Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05121987 - 2.5 - � 5 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on May 12, 1987 by the following vote: AYES; Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Schroder, Torlakson, McPeak NOES; None ABSENT; None ABSTAIN; None ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUBJECT; IT Corporation Consent Agreement with State Department of Health The Board received the attached report dated April 23 , 1987 from Mark Finucane, Health Services Director, on the consent agreement entered into between IT Corporation and the State Department of Health Services relating to violations of hazardous waste regulation at the IT Panoche and Vine Hill facilities. Supervisor Nancy Fanden commented on the proposed use of $200, 000 of the fine money to erect a secure six foot chain link fence around the two facilities. She expressed her opinion that the cost of the fences should be part of IT Corporation' s operating expenses, and that the $200 ,000 should instead be used for trees and landscaping that would benefit the residents of the area. She requested a report from the Health Services Director on this issue. Board members being in agreement, IT IS ORDERED that receipt of the attached report is ACKNOWLEDGED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Health Services Director is DIRECTED to review and report to the Board on the issue of using fine monies to benefit area residents as opposed to erecting fences around the two facilities. cc: Health Services Director County Administrator I hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: �� /,a� /frI PH.'L BATCI- R,RAJ , Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator BY � Deputy Clerk of theBoard Jf CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT To: Board of Supervisors Date: via Phil Batchelor April 23, 1987 County Administrator From: /9 Subject: Mark Finucane y" Consent Agreement Health Services Director Between I.T. Corporation And the State Department of. Health Services Settling I.T. Violations On April 1st the State Department of Health Services filed with the Superior Court in Martinez a consent agreement negotiated with I.T. Corporation covering violations of the hazardous waste regulations at the I.T. Panoche facility near Benicia and the Vine Hill facility near Martinez. That consent agreement calls for I.T. to pay civil penalties totaling 3»2 million dollars, 2.1 million dollars to be paid directly to the Hazardous Waste Control Account in the State general fund and the remaining 1.1 million dollars to be spent by I. T. on several projects to enhance the protection of the environment and public health from hazardous waste. This settlement resolves the outstanding violations iden- tified by the State Health Services Department and also those described by the Environmental Protection Agency in their recent report on the I.T. facilities. Approximately two-thirds of the fines pertain to violations at the Vine Hill facility; the remainder of the violations are associated with the Panoche site. This agreement represents the largest settlement ever obtained by a State Health Services Department for violations of hazardous waste laws. In addition to issues of the handling of hazardous waste at the two sites, the consent agreement specifically addresses the cost of permanent closure. Sections 4.4.1 through 4.4.6 requires I.T. to submit to the State Health Services Department within 120 days a cost estimate for its closure plan. That estimate must include the cost of closure at a point in the facility's operating life when closure would be the most expensive. After that closure cost estimate is approved by the State Health Department, I.T. is required to present finan- cial assurances which would guarantee that the corporation can cover the cost of closure for the facility. Nine hundred thousand dollars ($900,000) of the I.T. settlement will be spent in a manner that will directly benefit Contra Costa and Solano Counties. I.T. is required to spend $200,000 in each of the two counties to purchase a fire truck and an emergency response unit and maintain trained personnel to operate those units. That emergency equipment will not only be used to manage accidents on' the I.T. facilities, but will also be able to respond to hazardous waste emergencies in the surrounding communities. I.T. will consult with public offi- cials in Martinez and Contra Costa County and will also work with other industry A-41 s/s1 Board of Supervisors -2- April 23, 1987 in the area to develop a Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) plan for their facilities. The CAER program already exists in a number of East County industries, and involves improving local emergency response planning by combining the emergency response capability of local industry with that of . public agencies. Another provision of the consent agreement provides for $100,000 per year for .five years to be spent to assist medical facilities in Solano and Contra Costa Counties to plan and provide for emergency medical response to an environmental chemical incident. The consent agreement requires that I .T. consult with County officials and the City of Martinez, as well as representatives of John Muir and Mt. Diablo Hospitals. I.T. will be coordinating this planning in Contra Costa through the County's Emergency Medical System. The final $200,000 will be spent by I.T. to erect a secure six foot chain link fence around the two facilities and to implement a comprehensive computerized record and data manag I ement system. These provisions will protect the community by limiting casual access to the hazardous waste ponds and by enabling the regu- latory agencies to more carefully monitor the hazardous materials at the facilities. MF:WB:rm