Source: http://www.marinij.com, February 8, 2016
By: Stephanie Weldy
Residents will gather at a community meeting Wednesday to sound off on proposed plans to clean up after a former dry cleaner at Marinwood Plaza.
The proposal is already under fire from some, including Supervisor Damon Connolly, for lack of a timeline outlining when the process would begin, along with other concerns.
Crafted by San Francisco-based environmental consulting firm Geologica, hired by the property owner responsible for cleanup, the plan recommends excavation of the area around the former Prosperity Cleaners site, among other measures, to purge it of the toxic chemical PCE, or tetrachloroethylene, and other related compounds associated with dry cleaning solvent.
But with no timetable, and questions on how effective the proposed plan would be, some are saying it should return to the drawing board.
“This issue has been going on for too long,” Connolly said. “The real-world consequences are we have neighborhoods with serious questions about health and safety, and not to mention at the property itself, and the ability to move forward.”
The state Regional Water Quality Control Board, which ultimately will consider the proposal, will gather feedback Wednesday. The session is set for 7:30 p.m. at Mary E. Silveira School, 375 Blackstone Drive.
The plan lists multiple ways clean-up could be addressed, but settles on excavation in the area of the former dry cleaning site to remove soil containing contaminants at concentrated levels. The affected soils would be taken to an off-site landfill designated for hazardous waste. Before excavation, soil treatment methods are suggested to reduce the amount of soil transported for disposal.
The proposal also includes monitoring of groundwater to ensure a downward trend in the concentration of contaminants, with the same method proposed for soil vapors. Because soil vapors are reported as traveling along utility corridors on the Marinwood Plaza property, utility corridor cutoff barriers are recommended to reduce migration of contaminants.
Because a PCE plume traveled beneath the freeway and into ground water at the nearby Silveira Ranch, a wellhead treatment was installed at the ranch. But Renee Silveira, daughter of Silveira Ranch owner Lorraine Silveira, said that, and the proposed cleanup plan, are not enough.
“The PCE plume has come onto our property — it’s continuing,” said Renee Silveira. “At one point, we had clean water. They’re dilly-dallying and taking their sweet time to address a plume on the move.”
She said she would like a subterranean biobarrier to be constructed so no other contaminants migrate onto the property.
Members of the Clean-Up Marinwood Plaza Now Oversight Committee said they are concerned there is no start date for the clean-up.
“What that means is they want to start when someone buys the place, and that is an unknown date in the future,” resident Bill McNicholas said. “Already we’re looking at no treatment since 2011, and it’s positively unacceptable not to have treatment in place today.”
Regional Water Quality Control Board officials said delaying cleanup is not the plan. Start dates are largely based on the public comments received, but some components could be implemented in as soon as a few weeks, with other aspects of the plan implemented within up to six months after the plan is approved, said Ralph Lambert, engineering geologist for the water board.
“We understand the owners are proposing to proceed with the cleanup once the (remedial action plan) is approved and not wait for redevelopment prior to doing cleanup work,” Lambert said in a written statement. “They have proposed starting cleanup work (six) months after (remedial action plan) approval.”
Tom Fitzsimons, a Wells Fargo agent representing the property owner, Marinwood Plaza LLC, said the time frame for clean-up is based on the plan’s approval, and is not tied to redevelopment of the site. A roughly six-month period is needed for site preparation, which includes building demolition and obtaining regulatory agencies’ approval, among other things, he said.
“And once all those things are done, then remediation can begin,” Fitzsimons said. “The total process I believe is between eight and 10 months.”
Fitzsimons said the property owners are committed to cleaning up the site as outlined in the plan. Regarding Silveira Ranch, significant steps have been taken, he said.
“We continue to monitor groundwater on the property and at their well for any levels of contamination,” he said. “We installed a treatment system on the well that has had contamination reading levels, and the water treatment system is clean. The water system is treated prior to use.”
Connolly said he plans to voice his opinion at Wednesday’s meeting.
“One, I believe we need to set a firm time line on the cleanup process,” Connolly said. “The remediation process cannot and should not be tied to redevelopment. It needs to proceed forward on its own. Remediation needs to be at a stringent level given legitimate concerns to the proximity to neighborhoods. Also, I’m concerned about the groundwater issue at the Silveira Ranch and that needs to be adequately addressed.”