ENU Comments to DTSC on Draft Oak Creek Removal Plan- All letters due July 30,2015

Here is our comment letter ENU to DTSC July 27 2015 and some reports we refer to in the letter
Kearney Foundation Soil Science Report and DTSC's Arsenic Background Report.   Please review and make sure to offer any comments on this project if you are intersested.  Letters should be mailed to

Ms. Poonam Acharya, Project Manager

Department of Toxic Substances Control

5796 Corporate Avenue

Cypress, California 90630

Email:  Poonam.Acharya@dtsc.ca.gov 

Learn about Rainwater Harvesting, Workshop August 8, 9-Noon

The Sky Mountain Permaculture Institute is holding a  Rainwater Harvesting Workshop on August 8th from 9- noon.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center show that strong-to-moderate El Niño conditions are present in the tropical Pacific. But it won't end the drought in California. We encourage everyone to start planning how you are going to catch the winter rains now, as it takes time to install large rainwater tanks and earthworks. This class will include a presentation on rainwater harvesting and a practical demonstration on how to install three large tanks (2825 and  2 x 1320 gallons) with overflow earthworks. 

Cost $25 Saturday, August 8th from 9 am to noon 

Please RSVP permaculture@skymountain.org

REMINDER: Tonight is Public Meeting on the Oak Creek Cleanup Plan at CCAE

Just a reminder that from 4-7 pm tonight is an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about the Oak Creek Removal Plan Draft with Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC).  It will be help at the Center for the Arts.

Announcing our new series--the Jewels of Escondido. First up, the Wooden Spoon Restaurant

At our ENU meeting last night, we took some time to share all the things we love about our city. Escondido often is in the news in a negative way, but there are so many wonderful things about our city.  We thought we would start a new series to share what we all think are the Jewels of Escondido!
Jewel #1  THE WOODEN SPOON  Wooden Spoon Website
The first one was an overwhelming favorite  The Wooden Spoon the new Farm-to-Table restaurant on East Valley Parkway. Here's what they say, and we agree!!!!  Please support local Escondido Businesses.

The Wooden Spoon Restaurant provides the freshest quality foods, sourced from local San Diego farms and artisans. We are organic when possible, GMO-free, sustainable and natural. Our food is made with love and respect. Our family looks forward to serving you!

Let us know if you have a nomination for a Jewel of Escondido!!!

DTSC Fact Sheet on Oak Creek Cleanup

Here is the DTSC Fact Sheet on Oak Creek and announcement of the DTSC Public Meeting on July 9th at the Center for the Arts from 4-7 pm.  Bring your questions as it seems like this is an open house format  and not a meeting where they will take testimony.  This format is a difficult one for the public compared to a regular public meeting where people can learn from each other and hear others insights, perspectives, and questions.   A few questions we will be asking are:

1.  We will be asking DTSC to require developers to add a condition to notify the neighbors related to any problems with the air monitoring.  We have asked repeatedly that potentially impacted neighbors be notified in the event of contaminant levels exceeding 75% of action level or other exceedance.  We support that workers will need to put on protective gear, but there is really no evidence that the impacts will dissipate adequately to protect downwind neighbors.  We have asked the City and the developer directly for this help.   Now we are asking our state regulators to please help us in this

2. Was 1,4-dioxane monitored?  Where are the results?

3.  Where are the results of the 13 VOC constituents found at 5 feet below ground surface?  Can these be added in this document?  Why were more contaminants found at 5 feet than at 10 feet?   

4. Since there were VOCs found in the shallow zone in the development area, will DTSC request that these homes be remove or, at a minimum, a vapor barrier is installed for these sites?

5. Is the arsenic cleanup level of 12 mg/kg appropriately protective given that it appears to be the 'high-end' of background levels for Southern California and children will be living there and people will be gardening? 

6.  Which off-site facility are they taking the contaminated soil to?

7.  Is it usual to have three different technical consultants on a cleanup of this size and scope? 

Please take this opportunity to review the documents and attend the meeting.  This is an important issue for our areas.

Oak Creek Cleanup Plan released by DTSC. Public meeting July 9 at CCAE

The long-awaited DTSC Oak Creek Response Plan Draft has been released for public comment by the Department of Toxic Substances Control.  A Public Meeting has been set for JULY 9 from 4-7 at the California Center for the Arts Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd.

This purpose of this document is 'to set forth in detail the Removal Action (RA) plan to address soil at the Site that is impacted with arsenic and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH)".   This is the plan that, once accomplished, DTSC will sign off on the site for the proposed use (housing).

ENU has consistently objected to this process.  The information in this document should have been disclosed as part of the environmental review process.  The evidence shows that other sources and constituents are present under the site.  We will be commenting and recommending additional actions to reduce any potential for human or ecological health risks at the site.  In addition, we have requested numerous times that a mitigation measure be added so that, in the event of any exceedences in dust or contamination off-site, impacted neighbors would be informed.  We do not see that that reasonable request has been honored yet.

We have note reviewed the entire document yet but will be commenting on this issue and urge others who are interested to do the same.  Please attend the Public Meeting on July 9th to learn more.

All comments should be addressed to:

Ms. Poonam Acharya
Remedial Program Manager
Department of Toxic Substances Control
5796 Corporate Avenue
Cypress, CA 90603
Or you can email at
poonam.acharya@dtsc.ca.gov

Welcome new community group SAVE OUR SD COUNTRYSIDE. Please support them.

It's baaack...Lilac Hills, defeated once and completely inconsistent with the County's new General Plan, is back on the table.   Apparently, Newton's Third Law guides us in organizing too--for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  As more unreasonable sprawl development is proposed, more people for organizations to respond.   Today the San Diego Union Tribune reported on the  New Opposition to backcountry development formed announced the creation of  our region's newest community group  

SAVE OUR SD COUNTRYSIDE  http://saveoursdcountryside.org/  

Maybe we need a Newton's Third Law of Community response--for every unreasonable sprawl development proposed, an equal and powerful community response is created! 

Their action item is here.  Please support them.

 

Protect quality of life in San Diego County. Tell the Planning Commission to deny General Plan Amendments that urbanize working rural lands, starting with Lilac Hills Ranch.