See POLREP 1 and POLREP 17 in the documents link at www.epaosc.net/torocreek.
9/24/08 – 11/25/08
Six conference calls were held in the period to facilitate communication between federal, state and county agencies. Attendees for some or all of these conferences included John Baker, Assistant CEO Santa Barbara County, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Attorney Steve Sawyer, DFG Biologist Ken Wilson, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District (CSFD) Chief Scott Coffman, California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) representative Sheila Soderberg, EPA OSC Craig Benson, EPA Council Andrew Helmlinger, staff members from Assembly Member Pedro Nava and Congresswoman Lois Capps office’s and EPA Congressional Liaison and Community Involvement staff.
Early in this period, Mr. Baker expressed that the County was willing to assume the responsibility for operation and maintenance of the Toro Creek treatment system and would provide stewardship of any State Cleanup and Abatement Account (CAA) funds. Items being worked internally included property owner, title search and mineral rights issues. Mr. Wilson and Ms. Soderberg continued to assist the County with refinements to a draft CAA grant application. On the 10/30/08 conference call, Mr. Baker stated that the County was ready to move forward once the County Board of Supervisors was briefed and approval was granted in an upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting.
On the 11/25/08 conference call, Mr. Baker stated that the County had elected to hire an oil field services contractor to transport the recovered crude oil to the Venoco Oil and Gas Processing Facility in Carpinteria, California rather than negotiate directly with Venoco for the receipt of the oil. The County Public Works Department would assume responsibility for routine system operations and maintenance.
11/18/08
OSC Benson prepared a Task Order for the EPA Emergency and Rapid Removal Services (ERRS) to begin planning for the EPA to County transition. An on-site meeting with EPA contract staff, County and DFG representatives was scheduled for 12/8/08.
12/8/08
On-site: OSC Benson, DFG Wilson, ERRS Response Manager Peter Lawrence, EPA contractor Dave Sweeney (ECCO Env.), CSFD Fire Prevention Officers Ed Foster and Rolf Larsen, County Public Works Department Water Agency (PWDWA) Acting Chief Matt Naftaly, PWDWA Program Specialist Leonard Fleckenstein, and Speeds Transportation Services representative Don Gheno.
System operating and maintenance procedures were reviewed for the oil/water separators in the upper enclosure and pump-out and oil gauging procedures were reviewed for the UST in the lower enclosure. OSC Benson tasked the ERRS Response Manager to begin preparing a cost estimate for system maintenance and repair items to be performed in advance of the final EPA to County transition. A second on-site visit to include the original system design engineer was tentatively scheduled for 12/16/08.
12/10/08
In an e-mail communication, Mr. Baker informed EPA and DFG that the County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of submitting the CAA grant application and moving forward with transition activities.
12/12/08
The County submitted the CAA grant application to the RWQCB and State Water Resources Control Board. The requested funding was $96,500 to be placed into a special non-profit trust account. The timeframe for review, approval and receipt of funds is not known at this time.
12/16/08
On-site: OSC Benson, ERRS Response Manager Lawrence, CSFD Larsen and Richard Evans, PWDWA Naftaly and system design engineer Greg Pittner (Premier Systems Group, Inc.).
Discussions centered on techniques for UST integrity testing, the possibility of UST replacement and installation of a functioning high level alarm system. These are central issues for the County with respect to compliance with CUPA and fire requirements. ERRS was tasked to contact UST inspection service companies and begin the research and cost estimating for alarm system installation. CSFD staff agreed to assist the PWDWA with drafting a project site Business Plan to remain on-file with the CSFD.
Cost estimates for treatment system testing and repairs will be received in early January 2009. This estimate will be the basis for a proposed and final NPFC ceiling increase. The EPA field work for the final transition effort is tentatively scheduled for late January 2009.
• A final UST oil pump-out event under EPAs existing site specific contract will be scheduled in the first week of the New Year.
• Awaiting RWQCB CAA grant application processing and approval.
• Receive and evaluate UST servicing and alarm company bids, request project ceiling increase and schedule final EPA system evaluation and repair services.
• Site tours for any interested/involved local/state/federal agency or legislative representative can be arranged by calling EPA OSC Craig Benson at (562) 889-1630 or DFG Biologist Ken Wilson at (805) 558-1006.
• In this reporting period, there have been no incidents affecting system performance.
• Involved staff from the RWQCB, Santa Barbara County fire departments, DFG and other agency recipients of this POLREP are encouraged to contact OSC Benson and EPA should they wish to contribute to Federal project closeout activities
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