DTSC Calls for Comments on Univar Facility, PG&E Site
The Univar workplan addresses cleanup of groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds in Commerce while the PG&E remedial action plan deals with PAHs, TPHs, metals, and PCBs in the soil in Colusa.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) invites the public to comment on the draft Groundwater Interim Measures Workplan for the former Univar USA Inc., facility located at 5353 Jillson St., Commerce. The plan, which addresses cleanup of groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds, is available for public review and comment.
The workplan addresses activities designed to control the groundwater plume at the site and minimize the off-site migration of contaminated groundwater. The proposed activities are necessary to protect groundwater resources and to facilitate groundwater cleanup.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires government agencies to review all the proposed projects to determine if they will have a harmful effect on public health or the environment. DTSC prepared a draft Initial study following CEQA guidelines and determined that proposed interim measures will not have an adverse environmental impact. Therefore, a Mitigated Negative Declaration is proposed.
Comments should be submitted to John Bystra, DTSC project manager, 8800 Cal Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826, jbystra@dtsc.ca.gov.
Project-related documents are available from the DTSC's Sacramento office. Call 916.255.3779 for information.
DTSC also announced a 30-day public comment period on a draft Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) former manufactured gas plant site at 105 Second St., Colusa, Calif. From 1886 to about 1940, a manufactured gas plant (MGP) operated at the site.
Environmental investigations detected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, total petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls in the soil in select areas of the site. The site is currently used by PG&E as an active service center, pole yard, and substation.
The draft RAP proposes cleanup activities that include the excavation of approximately 4,000 cubic yards of soil (about 400 truckloads) in the northeast area of the site and southern pole yard; impacted soil located within the active electrical substation would not be removed since excavation in this area is not feasible or safe. These excavated soils will be transported to, and disposed of at, a permitted landfill facility. The excavated areas will be backfilled with clean material. The selected remedy would allow continued use of the site as a service center, as well as provide long-term protection of human health and the environment should the future land use change. The selected remedy also includes semi-annual monitoring of the groundwater.
DTSC has determined that the proposed cleanup plan would have no significant impact to the environment or community. Therefore, DTSC intends to file a Negative Declaration with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, State Clearinghouse, if the draft RAP is approved.
The public is invited to comment on the draft RAP and CEQA Negative Declaration until April 15. Comments should be sent to Jerry Lile, DTSC project manager, 8800 Cal Center Dr., Sacramento, CA 95826, or jlile@dtsc.ca.gov.
The state agency will host a public meeting to explain the project, answer questions and accept public comment from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. PDT on March 30 at the Colusa County Library, 738 Market St., in Colusa.
A copy of the draft RAP, the CEQA Negative Declaration, and other site-related documents are available at the Colusa County Library or the DTSC file room in its Sacramento Office. The agency requests members of the public call for an appointment at 916.255.3618.
Source: California Department of Toxic Substances and Control