HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01051988 - 1.69 T� ROAR® OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: : Phil Batchelor ..Contra
County Administrator C�+WIa
DATE: December 21, 1987
1 "�
SUBJECT:
. Report on Closure of GBF Landfill Site
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Acknowledge receipt of the attached report from the Assistant
Health Services Director--Environmental Health on the closure of
the GBF landfill site in Antioch due to possible contamination
from PCB' s.
BACKGROUND:
On October 27 , 1987, at the request of Supervisor Torlakson, the
Board of Supervisors requested a report from the Health Services
Director on the closure of the GBF landfill site from October 14
until October 20 due to possible contamination of the landfill by
PCB' s from the concrete casing of a P.G. & E. switching terminal
which had exploded and burned.
The requested report . is attached.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
_ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
X APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE S :
ACTION OF BOARD ON _ January 5, 1700 A``PROVED AS RECOMM',ENDED OTHER .
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS- IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT , AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES:_ AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC:
County Administrator ' _
ATTESTED _
Health Services Director -s
Community Development Director PHIL BATCHELOR, CLE K OF THE BOARD OF
Hazardous Materials Commission (via CAO) SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382/7-83 -'DEPUTY
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT
j ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH/HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
TO: Daniel C. Bergman
Assistant Health Services Director/Environmental Health
FROM: Gregory C. Lawler C
Occupational Health Specialist `
SUBJECT: Report of Emergency Response Incident,
County East Mall
DATE: November 17, 1987
Tuesday, October 13, 1987
3:00 A.M.
A Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG & E) underground electrical
switching terminal in the County East Mall exploded and burned.
The fire was put out by Riverview Fire Department. The switching
device and its casing suffered extensive damage and were removed
from the ground and replaced. The switching device was taken to
the PG & E Antioch yard, the concrete casing was hauled to the
Contra Costa Landfill site, and some excavated soil was hauled to
a clean fill site on Bailey Road.
Wednesday, October 14, 1987
12:00 -Noon
PG & E discovered that the switching terminal was not tested for
PCB's due to a staff error. PG & E tested residual oil found in
the switching device for PCB content. The analysis showed 140
parts per million (ppm) of Aroclor 1241 and 26 ppm of Aroclor
1254 equal to a total PCB content of 166 ppm. Upon receipt of
these results, PG & E notified the Contra Costa County Health
Services Department (CCCHSD) and the Office of Emergency Services
(OES) of these events. PG & E also immediately contracted with
IT Corporation to manage all cleanup and testing related to these
events.
The cleanup and testing included:
1. Removal of the potentially contaminated concrete casing from
the Contra Costa Landfill (hereafter referred to as GBF) . The
materials actually removed from the GBF site included the
casing, some other broken concrete material which was near
the casing, and several inches of dirt from below and around
1
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Daniel C. Bergman November 17 , 1987
the casing. This material was hauled by IT Corporation to a
Class I permitted disposal site. The remaining dirt in the
area from which this material had been removed was then
tested for the presence of PCB' s by EPA approved grid
sampling methods. The sample results showed no detectable
levels of PCB' s remained at the GBF site grid area.
2. Removal of soil deposited at the Bailey Road clean fill site.
Materials removed from the Bailey Road site included the
potentially contaminated soil and several inches of dirt on
which the soil had been deposited. Grid testing for PCB
contamination showed no detectable levels of PCB's remained.
3 . Decontamination of equipment used to remove and haul the
materials from the East County Mall, which included a flatbed
truck and a backhoe.
Thursday, October 15, 1987
CCCHSD received a complaint from a citizen regarding closure of
the GBF site to the public. CCCHSD then received a call from a
representative of GBF notifying this department that GBF had
closed to the general public until they _received a letter of
clearance from CCCHSD.
CCCHSD agreed to write such a letter after it substantiated
evidence related to the incident. CCCHSD staff obtained and
reviewed necessary documentation.
Friday, October 16, 1987
CCCHSD visited the GBF site and was satisfied that the site of PG
& E material deposition was not contaminated with PCB's from the
P.G. & E. switching device casing. A letter stating these facts
(Attachment A) was written and GBF representatives were informed
of its availability at approximately 4: 40 PM. GBF for the first
time advised CCCHSD that they also wanted a letter of indemnity
from PG & E for the cleanup grid area at the GBF site. At this
time, PG & E was not aware of this indemnity request. CCCHSD
attemtpted to notify PG & E of this request, but PG. & E staff
- handling the incident could not be reached. CCCHSD then mailed
the letter of clearance to. GBF as per their request.
Saturday, October 17, 1987
A PG & E representative, having become aware of the confirmed
closure of GBF to the general public on 11/17/87 , contacted
CCCHSD staff to ascertain the reasons for the closure. CCCHSD
staff informed the PG & E representative of GBF' s request for a
letter of indemnity from PG & E, and agreed 'to hand deliver a
copy of the clearance letter to GBF if it would help expedite
2
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Daniel C. Bergman November 17, 1987
reopening of the GBF landfill to the public. The PG & E
representative spoke with GBF landfill operators who notified him
that GBF would not open to the public until after their attorneys
had reviewed and approved the PG & E indemnity letter. He was
told this review would not take place until Monday, October 19,.
1987.
Monday, October 19, 1987
CCCHSD confirmed that GBF had received both the CCCHSD letter of
clearance and the PG & E letter of indemnity, and that they would
be reviewed by GBF attorneys that afternoon.
Tuesday, October 20, 1987
10:45 A.M.
The GBF landfill reopened to the public.
GCL:bf
eastmall..rpt