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-3- During the first hours of the clean-up , between 8 : 45 p.m. on 3-18-83 and 8: 15 a.m. on 3-19-83, a total of 20 , 000 gallons of caustic laden water were pumped from the ditch and irrigation pond into Chemical Waste Management tankers for delivery to their Kettleman Hills Disposal site. In addition, on 3-19-83 , 16 cubic yards of solids (sand) contaminated with caustic was removed for disposal to the same site by dump truck. During the early hours of 3-19-63 , approximately 50 gallons of dilute hydrochloric acid was added to various positions along the ditch in an attempt to buffer or neutralize the caustic with min- imal success . Readings of ph showed little lasting effect. Begin- ning at 10 : 00 a.m, on 3-19-83 , more concentrated sulfuric acid was introduced into the water stream at a point 250 feet downstream of the spill point. This had an immediate and lasting effect. Not only were ditch and pond waters neutralized to a ph of 8 , but silts adjacent and beneath the water were neutralized as well. About 95 gallons of sulfuric acid were used. The only remaining problem area was that in the immediate vicinity of the spill and to a point 250 feet downstream. Water had been dammed or trapped in this area in an attempt to contain the spill I nitially. The first step was to remove all liquids. On 3-20-83, 5000 gallons of caustic contaminated liquid were removed. Then, a backhoe was brought in. Surface materials were removed on 3-21-83 and 3-22-83 for disposal to the Kettleman Hills Disposal site. A total of 59 cubic yards of contaminated solids were removed in this manner. Attached, please find copies of all shipping manifests. Because part of the contaminated area involved a rail track where soils could not be removed, and because caustic had remained on certain areas longer than others , we took the added precaution on the advise of Nancy Hendrickson of the EPA of spreading a thin layer of sodium bisulfate over these areas to buffer any remaining L residual caustics . A total of 2400 pounds of sodium bisulfate was used. We continue to monitor ph levels. The clean-up was completed at 2: 15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22 , 1983. L To avoid future related incidents we will unload all caustic at a point immediately adjacent to and on the same level as the tank to which the caustic is being pumped. Tank truck drivers and suppliers will be warned concerning the absolute necessity of main- taining a constant watch on the transfer and we will monitor this action to ensure compliance. LIt is our belief that the spill created no actual hazard to human health or the environment, and that the potential hazard was minimized due to our ability to contain the caustic material. All hazard has been negated by the sum total of prompt actions taken to remedy the spill. 1.