SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE

Home Browse Search

Lead: Complaintfia�er asts bleahup firms spokesman Continued from A-1 1,000 parts per million lead is con- to4c soil will eventuallybe loaded sidered hazardous waste, said Ron Baker, spokesman .or the state De- -on rail cars and shipped to a haz- partment of Toxic Substances Con- ardous waste dump in Utah. trot. But Cunningham and other However Baker said risk to neighbors wonder why the dirt is nearby homes should be "very min- even allowed to sit so close to imal" proving the contractor is homes. He also questions whether covering the waste piles with plastic the cleanup :cork is being done and watering down other work properly. areas to keep down dust. Dirt piles partially exposed to My buess is that they're wetting Trac-;'s fierce winds. little if any""' down the soil,"Baker said. ible dust control measures for the He added that the biggest con- entire cleanup area and the fact that cern is children who mintla in there are no si,—is warning people P Y �- the dirt and ingest or inhale the to stay away from the raii yard — a contaminated soidl common play area for children — Baker was. surprised when told bother Cunningham. that there appeared to be little in "It 'ust looks like a sloppy job," the way of dust control measures in lie said- effect or signs warning people to Moreover, Cunningham wonders may away from the area. He said whether he, itis family and neigh- he'd check into it. bors have ingested higher than Sacramento-based Industrial normal levels of lead by lh ing so Compliance Inc. has been hired by close to the old rail yard. SP to do the cleanup work, which is 'Long-term exposure to high expected to be done by the end of levels of lead has been Iciown to Augu;-t• When contacted about cause brain damage and other se- neighbor concerns, firm manage- rious ailments to humans. merit declined to comment and re- "I've gor a lot of questions," (erred all questions to SP public Cunningham said. relations. SP spokesman Mike According to SP officials. the Furtney said he was "flabber- cleanup project's goal is to bring gasted"at the complaint. lead levels in the area down to an "That person is either unin- average of 220 parts per milLon — formed or is trying to sabotage the levels which would be safe enough project," Furtney said. "This for residential use. project is being conducted in At to scan of cleanup, however; accordance with all applicable state lead levels at the yard ranged from . . . regulations and requirements. being barely detectable to ,gyp to Cunningham isn't so convinced- 2 onvinced 2,800 parts per million. depending "it's hard to believe state law on location. would let them do it that way," he Anything containing more than said.