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October 21,2015 <br /> Reference: Response to California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley <br /> Regional Letter dated June 15, 2015 and Request for Additional Methane and Soil <br /> Gas VOC Investigation <br /> A screening level for TPHg will be retained for the purpose of evaluating its odor threshold against <br /> Site data. However, it should be noted that the most recent Region 2 guidance (December 2013), <br /> provides a bench mark of 300,000 µg/m3 as opposed to the previously recommended 295,000 <br /> µg/m3. This benchmark may be adjusted accordingly if Region 2 updates any ESL documents <br /> and/or if any additional memorandums are released adjusting the 0.002 default attenuation <br /> factor for soil gas investigations. For purposes of evaluating potential human health risk, since TPH <br /> alone is no longer a recommended means of evaluating potential human health risk from <br /> petroleum hydrocarbon mixtures, soil vapor samples should be analyzed for the various carbon <br /> ranges for which toxicity data are available. Stantec will continue to work with the lab to address <br /> this range during future assessment and sampling for areas with elevated TPH of concern. It is <br /> noted that TPH-g is analyzed through measurement of compounds generally in the C5 to C8 <br /> carbon range including BTEX. However as observed at the Site, where BTEX is absent any reported <br /> TPH-g would include a wide number of compounds such as branched alkanes and straight chain <br /> alkenes which either have little to no toxicity data or contribute little to potential risk. <br /> 2. We also note that soil vapor probes APSV-9 and APSV-10 have been recommended for <br /> elimination from the soil vapor monitoring program because they are not considered to be <br /> representative of current vapor intrusion protection measures. We do not find that the <br /> reasons stated in the report (and reiterated in this letter, above) are sufficient to warrant <br /> ignoring TPH-g concentrations above the screening level in these probes, particularly since <br /> they are near the apartment buildings. Soil vapor probes APSV-9 and APSV-10 should be <br /> retained in the soil vapor monitoring program and should also be addressed in the <br /> proposed work plan since they have TPH-g concentrations well above the 295,000 ug/m3 <br /> screening level. <br /> Stantec recently installed shallow soil vapor probe APSV-17, immediately adjacent to and in <br /> between Delta View Apartment (Delta View) Buildings 7 and 8. Stantec feels that this location is <br /> more representative for evaluating potential impacts at these buildings. Stantec has continued <br /> to sample APSV-9/APSV-10 on a consistent basis and will continue to do so pending further <br /> evaluation. Furthermore, Stantec has also installed shallow soil vapor point APSV-1 1 and continues <br /> to sample APSV-1, APSV-2, and APSV-3 which are directly adjacent to Delta View Buildings 1 and <br /> 2. Stantec is proposing to perform additional soil gas investigations at the western portions of <br /> these building to evaluate potential impacts in soil gas to the immediate west of Buildings 1, 2, and <br /> 3 (See Figure 2). <br /> 3. We agree with the observation in the report that there is a correlation between high levels <br /> of methane and relatively high levels of TPH-g. Although the results of the methane <br /> measurements taken at the 37 locations around the site indicate no immediate hazard, we <br /> are still concerned about methane levels above the 5% LEL that are caused by <br /> 2 <br />