SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE

Home Browse Search

.l� California Regional Water Quality Control Board �■/ Central Valley Region Robert Schneider,Chair Winston H.Hickox Gray Davis Secretaryfor Sacramento Main Office Governor Environmental Internet Address: http://w .swrcb.ca.gov/mgcb5 Protection 3443 Routier Road,Suite A,Sacramento,California 95827-3003 Phone(916)255-3000•FAX(916)255-3015 20 May 2002 J' Mr. Benjamin Hall Mr. Nick Musco 'oe 0�I/q �� <6 19kMusco Olive Products, Inc. Studley Company /T�F�� 00� 17950 Via Nicolo Road 17950 Via Nicolo Tracy, CA 95376 Tracy, CA 95376 s��GFtp9�T�5 NOTICE OF VIOLATION, MUSCO OLIVE PRODUCTS, TRACY, SAN JOA QUIN COUNTY On 10 May 2002, staff inspected the Musco Olive Products land application areas and determined that violations of Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) Order No. 97-037, Cleanup and Abatement (C&A) Order No. 5-00-717, and California Water Code Section 13308 Time Schedule Order(TSO) No. R5-2000-0014 exist. The violations consist of the following: • Evidence of cropping was noted in most or all of the land application areas. However, large portions of the 95-acre field had not produced crops or the crops were slow to grow. In addition, there was evidence that over-application of wastewater had occurred in the 95-acre field. This consisted of saturated soil and poor crop health. TSO Task No. 10 required a report describing that crops were planted in all land application areas and that crops planted prior to January 2002 are actively growing. Although this report was submitted, it does not appear that all the crops are actively growing. • Offensive odors were noted at the cast (downwind) side of the irrigation checks, despite the fact that these checks had not having received wastewater for substantial time. This constitutes a violation of TSO Task No. 5 which requires the Discharger to modify its wastewater treatment system such that nuisance conditions are not perceivable beyond the boundary of the Discharger's property. • Wastewater was observed in the natural drainage despite the fact that wastewater application was not occurring. This is a violation of WDRs Order No. 97-037 Prohibition A.1 which prohibits discharge of process water to surface water, or any surface water drainage course. It is also a violation of C&A Order No. 5-00-717 Immediate Measure A.La. • The TSO states that construction of the 114 million gallon storage pond was required to begin by 1 May 2002. The Discharger submitted a letter saying that construction had begun. Although staff saw some survey stakes in place, no other construction activity had taken place as of 10 May 2002, and the Discharger told staff that construction could not begin until certain issues were satisfied with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, the Discharger did not yet know the extent of the pond limits, so crops could not yet be planted in some of the fields surrounding the proposed pond location. Failure to initiate construction of the storage reservoir by 1 May 2002 is a violation of TSO Item No. 8. California Environmental Protection Agency Q?Recycled Paper The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs,see our Web-site at http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwgcb5