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Excerpts on Ground Waters anfe Cleanup Page 6 from the Water Quality Control Plan 10. State Water Board Resolution No. 92-49, Policies and Procedures for Investigation and Cleanup and Abatement of Discharges Under Water Code Section 13304 This resolution contains policies and procedures for Regional Water Boards to follow for the oversight and regulation of investigations and cleanup and abatement activities from all types of discharge or threat of discharge subject to Section 13304 of the Water Code. It directs Regional Water Boards to ensure that dischargers are required to cleanup and to abate the effect of discharges. This cleanup and abatement shall be done in a manner that promotes attainment of background water quality, or the highest water quality which is reasonable if background levels of water quality cannot be restored. Any cleanup less stringent than background water quality shall be consistent with maximum benefit to the people of the state and not unreasonably affect present and anticipated beneficial uses of such water. See Appendix Item 9. Programs I. Discharges of Waste to Land, California Code of Regulations Title 23, Division 3, Chapter 15 Chapter 15 includes regulations governing discharges of waste to land for treatment, storage, or disposal. The regulations cover landfills, surface impoundments, waste piles,land treatment units,mining waste management units and confined animal facilities. In addition, actions to clean up and abate conditions of pollution or nuisance at contaminated sites are covered by relevant portions of the regulations where contaminated materials are taken off- site for treatment,storage,or disposal and, as feasible,where wastes are contained or remain on-site at the completion of cleanup actions. The regulations classify wastes according to their threat to water quality,classify waste management units according to the degree of protection that they provide for water quality, and provide siting,construction, monitoring, corrective action,closure and post closure maintenance criteria. Chapter 15 requirements are minimum standards for proper management of each waste category. These regulations require the complete containment of wastes which,if discharged to land for treatment, storage or disposal,have the potential to degrade the quality of water resources. Regional Water Boards may impose more stringent requirements to accommodate regional and site- specific conditions. II. Toxic Pits Cleanup Act(TPCA) The Toxic Pits Cleanup Act of 1984 (Section 25208 et seq. of the Health and Safety Code) established a program to ensure that existing surface impoundments are either made safe or closed so that they do not pollute the waters of the state. The Act requires that all impoundments containing liquid hazardous wastes or hazardous wastes containing free liquids be retrofitted with a liner/leachate collection system,or closed by 1 July 1988. Surface impoundments containing hazardous wastes are prohibited within one-half mile upgradient from a potential source of drinking water. The law provided for certain exemptions.