Former Specific Plating site
Project Update – October 11, 2022
Background – ownership and funding
The former Commerce Community Development Commission owned the site located at 1350 South Eastern Avenue in the City of Commerce, referred to as the former Specific Plating site since 2002.
As a result of the State dissolving all community development agencies statewide as of February 1, 2012. The site is now held by the Successor Agency to the Commerce Community Development Commission (Successor Agency).
On September 24, 2014, the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) and the Successor Agency entered into a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement (VCA) for the former Specific Plating site.
Following that time, the Successor Agency and Mayans Development, Inc./Los Jardines (developer), entered into a development agreement and the developer created a Workplan to address the contaminants. 2 Background – ownership and funding
DTSC approved the Workplan on June 3, 2016 to conduct an environmental assessment in multiple phases. However, the developer did not implement the terms of their development agreement or Workplan and the Successor Agency litigated and cleared title for ownership of the property and took on a leading role in the assessment and cleanup of the site in 2017.
In November 2017, the California Department of Finance (DOF) recognized this site as a former Commerce Community Development Agency financial obligation and approved an initial budget and annually thereafter through the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS) process.
The City Council awarded GSI Environmental an Agreement effective June 1, 2018 to conduct an environmental assessment and remediation of the site under DTSC and City staff oversight. 3 Site History
Former uses of the site were as follows:
prior to 1926 – residential
1926-1969 – aluminum shower door manufacturing company
1969-2002 - Specific Plating Company, Inc. which conducted electroplating operations 2002 on – site is vacant land
4 Former Specific Plating Features
Site investigations
1988-1998 - Several Phase I/II Investigations reportedly concluded that significant impacts warranting additional investigation/remediation was not found. 2002 – soil investigation for metals/cyanide concluded no impacts. 2011 – Remedial Investigation reported Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) impacts (PCE/TCE) in soil and soil gas and low-level Chromium (CR) VI in soil. 2017 to present – Investigations confirmed VOC (PCE/TCE) impacts in soil/soil gas/groundwater, some Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) impacts in soil, and metals (CR VI, cadmium, lead, and nickel) in soil. 5 Site Conditions
Soil impacted by VOCs, metals, and TPH.
Soil gas impacted by VOCs.
Groundwater impacted by VOCs with detectable metals and TPH concentrations. Groundwater is at approximately 130 feet below the surface.
VOCs are a large group of chemicals that are found in many products we use to build and maintain our homes that release a “gas” into the air. Products with high VOCs include:
Gasoline, fuels, and solvents.
Paints, stains, strippers, and finishes.
Pesticides.
Personal care products.
Aerosol sprays.
Cleaners and room deodorizers.
New cabinets, furniture, and beds.
New carpets, rugs, and wood floors
Ventilation is key to minimizing health effects.
6 Public Outreach – 2018 - 2019
Bristow Park neighborhood
Informational workshops were held at Bristow Park with staff, DTSC, and GSI Environmental present to answer questions DTSC survey mailed to potentially impacted properties
City postcard mailed to same properties
DTSC walked door to door to speak with residents and obtain access approvals for indoor air sampling Indoor air sampling conducted to analyze potential vapor intrusion of VOCs into residential homes 12 homes tested with their permission at least twice in 2018/2019 2 homes tested above regulatory thresholds north of the site of which one was vacant and owned by the Successor Agency and later demolished and the second one agreed to have a fan installed in the crawl space under the duplex to create ventilation and continues to be tested with favorable results. 7 Mariana City Limits
Railroad Limits
McBride
Public Outreach Area
Pilot study of Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) – July - September 2019 Seven SVE wells installed at varying depths down to groundwater.
Removed approximately 3,000 pounds of VOCs.
Significant reduction in soil gas concentrations (5-foot results shown).
Recommended a full-scale SVE system and DTSC approved it as an interim mitigation measure. 8 Before Pilot Study
1 Month After Pilot Study
full scale SVE System of soil gasCurrent Site Conditions and Activity Soil investigation conducted during SVE system installation reported elevated hexavalent chromium (SB-1 and SB-3) and TPH (SB-3) near former drum storage area.
Hexavalent Chromium metal is added to alloy steel to increase its hardness and corrosion resistance.
VOCs present throughout Site at all depths.
21 SVE wells and 3 blower packages installed in 2021
SVE has operated ̴13 months and removed ~5,300 pounds of VOCs.
The system is working and reducing VOC concentrations on site and in the Bristow Park area that surrounds the site. 9 Current Site Conditions and Activity – groundwater
DTSC added groundwater sampling to our scope of work
3 rounds of groundwater samples collected to date.
In June 2022, groundwater samples detected PCE and PFAS near two wells. 10 PCE Groundwater Concentrations (ug/L)
Date
W1
W2
W3
W4
1/3/2018
340
430
46 170
6/29/2021
67 800
940
880
6/13/2022
38 110
410
300
Future Work
Soil Gas
Continue with SVE interim mitigation activities.
Continue monthly O&M activities.
Soil gas sampling of selected vapor probes in Fall 2022.
Soil
Submit a soil investigation technical memorandum to DTSC for approval.
Investigation will include collection of additional on-site soil samples for metals and TPH delineation.
Offsite background soil samples will be collected to evaluate background metal concentrations.
A Site Investigation Report will be submitted documenting the results in January 2023.
Groundwater
Conduct a 2nd semi-annual groundwater sampling event in December 2022.
Groundwater samples will be analyzed for VOCs, metals, TPH, and PFAS.
Following the next round of sampling, recommendations for additional work will be presented to the DTSC. 11 Future Work – Final Remedial Action Plan
Evaluate the SVE operational data, soil investigation data, and groundwater sampling data.
Goal – is it working, how fast and how much has been removed? Prepare a Remedial Action Plan to establish clean-up goals and site remedies to address elevated VOCs, TPH, and metals present at the Site (approximately March 2023).
Conceptual Site Model per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Future Use and potential City development plans
Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA)
Cost to date = $2,453,182
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