2004 Annual Report: Solid Waste Facilities

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• Solid Waste Site Cleanup
• Farm and Ranch Cleanup Grants
• Closed, Illegal, and Abandoned Sites
• Emergency Response
• LEA Assistance and Training

Solid Waste Site Cleanup

In 2004 the Board approved more than $6.8 million for 11 cleanup projects (nearly $4.1 million for Board-managed projects and more than $2.7 million for grants) through its Solid Waste Disposal and Codisposal Site Cleanup Program.

One of the largest and most complicated Board-managed cleanup projects in the program’s history, the La Montaña Illegal Disposal site located in Huntington Park, was approved in 2004. This site has been a long-standing public nuisance and pollution problem for the local community, with substantial environmental justice concerns.

The site accumulated tremendous quantities of inert debris and other wastes generated from the Northridge earthquake in 1994. After extensive enforcement and legal actions, the Board is cleaning up the site at an estimated total cost of approximately $2.1 million. This Board-managed cleanup project has implemented a substantial and successful effort on community outreach.

As a result of the substantial early and continued effort on community outreach for this controversial project, the Board was successful in gaining overwhelming public support. The Board conducted a meeting with the community to obtain its input on a draft health and safety plan for the project, which has shown no significant problems. The project began in early December 2004 and is expected to be completed in March 2005.

Cumulative Project Funding Solid Waste Cleanup Program

Solid Waste Cleanup Program Number and Types of Approved Sites

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Farm and Ranch Cleanup Grants

The Board revised its Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Cleanup and Abatement program application materials and procedures to implement Chapter 628, Statutes of 2002 (SB 1328, Chesbro). This law became effective on January 1, 2003. Together with expanded outreach efforts by the Board, the program changes made by Chapter 628 have significantly increased utilization of this program. The maximum grant award increased from $50,000 to $100,000 per site, and eligibility was extended to Native American Tribes and Resource Conservation Districts.

For fiscal year 2003–04, the Board approved grant applications in the amount of $915,222, marking the first year the annual funding was fully used since inception of the program in 1999. For the first six months of fiscal year 2004–05, the Board has approved grant applications in the amount of $407,219. The program shows encouraging signs of continuing full use. The graph below illustrates cumulative funding for 1999–2004.

Cumulative Project Funding Farm and Ranch Cleanup

Closed, Illegal, and Abandoned Sites

The Board continued to assist LEAs on investigation, enforcement, and cleanup of closed, illegal, and abandoned (CIA) disposal sites. Investigations include office-based and field-based activities using Board laboratory and intrusive sampling contractors. High priority landfill gas sites may be investigated using Board equipment for continuous explosive gas monitoring in structures.

When appropriate, the Board provides referral for cleanup through the Solid Waste Cleanup Program. LEAs issued 24 enforcement orders on CIA sites in 2004. In many cases these were based on technical and legal assistance provided by the Board. Emphasis is currently on urban jurisdictions in southern California on sites with landfill gas and sensitive land use issues. Board staff set priorities on CIA sites for field investigation. Appropriate enforcement and cleanup (Priority A and B sites) was completed for all sites in 2004, as shown in the following graph.

CIA Site Summary*

*Note: As of 1/05, an estimated 1475 sites have been archived; 1526 have been prioritized (45 A; 103 B; 1378 C/D); 0 To Prioritize; IDS Sites—18/52 listed are A or B; 6 IDS A sites include 253 additional sites not separately listed.

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Emergency Response

Board staff, serving on the Cal/EPA’s Emergency Response Management Committee, participated in emergency response activities for the Jones Tract flood incident in June of 2004. These activities took place in concert with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

In addition, Board staff participated in a number of disaster preparedness exercises and conferences during 2004. These included Operation Determined Promise/Golden Guardian in August, a national exercise simulating simultaneous terrorist attacks on both U.S. coasts, and a conference on the Science and Policy of Carcass Disposal in October. Other exercises included Operation Aphtosa in November, a simulated outbreak of hoof and mouth disease in Tulare County, and other table-top exercises.

Exercise sponsors included the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Western Institute of Food Safety and Security, and the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense. The Board continued its lead role in the development of disaster debris disposal policy for the State, including the management of large volumes of burn ash and animal carcasses or animal by-products. In December of 2004 the Board was instrumental in the publication of an Emergency Animal Disposal plan by Cal/EPA.

LEA Assistance and Training

LEA Grants are provided by the Board in compliance with statute. The Board disburses $1.5 million annually in non-competitive grant funds from its Integrated Waste Management Account. Common LEA uses for the grant money include equipment (vehicles, gas monitors, video and digital cameras, and computers), training, consultants, personnel costs and laboratory services.

The Board also provided a variety of LEA training sessions that included inspector field training tours, hands-on landfill gas training, Inspector Safety and Unexploded Ordnances, Ionizing Radiation, and Health and Safety Refresher classes. The 7th Annual LEA/CIWMB Partnership Conference included session topics such as Performing Emergency Debris Management When Disaster Strikes and Innovative Technologies.

Other sessions covered Solid Waste Facility Inspections, Compliance, and Emerging Trends from a Cal OSHA Perspective; and Public Participation—The Process and the Outcome. The Board provided a variety of services under the LEA equipment loan program. During 2004, LEAs representing 45 counties borrowed equipment from the program and Board staff provided one-on-one training to 30 LEA staff.

The Board-LEA partnership continued in 2004 with the following collaborations: the LEA Roundtable Forums (held quarterly in 5 regions), the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health region and policy meetings, and the Enforcement Advisory Council bi-monthly meetings. All rank high in priority for Board staff participation and support.

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