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' 16 December 2005 AGE-NC Project No. 04-1214 Page 2 of 8 2.1. SITE HISTORY AND ACTIVITIES The RFS facility stores, batches and delivers fertilizers in bulk and diluted forms; it has been ' operated by RFS for at least 45 years and the bulk plant is operated by 14 employees. The primary activity at the RFS facility is the distribution of fertilizers;selected chemicals are transferred directly into assorted sizes of delivery tank trailers,which are then transported to farm locations for metered ' dispersion into an irrigation stream. Following delivery, the tankers and trailers may be rinsed to remove fertilizer residue that may be incompatible with subsequent fertilizer loads,such as between nitrogen-based and calcium-based fertilizer(UN32 vs. Can-17, CN-9, thioCal)-. The rinse water is recycled into fertilizer blends or evaporated in a two-stage polyvinyl, concrete lined pond. Secondary to the bulk distribution is batch processing,whereby a stainless steel mixer(10-ton batch) ' mixes dry potash,water and liquid fertilizer additives to generate the liquid fertilizer blends that will be transported to farm locations. Dry and liquid bulk fertilizer components are delivered to the site by contracted trucking firms; dry chemicals are stored in concrete-divided storage bins or a dry ' hopper,whereas liquid chemicals are stored in twelve large steel tanks under secondary containment. All loading and mixing are continually supervised-by RFS trained personnel; any spills are immediately cleaned up, swept-up, or recycled into the appropriate fertilizer blends; rinse water is ' containerized and recycled or allowed to desiccate within concrete holding ponds at the eastern edge of the RFS site. ' Surface rain water from the fertilizer batch plant area does not leave the site; the water is collected and recycled into fertilizer blends or evaporated within the two-stage polyvinyl, concrete lined ponds. In addition, no surface or mix water leaves the site, or is discharged to the site; rather, it is t collected and recycled by RFS trained personnel. Boxed and containerized herbicide and fertilizer chemicals are stored in the main storage/office building in the western portion of the site. Additionally, the RFS facility stores and delivers spray oil for seasonal treatment of orchards and vines. ' The RFS facility utilized the Federally-mandated Security and Training Program, a Hazardous Communication Plan and Risk Management Plan(Hazardous materials management plan-HMMP), ' as required by the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services (OES) and Ripon Fire Department'. 2.2. REGIONAL GEOLOGICAL/HYDROGEOLOGICAL SETTING ' The site is situated within the Great Valley Geomorphic Province of California, a large, elongate northwest tending, asymmetric structural trough. The Great Valley Province has been filled with ' Advanced GeoEnvironmentsi,ine..