Partnership 2000

Closed, Illegal, and Abandoned Site Enforcement Workshop Panel

Wednesday, August 30, 2000, 2:45 to 4:00

Last year Cal/EPA agencies were directed to focus budget change proposals on improving environmental enforcement. One of the largest proposals approved in the Governor’s budget is the CIWMB’s enhanced program to assist in the identification, inspection, evaluation, and enforcement of closed, illegal, and abandoned (CIA) solid waste disposal sites. CIA sites are not a new responsibility for the CIWMB and LEAs, but there has not been an adequate effort to address the problems of CIA sites. Additional issues include the overwhelming number and complexity of existing sites and new sites that continue to be identified; difficult multimedia and agency coordination, legal and regulatory authority aspects; and the complexity of site investigation and cleanup. The enhanced CIA Site Program will provide additional resources to address these problems to assist Local Enforcement Agencies (LEA) and ensure CIA sites that pose a threat to public health and safety and the environment are abated or remediated and, if necessary, properly maintained or monitored.

Enforcement is an essential tool of the CIA Program. Additional tools are case histories of successful enforcement strategies utilized by LEAs (e.g. Pacific Southwest Farms and San Bernardino County), and experience with CIWMB cleanup programs (AB 2136 and Farm and Ranch). The CIA Site program will also increase the efficiency and effectiveness of CIWMB cleanup programs in those cases where investigation and/or enforcement has demonstrated that there is no responsible party or that the responsible party is unable or unwilling to perform a timely cleanup. Approximately 141 CIA sites meeting these criteria have been or in the process of being abated or remediated under the AB 2136 Program. These sites include some of the most egregious cases LEAs have been faced with such as the Tijuana River (or Disney), Cajon Pass, YSDA Landfill, Rio Linda, Mobile Debris Box, Weitchpec, and Caspar sites.

The purpose of this workshop is to present CIA site enforcement issues from the perspective of key agency stakeholder representatives including LEA, CIWMB, and Cal/EPA, and to gather ideas from open discussion with LEAs at the conference to help ensure success of the program. Additional written/internet link background information will be provided for the workshop. 

Workshop Panel:

Scott Walker--Moderator, CIWMB Remediation, Closure, and Technical Services Branch
Paul Manasjan, City of San Diego Solid Waste Local Enforcement Agency
Michael Bledsoe, CIWMB Legal Office
Lisa Brown, Assistant Counsel for Enforcement, Cal/EPA
Mark Alpert, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board 

I. Introduction (30 minutes)

Brief overview (joint moderator/LEA panel member presentation) using PowerPoint and/or overheads. Note tie in from 1:30-2:30 Gino Yekta presentation on technical aspects of CIA sites (overview technical aspects/slides and visuals).

Name/organization and brief (5 minute each) verbal presentation of other panel member roles as they may relate to the CIWMB/LEA CIA site enforcement program.

II. Question/answer/discussion from audience (40 minutes)

Moderator or one or more workshop panel members may need to trigger/open up audience through questions or throw out issues for input on.

III. Wrap-up (5 minutes)

Moderator will summarize general issues brought up and strategy for follow-up. Strategy for follow-up of the workshop is expected to include written summary and ongoing discussion and resolution of CIA enforcement issues with LEAs (CCDEH/EAC/Roundtables).

Questions? Contact Scott Walker

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