HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.a.2) Update on closure of Cleanup and Abatement Order for Bollinger Canyon leachfield.Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
September 5, 2013
TO: HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
VIA: ROGER BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
FROM: TIM POTTER, ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE SUPERINTENDENT-
SUBJECT: CLOSURE OF CLEANUP AND ABATEMENT ORDER FOR BOLLINGER
CANYON LEACHFIELD
The SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board ( RWQCB) formally closed Cleanup
and Abatement Order (CAO) No. 90 -141 with a No Further Action letter submitted to the
District. This action closes out a project that was started more than 23 years ago and
was achieved with a concerted effort started in 2011 by the District and BAE Systems.
In 1967, the District constructed a leachline at the southern end of Bollinger Canyon
Road in unincorporated San Ramon to provide sanitary sewer service for several
properties in the area. This leachline was most recently permitted by the RWQCB under
Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) issued in 1990 (Order No. 90 -007). One of the
properties was occupied by a defense contractor, Tracor Aerospace ( Tracor), operating
at one of the old Nike missile base properties. Tracor discharged chlorinated solvent to
this line which released to the soil and groundwater since the line was designed as a
leachline to release liquids. Once aware of these releases, the District took immediate
action to control any further discharges of chlorinated solvents from Tracor.
CAO No. 90 -141 was issued by the RWQCB in response to this discovery requiring the
District and Tracor to complete an investigation to characterize the extent of the release
and potentially initiate cleanup of the contamination. The District and Tracor entered into
a cost sharing agreement to complete this investigation. BAE Systems purchased
Marconi Aerospace who had purchased Tracor. Therefore, BAE Systems became
responsible for complying with the requirements in CAO No. 90 -141 and sharing the
costs of compliance with the District.
The initial investigation was completed in the early 1990s and CAO No. 90 -141 was
modified to require routine monitoring which was continued through 2011. BAE Systems
and the District worked together in 2011 to initiate a formal proposal to the RWQCB to
close CAO No. 90 -141. The RWQCB was receptive to the proposal and the formal
process was initiated. The first action was closure of the WDR (Order No. 90 -007) which
was relatively straightforward since all discharges to the leachline were discontinued in
1998, when the District completed a project to abandon the line. The District took the
lead on this project, resulting in rescission of Order No. 90 -007 on March 16, 2012.
Bollinger Canyon Leachfield
Page 2 of 2
September 5, 2013
The closure of CAO No. 90 -141 required a more concerted effort. After obtaining
preliminary RWQCB acceptance of the closure proposal, the monitoring wells that were
installed for the initial investigation and continued routine monitoring needed to be
destroyed. The District took the lead to achieve closure of the monitoring wells. The
District and BAE Systems shared the costs to complete this project. In addition, since
the District's Environmental Compliance staff managed the project instead of hiring a
consulting firm, BAE Systems reimbursed the District for the staff time needed to
manage this project (wages including overhead multiplier). Tim Potter, Environmental
Compliance Superintendent, represented the District through the closure process
including managing the final closure activities and John Ortega, Environmental
Compliance Inspector II, was responsible for the well destruction project including
locating wells with the assistance of the District's Survey Crew, permitting, and field
oversight of the driller. These efforts resulted in a positive outcome with a clean closure
for this project.
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