Landfill Facility Compliance Study

Madrone Landfill: In-Depth Information

Information Source: Owner/Operator—Santa Clara County, Department of Parks and Recreation
Telephone conversation: March 18, 2004
E-mail response: March 18, 2004

No environmental compliance issues have existed at this site since the beginning of the study period (January 1, 1998). However, the interviewee explained that at one time a wildfire near the site had ignited exposed waste. The waste at the site is mostly inert, such as concrete, but there were also tree stumps that were ignitable; this assessment was based on observation of some smoldering pieces of wood after the fires had been extinguished.

In response to the wildfire, the regulators put the site under an administrative order to monitor for gas and groundwater problems, but no evidence of off-site problems had been detected so far. Also, a closure plan was required. The plan called for regrading, some excavation and removal, some earthmoving, and revegetation. As of December 2003, the closure plan submitted by the Santa Clara County Department of Parks and Recreation had been approved by the enforcement agency (EA), regional water quality control board (RWQCB), and CIWMB. The department will begin budgeting for construction.

Information Source: Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region
Telephone Conversation, March 18, 2004
E-mail response: April 26, 2004

There have been no groundwater-related environmental compliance issues at this site since the beginning of the study period (January 1, 1998). The interviewee indicated that groundwater monitoring had not been performed at the site until after a grass fire occurred in the vicinity of the site. At that time, an assessment was performed by the regional water quality control board (RWQCB) to evaluate potential impacts to groundwater. By monitoring the site, the RWQCB also evaluated whether the exposed refuse posed a threat to water quality and human health.

Since the Madrone site was pre-Subtitle D, the RWQCB looked at closure remedies based on actual threats to water quality. Because of the landfill’s age, any major environmental concerns would have already shown up in the monitoring results. Based on monitoring results, the RWQCB formulated a response to the actual threats. Since no significant impacts to water quality have been detected, the closure remedies include covering exposed refuse with at least two feet of soil and regrading and compacting to promote lateral runoff of precipitation. Closure construction is slated for the near future.

The interviewee stated that it has been difficult to identify which portions of the landfill regulations apply to older landfills like Madrone that closed prior to the passage of “Subtitle D.”†

Information Source: Enforcement Agency—County of Santa Clara, Department of Environmental Health
Telephone conversation: March 17, 2004
E-mail response: April 8, 2004 and May 18, 2004

There are no gas-related compliance issues currently noted at this site. The interviewee indicated that inspection of the site had been routinely performed but a closer look at gas control, leachate control, and surface water control was prompted around 1998 after a grass fire occurred in the vicinity of and at the site. This grass fire brought to the EA’s attention the need for better landfill cover for the waste.

Madrone closed around 1973 and the waste was covered according to the standards at that time. Caltrans owned the site from 1973 to 1978 and excavated through the middle of the landfill to build Highway 101. Caltrans piled part of the waste on the west side of the present freeway and reportedly covered it. Grass fires on the east side of the freeway caught some of the waste on the east of the freeway on fire. The response to the fires by the EA, the RWQCB, the CIWMB, and the owner, was to agree upon a landfill closure work plan, which includes the following.

Assess level of gas and groundwater contamination.

Cover the waste with 2 to 4 feet of soil to minimize continued exposure.

Grade the surface so that surface water could drain.

This type of response was based on a site-specific assessment of the potential risk to human health and the environment.

Information Source: Bay Area Air Quality Management District
Telephone conversation: March 15, 2004

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District does not have any information in its files for Madrone. The agency indicated that if the site was closed before 1984 (which it was, according to the CIWMB cross-media inventory) then no information is kept in its files.

†Also known as Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, with regulations found in Title 40, Part 258 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR, Part 258).

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Last updated: November 08, 2007