FRONTIER FERTILIZER
A FEDERAL SUPERFUND SITE IN EAST DAVIS
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FUTURE PLANS
During the next year, EPA and CH2MHill plan to design and construct systems for extracting, transporting and removing the contaminants from the groundwater. EPA plans to install large capacity extraction wells near the former disposal basin and near the area of high contamination in Mace Ranch 11. During the next two years, they will also develop plans for removal of contamination in the soil and aquifer materials. EPA has a great deal of further analysis and investigation to perform at the site over the next few years before they will have in place a final cleanup remedy.
In the meantime, plans proceed for a light industrial/business park on the land between the site and the housing development to the north. Recently, the FFSOG met with representatives from the city of Davis, EPA, the State and the owners of the proposed business park site (RAMCO Enterprises). In this meeting, EPA summarized their activities at the site and future plans. One critical issue is that EPA's monitoring and extraction wells occupy a portion of the field where the RAMCO development is proposed. These wells cannot be moved and EPA will require continued access to the site, the wells, and much of the field area at least until it has determined and constructed the final remedy. This could be another 2 or more years. Anything that interfers with EPA's work delays cleanup of this contaminated site and further endangers the community.
RAMCO officials have indicated that they will probably go ahead with construction of a roadway and underground utilities in preparation for subsequent development of the industrial/business park. This despite the fact that EPA has made it clear that any work that interfers with their access or ability to carry out their mission to cleanup this site is a violation of CERCLA and any improvements constructed by RAMCO on the property that interfere with EPA will be removed, modified, or disabled by EPA and their contractors if necessary. The cost of this removal and future replacement should be borne by the developer. However, if RAMCO constructs the improvements and these are then accepted by the City of Davis, the city then assumes responsibility and liability. If EPA has to remove or modify them, or tear them all out, so that they must be replaced or repaired after the city has signed off on them, the city assumes liability for their repair or replacement, and the residents of Davis are stuck with the cost. The FFSOG is working with the city in an effort to ensure that the city does not become liable.
Another consideration is the community lying over the plume of contaminated groundwater. The chemicals in the groundwater are volatile, and during conduction of their Risk Assessment, EPA found that gases from these chemicals are rising up into the atmosphere everywhere they tested from the site itself and north into the area of the homes, as far as Arroyo. (EPA did not test beyond this point.) Though EPA's risk assessment showed that the levels of contaminants volatilizing from the plume and entering the atmosphere in the vicinity of the homes are too low to pose a health risk, the residents are still understandably concerned. A relatively new issue arose a few months ago when it was acknowledged that some of the chemicals rising into the atmosphere are endocrine disrupters and known reproductive toxins. EPA's risk assessment was based on exposure to carcinogens. Reproductive toxins were not considered and very little is known about how long-term exposure to them affects especially developing endocrine systems.
Discussions are ongoing with the city regarding this development. It is the FFSOG's position that the city must keep the best interests of the community in the forefront in all negotiations that could in any way obstruct or delay EPA in its work at the Frontier Fertilizer Superfund site.
For informataion regarding the Frontier Site or the FFSOG contact Pam Nieberg.