Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Determination and Remedial Action Order to Remediate Contaminated Soil at the Former Union Pacific Railroad Company Resident

Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Determination and Remedial Action Order to Remediate Contaminated Soil at the Former Union Pacific Railroad Company Resident

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), pursuant to authority granted under the Health and Safety Code sections 25358.3(a)(1)(B), 58009 and 58010, issued an Imminent and Substantial Endangerment Determination and Remedial Action Order (I&SE Order) to UPRR on September 8th, 2017. The I&SE Order was issued after DTSC determined the Site posed on imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare because of hazardous concentrations of heavy metals 9arsenic, copper, and lead) present in soil at six residential backyard properties. Historic aerial photos confirm the presence of two parallel railroad tracks at the Site from 1903 until the early 1960s. UPRR reports the northern railroad track was demolished in the early 1960s, and the property formerly occupied by the track was transferred by deed to the adjacent residential property owners in 1964. Preliminary Endangerment Assessment soil investigations conducted under DTSC oversight during the summer of 2017, confirmed the presence of elevated concentrations of heavy metals at sex residential backyards. The following maximum concentrations of heavy metals were detected in surface soil to a depth of five feet below ground surface at the six residential backyards. The United Stated Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) for unrestricted or residential use are provided in Table 1. A Draft Removal Action Work Plan (RAW) has been prepared for the Site that proposes the excavation and off-Site transportation and disposal of approx. 540 cubic years of contaminated sol from the six residential backyards. The fieldwork will be implemented in accordance with a DTSC approved RAW, Site-specific Health & Safety Plan, Transportation Plan and Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan. The soil samples will be analyzed for metals at a state certified a laboratory using USEPA Method 6010B. The RAW proposes an estimated total if 540 cubic yards of metals contaminated soil will be excavated from the Site and transported for disposal at the Waste Management Kettleman Hills Facility (Class 1) located at 35251 Skyline Road, Kettleman City, California. The RAW is scheduled for implementation beginning November 6, 2017 and is expected to take approximately five weeks to complete. A Removal Action Completion Report (RACR) will be prepared after the Site's remediation and restoration activities are completed. The RACR will document that the RAW requirements have been met and that the six residential properties are suitable for future unrestricted or residential use.

Whittier

Los Angeles