SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE_1988-1991

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Kitty Walker Page 2 (3) the amount of potential exposure to residents from the release of hazardous substances which is determined by the frequency, duration and route (inhalation, dermal or ingestion) of exposure and; (4) the likelihood that residents would be adversely affected from exposure to hazardous substances. For a more detailed discussion of the risk assessment process and procedures, please refer to the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Exposure Assessment Manual, the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Public Health Evaluation Manual, and the California Site Mitigation Decision Tree. We have reviewed the documents you provided us and other pertinent information available to the Department. We provide the following recommendations and comments regarding the scope of future studies that would address potential impacts of hazardous waste on the proposed development. Further investigation of possible hazardous waste disposal at Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. is needed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a Preliminary Assessment in 1980 which provides limited information about hazardous waste disposal at the site. EPA is the lead agency for hazardous waste investigations at the site and has scheduled a second Preliminary Assessment for September, 1989. Potential risk to future subdivision residents cannot be assessed without detailed information describing the nature and extent of possible contamination at the site. If a significant disposal of hazardous waste is found at Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. , the owner of the proposed subdivision site would be subject to border zone property requirements under Health and Safety Code Section 25220 et seq. In this case, a risk assessment may be needed to determine potential risk to the proposed subdivision. The J.R. Simplot Company property was formerly owned by Occidental Chemical Company (Oxychem) and is listed as a hazardous waste site under the Expenditure Plan for the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Bond Act of 1984. All major cleanup phases at the site have been completed although contaminated ground water is currently being treated at the site as part of long-term operation and maintenance activities. We are concerned about the possible effect of increased ground water pumping within the vicinity which may affect the water gradient control being maintained at the Oxychem site. Contaminated ground water may migrate farther offsite if gradient control is lost. Except for this concern, we have no reason to believe that remediation activities at the Oxychem site pose an existing or future health risk to the proposed subdivision. Construction of wells at the