Aid for Ormond Cleanup Pledged

Ventura County supervisors gave a boost Friday to the state’s planned purchase of Ormond Beach wetlands, pledging unspecified aid for whatever environmental cleanup might be required.

The board’s resolution, which passed 3 to 1, was meant to help the $9.7-million purchase clear its final hurdle--approval by the state Public Works Board. Acquisition of the 265 acres from Southern California Edison was approved by the Coastal Conservancy on Thursday.

At issue Friday was Edison’s refusal to clean up possible contamination on the property, the site of old underground tanks and pipelines serving a nearby power plant. County officials wanted to nudge the purchase along by illustrating their willingness to pitch in.

However, Supervisor Frank Schillo, a longtime supporter of wetlands preservation, objected, contending that the resolution was a dangerous blank check.

“The board has a record of voting for good projects without hearing about the cost,” he said. “I’ve been burned too many times.”

Others argued that the resolution committed no funds and detailed none of the services the county might provide.

The aid “could be as much or as little as we want,” said Supervisor Steve Bennett.

The Public Works Board is to meet Tuesday.

If it blocks the purchase, the property could go to the next bidder in line--Occidental Petroleum Corp., which has proposed a $250-million energy facility for the site.

Both Occidental and the state must by contract meet the same terms, which include doing any required cleanup themselves, a spokesman for Edison said.

The Coastal Conservancy has nearly $1.5 million earmarked for the job.

Leakage from two underground fuel tanks was cleaned up in 1996, and state water officials have found some contamination that is not hazardous, said Robert Gallagher, the county’s environmental health director.