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02/27/96 TUE 11:55 FAX 312861220061 KIRKLAND ELL1, r <br /> a <br /> STATE OF CALIFORNIA-CALIFORNIA ENAN:1MENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PETE WILSON,Gwemor <br /> STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD <br /> PAUL R.SONDERSON BUILDING +- <br /> 90I P STREET <br /> P.O.BOX 100 <br /> SACRAMENTO,CALIFORNIA 25a12-0100 -• 3"� e <br /> (916) 657-0941 <br /> (916) 657-0932 (FAX) <br /> All Regional Water Board Chairpersons DEC - 8 1995 <br /> Al Regional Water Board Executive Officers <br /> All LOP Agency Directors <br /> LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY (LLNL) REPORT ON LEAKING <br /> UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK (UST) CLEANUP <br /> In October 1995, the LLNL presented to the State Water Resources Control Board. (SWRCB) its final <br /> report, Recommendations to Improve the_Cleanup_Process for California'-s LeakingUnderizround Fuel <br /> Tanks. The LLNL team found that the impacts to the environment from leaking USTs were not as <br /> severe as we once thought. .The report also presents a convincing argument that passive <br /> bioremediation should be considered as the primary remediation tool in most'cases ,once the fuel leak <br /> source has been removed. <br /> The LLNL report has also been presented to the SWRCB's SB 1764 Advisory Committee which will, <br /> in tum, provide recommendations to the SWRCB by the end of January 1996_ The SWRCB may <br /> choose to implement recommendations from the LLNL report and the SB 1764 Advisory Committee <br /> through revisions to SWRCB Resolution 92-49 in early 1996. <br /> In the interim and in light of the findings and recommendations in the LLNL report, we believe <br /> cleanup oversight agencies should proceed aggressively to close°low risk soil only cases. For cases <br /> affecting low risk groundwater (for instance, shallow groundwater with maximum depth to water less <br /> than 50 feet and no drinking water wells screened in the shallow groundwater zone within! 250 feet of <br /> the leak) we recommend that active remediation be replaced with monitoring to determine if the fuel - <br /> leak plume is stable. Obviously good judgment is required in all of these decisions. However, that <br /> judgment should now include knowledge provided by the LLNL report. <br /> What I propose to you is not in any way inconsistent with existing policies or regulations_ However, <br /> it does represent a major departure from'how we have viewed the threat from leaking USTs. This <br /> guidance is consistent with the results of a discussion of this subject among the State Board Chair and <br /> Regional Board Chairs on December 5, 1995. If you have any questions on this matter please call <br /> Mr. James Giannopoulos, our manager of the underground storage tank program,-at (916) 227-4320. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Gl�cr�' 2, ,l <br /> Walt Pettit <br /> Executive Director <br /> cc: All Re2ionaf Water Board/LOP UST Program Managers <br />