S.F. Springs Adopts Policy to Deal With Toxic Waste Sites

In an attempt to deal with potentially hazardous waste sites in this largely industrial city, the City Council has approved a policy that heightens the city’s role in testing and cleanup of the sites.

The new policy gives the city the option of spending money for testing or cleanup at potentially hazardous sites where public health and safety may be adversely affected, development has been proposed and where city action might speed up state or federal involvement. It also requests prospective developers to pay for studies and clean up problems on or near sites that may be hazardous.

“It was important that we set it down as firm policy that we have a method to deal with hazardous waste . . . over and above what the state requires,” said City Councilman Luis Escontrias. “I think it’s long overdue. It emphasizes a concern, and that’s important in a city that has as many industries as ours.”

The handling and disposal of hazardous materials were largely unregulated until federal law was enacted in the mid-1970s. Eighty percent of the city’s land is zoned for industry, and like most cities, Santa Fe Springs has had no regulations covering toxic substances.

By stepping in to fund the testing itself, the City of Santa Fe Springs hopes to speed up the cleanup process and boost potential development, said George Beaty, assistant director for planning.

The city, he said, realizes that the state lacks resources to deal quickly with hundreds of problem sites statewide. The state has targeted 191 worst toxic waste sites across the state for cleanup, but an additional 600 sites may need investigation, said Angelo Bellomo, chief of the toxic substances control division of the state Department of Health Services, Southern California section.

Sites Undergo Tests

The Santa Fe Springs council’s action comes as two local sites on the state’s list of worst toxic waste sites--Waste Disposal Inc. and Neville Chemical Co.--are undergoing tests to define the extent and type of soil contamination.

Following a records check, the state last year also identified 14 other sites, including refineries and former dumps, that may have been used for dumping of toxic wastes in the city. A number of cities have passed similar measures as they begin to recognize the problems associated with development of land where hazardous waste may have been released, Bellomo said. Santa Fe Springs’ policy also requires the city “to actively encourage state and federal agencies “to identify and remedy any hazardous waste problems.”

While the new policy creates an option for the city to spend money, it does not require such expenditures nor does it provide penalties for firms that refuse to pay for necessary testing and cleanup.

Clarifies City’s Position

Beaty said the purpose of the policy is to clarify the city’s position to potential developers and encourage their cooperation.

At Neville Chemical, 32nd on the state’s list, the state on Monday ordered the company to cover an empty lot next to the plant on East Imperial Highway where the soil is contaminated with toxic chemicals. In the past, the state has issued similar orders against Neville that were not fully complied with, state officials said.

This time, if Neville does not comply, the firm will be charged with violation of the state law on hazardous waste control, Bellomo said. Violations of the law, he said, may bring penalties ranging from up to $25,000 per day to more than a year’s imprisonment.

In previous orders, the state required the protective covering to prevent contaminated dirt from blowing off the lot into a nearby complex of condominiums. Disputing the type and level of contamination, Neville failed to fully comply. A year ago, the state covered the lot with a plastic sheet and later patched it up when Neville did not maintain it. Today the cover is gone.

Firm Sued by State

The state is suing Neville for state funds spent on tests and cover on the empty lot, with a hearing in the case set for Monday in Norwalk Superior Court.

The city in December authorized $70,000 for tests of ground water and soil on the Waste Disposal site on Los Nietos Road between Greenleaf Avenue and Santa Fe Springs Road, Beaty said.

The site adjoining St. Paul High School is 45th on the state’s list for cleanup. Because of a concern for students and nearby residents, and in order to determine whether a developer should build town houses near the site, the city authorized money for testing to speed up the process--a move that is consistent with the new policy, Beaty said.

According to the policy, the city will not consider proposals for development on properties identified as potentially hazardous by the state unless studies have been conducted there and any problems have been cleaned up to the state’s satisfaction. Property owners and/or developers are held responsible for the studies and cleanup, Beaty said, or they may not be allowed to build.

May Assess Developer

Where a site identified as potentially hazardous may affect properties within a radius of 2,000 feet, the city requests the owner of the site to pay for necessary studies.

If the city steps in to do the work, it “may” attempt to recover costs from the developer, Beaty said.

In two of the 14 properties in Santa Fe Springs identified last year by the state as potentially hazardous, owners interested in developing the land are already complying with the new city policy, Beaty said. One of the sites, on the southwest corner of Foster Road and Marquardt Avenue, is within an industrial park, he said. The site was formerly used by a Gulf Oil Co. refinery to spread waste oil, Beaty said.

A second site, near Powerine Oil Co. on the southeast corner of Lakeland Road and Bloomfield Avenue, once held two large pits for storage of oil, Beaty said.

“There are question marks as to whether or not hazardous materials are present” at the two sites, Beaty said, and the owners have agreed to carry out soil tests.

Other Santa Fe Springs sites identified by the state as potentially hazardous are Powerine Oil Co., Mobil Oil Co., Gulf Oil Corp., Pilot Chemical Co., Kalico Dumps 1, 2 and 3, Inc., Diversey Chemical Division, LA Byproducts, Imperial Anchor Pallet, Kobra Inc., Norwalk Landfill-Santa Fe Springs Ecology Center and Midwest Fabricating Co., West Bent Bolt Division.

The council approved the hazardous waste policy in a 3-1 vote on April 11, with Councilwoman Betty Wilson absent. Councilman Ron Kernes opposed the measure.

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