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". fte Pursuant to the Public Resources Code (PRC), Section 44009, staff of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) conducted a pre -permit inspection at the Valley Organics, Inc. with the LEA. Also, present during the inspection were: John Loane - CalRecycle Permitting and Assistance Branch, Benjamin Escotto - San Joaquin County LEA, Robert McClellon - San Joaquin County LEA Supervisor, Jed B. Phelps - Valley Organics General Manager, and Linda Novick, Harvest Power, Inc. Project Manager. - Over-all, the operation was in compliance with the applicable State Minimum Standards (SMS). At the time of the inspection, the operation was proceeding well. The dust control measure (water spraying) was very good. The employee driving the water truck was spraying water in all areas of the operation. There was a medium size pile of un- processed green material on the tipping deck. The operations general manager stated that the tipping deck is in the process of being moved to another location, and we observed a small quantity (one load) of material on the new location. The new location has an improved surface and is designed to drain better. Finished windrow material was being screened on a designated location. Finished material (product) was stored on a location where contamination would not be possible. The fencing around the existing operation and proposed facility has been completed to the satisfaction of the LEA. Treated Wood Wastes (TWWs) and other contaminants are segregated at the unloading areas, as part of the load checking aspect of the operation. TWWs are contained in a bin before transport to the Forward Landfill for handling and disposal. In terms of the level of material receipt in the operation, the LEA stated that they focus on maintaining the total volume of materials (processed, un -processed, product, etc.) at the operation at the required 12,500 cubic yards. The LEA, during their quarterly inspections, calculates the total volume of materials on -hand in the operation. The LEA stated that their latest calculation on June 27, 2012, indicated that the operation had a total volume of about 4,126 cubic yards of materials on-site. The LEA staff also stated that the operation's load checking and trainings have improved. The results of the March 2012 laboratory analysis of metal concentrations and pathogen reduction indicated that the levels were in the compliance ranges. - There were several windrows, apparently at different stages, of the composting process. CalRecycle staff and the LEA checked temperatures at selected windrows that were in the active composting stage, using the LEA's digital thermometer. We obtained the following temperatures: Windrow A-1: 157F and 159F; Windrow A-4: 154F and 158F; and Windrow A-36: 160F and 161 F. CalRecycle staff and the LEA observed numerous plastics on the surfaces and imbedded into the windrowed materials. We discuss the conditions with the operations general manager and he stated that most of the plastics are windblown from the material unloading operation area and the plastics are captured in the screening process. The LEA has required that at the material unloading area, the material shall be spread out and the contaminants shall be screened and removed prior to the chipping and grinding of the material for placement on windrows. OTHER NOTES OF THE INSPECTION: 1. The owner/operator has already made some changes in anticipation of the expanded facility operation. They have fenced the entire 20 acres (instead of the currently allowed 10 acres) and they have posted the newly proposed hours of operation. However, until such time that the LEA has issued the new permit for the facility, the operations shall be limited to the provisions of the existing EA Notification, including the hours of the operation at 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday. 2. The record for the pathogen reduction needs to be improved to show the maintenance of the windrows for 15 days or longer at 131 degrees Fahrenheit or higher with five turnings. As suggested by the LEA, if the operation is closed on the weekends, carry out the procedure for additional days in the work week, and only record turnings, when they have been completed. 3. The TWW container needs a permanent signage.