Arcadia : Settlement in Soil Removal

The Redevelopment Agency accepted an out-of-court settlement totaling $1.3 million from a national construction company for removal of contaminated soil at the firm’s former branch.

The city, which had sued Kiewit Pacific Co. for $10 million, has already received about two-thirds of the settlement amount. The agency bought the site at 301 E. Santa Clara St. in September, 1986, when Kiewit moved its offices to Santa Fe Springs.

In March, 1989, about 50 barrels containing toxic residue were discovered on the site. This past March, a Superior Court judge fined Kiewit $50,000. Two months later, a federal judge ordered the firm to pay the agency for removal of contaminated soil. So far, the agency has received $850,000 in cleanup costs.