	4.4	2.16xSignificant	5 to 17.2	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	21.9	14.5	1.51x	13.9 to 33.1	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	17.8	13	1.37x	9.5 to 30.1	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	27.9	23.8	1.17x	19.3 to 39.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11.7	11.3	1.04x	7 to 19.2	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	134.6	143.2	0.94x	117.9 to 153.7	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.1	18.5	0.92x	10.5 to 26.9	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	386.5	453.4	0.85x	353.6 to 422.1	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	24.9	30.2	0.82x	18.4 to 34	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	14.9	18.7	0.8x	9.1 to 23.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	40.8	51.8	0.79x	32.1 to 52	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	13.9	17.9	0.78x	7.6 to 23.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	10.6	13.9	0.76x	6.3 to 17.8	2019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Plumas County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	8,791.8	9,842.6	-11%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	78.2	75.3	+4%	years
Child mortality	67.9	59.8	+14%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	122.1	96.9	+26%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	29.2	28.6	+2%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde22.11 per million
Acetaldehyde3.03 per million
Naphthalene2.62 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.54 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 193 good, 10 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 45, peak 120.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

266 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit76
Rail grade crossing51
Industrial wastewater discharge28
Small hazardous waste generator23
Gas station (mapped facility)22
Large hazardous waste generator13
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)10
Hydroelectric plant9
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)9
Heliport6
Public airport4
EPA air quality monitor3
Hazardous waste transporter3
Major air pollution source2
TRI reporting facility2
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)2
Brownfield property1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Biomass power plant1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Sierra Pacific Industries Quincy Div, Quincy
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001199569 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.5
Sierra Pacific Industries Quincy Div, Quincy
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds, Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds. Reports carcinogens. 135,754 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 95971SRRPC1538L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
Portola, Portola
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 060631010 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 7.2
Collins Pine Co Chester Sawmill, Chester
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead And Lead Compounds, Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds. Reports carcinogens. 222 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 96020CLLNS500MA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Sierra Pacific Industries Quincy Div, Quincy
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001199569 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Sierra Pacific Industries Quincy Div, Quincy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001199569 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Quincy Community Services District, Quincy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013154692 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Quincy-N Church Street, Quincy
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 060631006 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5.1
Collins Pine Co, Chester
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002148596 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Portola Wwtp, Portola
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010058757 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Portola Wwtp, Portola
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010058757 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Delleker Wwtp, Portola
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009127051 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Collins Pine Co, Chester
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002148596 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Collins Pine Co, Chester
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002148596 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Collins Pine Co, Chester
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002148596 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Former Lp Lumber Mill Area 1, Crescent Mills
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071975891 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Plumas County Road Dept, Quincy
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002669005 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Caltrans Dist 2 Quicy Mts Sta, Quincy
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002792853 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Cal Trans Beckwourth Maint Stn, Beckwourth
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110005996100 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Pacific Bell, Blairsden
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008291801 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Rite Aid #6093, Quincy
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110018887258 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Plumas County Unified School District, Chester
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110041650512 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Pg&E Rodgers Flat Service Center, Storrie
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046524141 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Pg&E Caribou Powerhouse, Belden
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070119394 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3
Usda Forest Service, Quincy
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070844786 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Plumas County Jail And Day Reporting Center, Quincy
EPA FRS registry ID
xa406c768674722209c595b708eb0f8ed
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Plumas County

California state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Plumas County, and their findings.
California vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
California health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
California environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
California drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

Scan an address in Plumas County View on the heat map All California counties