1 TO: City Council
FROM: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Carla Dillon, P.E., Director of Public Works MEETING DATE: August 15, 2023
SUBJECT: Skypark Commercial Properties Update
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file the project update from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding the Skypark Commercial Properties (Assessor Parcel No. 7377-006- 906), 24701 – 24777 Crenshaw Boulevard and 2530, 2540, and 2600 Skypark Drive, Torrance, California (SCP NO. 1499).
BACKGROUND:
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LA Water Board) has been providing periodic updates regarding the Skypark Commercial Properties (Assessor Parcel No. 7377-006-906), 24701 – 24777 Crenshaw Boulevard and 2530, 2540, and 2600 Skypark Drive, Torrance, California (SCP NO. 1499). The LA Water Board is the lead state agency overseeing environmental investigation and remediation activities and has required investigation of the extent of onsite and offsite contamination at these properties by the responsible parties.
Regulatory oversight initially began in 1991, and in 2020 additional companies (potentially responsible parties) were required to conduct investigations. The City of Lomita first became aware of the underground contamination in late 2018 and has been working with the LA Water Board to urge expediency in clean up and transparency with the community.
The City has formally sent five letters to the LA Water Board and has worked with the potentially responsible parties to expedite any permits required in Lomita as part of their investigation.
The LA Water Board has previously given presentations to the City Council on this subject, has held community meeting in Lomita, and worked with the potentially responsible parties in conveying information to community members (Fact Sheets).
Item No. 7p
CITY OF LOMITA
CITY COUNCIL REPORT
2 The attached letter provides an update to the Lomita City Council and community members on the status of the investigation and clean-up.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Letter from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Reviewed by: Approved by:
Gary Y. Sugano Ryan Smoot
Assistant City Manager City Manager
Prepared by:
Carla Dillon, PE
Public Works Director
Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
July 25, 2023
Mayor Barry M. Waite and City Council Members
Lomita City Hall
24300 Narbonne Avenue
Lomita, CA 90717
SUBJECT: PROJECT UPDATE
SITE: SKYPARK COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES (ASSESSOR PARCEL NO. 7377-006-906), 24701 – 24777 CRENSHAW BOULEVARD AND 2530, 2540, AND 2600 SKYPARK DRIVE, TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA (SCP NO. 1499)
Dear Mayor Waite and City Council Members:
The California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region (Los Angeles Water Board) is the public agency with primary responsibility for the protection of ground and surface water quality for all beneficial uses within Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
As such, the Los Angeles Water Board is the lead regulatory agency for overseeing corrective actions and cleanup of releases from the Skypark Commercial Properties (Site). The releases from the Site have migrated off-Site to the City of Lomita.
Los Angeles Water Board staff work closely with the City of Lomita staff and provide periodic updates to the Lomita City Council (City Council) on the progress of the investigation and remediation of the Site. On April 19, 2022, we updated the City Council on the vapor intrusion assessment being conducted in the City of Lomita and the City of Torrance, the status of the ongoing soil vapor and groundwater monitoring, an overview of the proposed interim remedial action plans (IRAPs), and the anticipated Site activities for the remainder of 2022.
This letter provides an update of activity conducted under Los Angeles Water Board oversight since April 19, 2022, including the vapor intrusion assessment, investigation and remediation, monitoring program, and the Los Angeles Water Board’s referral of the matter to the California Attorney General’s Office.
VAPOR INTRUSION ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
The Hi-Shear Corporation (HSC), under Los Angeles Water Board oversight, has been assessing the potential for vapor intrusion into private properties in the City of Lomita and Attachment No. 1
Lomita City Council - 2 - July 25, 2023
City of Lomita Skypark Commercial Properties
City of Torrance. The assessment is being conducted in two areas, based on the concentrations of soil vapor from samples collected in public rights-of-way.
The assessment conducted in the first area, known as the ARZ, included sampling of the soil vapor, crawl space, indoor air, and/or ambient air at a proposed 32 private properties.
HSC obtained access to conduct sampling at 20 of the 32 properties. Two of the 20 private properties declined HSC access for additional sampling after the initial round(s) of sampling, resulting in incomplete assessments, and two of the 20 private properties are awaiting follow-up soil vapor resampling and indoor air sampling. The results of the sampling indicated there were no vapor intrusion risks into indoor air at 16 of the 20 private properties.
Sampling was also conducted at three private properties in the second area, known as the ENAZ. One of the three private properties declined access for additional confirmation sampling after the initial round of sampling, and two of the three private properties are awaiting confirmation sampling following their initial round of sampling.
INVESTIGATION AND REMEDIATION STATUS
On July 27, 2022, the Los Angeles Water Board conditionally approved the implementation of the investigative component in the revised Removal Action Workplan for the East Adjacent Properties (Revised EAP IRAP). The investigative component of the Revised EAP IRAP provides additional assessment and investigation of the Site and further delineation to the south-southeast direction of the Site. Field work activities have commenced and are expected to be completed by September 2023.
On October 31, 2022, the Los Angeles Water Board conditionally approved the Revised Off-Site Assessment Work Plan (Revised Work Plan). The scope of the Revised Work Plan provides additional off-Site delineation in the northwest direction of the Site (i.e., upgradient). The consultant(s) committed to the work is in the process of obtaining access agreements with the off-Site private properties to conduct the field activities.
A Groundwater Removal Action Workplan (Groundwater IRAP) was conditionally approved by the Los Angeles Water Board on October 18, 2022, with updated and revised conditions provided on April 14, 2023. The Groundwater IRAP proposes cleaning up contamination in the groundwater using a zero-valent iron (ZVI) barrier along Crenshaw Boulevard and with in-situ bioremediation under the HSC property. The ZVI barrier will treat most of the groundwater contaminant mass migrating from the Site, while the in-situ bioremediation treatment will reduce contamination beneath the HSC property. A report documenting the complete implementation of the Groundwater IRAP is due to the Los Angeles Water Board by December 15, 2023, and quarterly performance monitoring of the cleanup will commence in 2024.
Lomita City Council - 3 - July 25, 2023
City of Lomita Skypark Commercial Properties
On January 17, 2023, the Los Angeles Water Board conditionally approved the Revised EAP IRAP, which proposes cleanup of the eastern half of the Site using a soil vapor extraction system to remediate soil and soil vapor contamination, and an in-situ bioremediation system to treat on-Site groundwater contamination. A report documenting the complete implementation of the Revised EAP IRAP is due to the Los Angeles Water Board by September 15, 2023.
MONITORING PROGRAM SUMMARY
The soil vapor and groundwater contamination both on and off-site is monitored using a network of 114 multi-depth soil vapor probes and 40 groundwater monitoring wells. The soil vapor and groundwater monitoring programs allow the Los Angeles Water Board to examine trends in soil vapor and groundwater concentrations and to assess the effectiveness of cleanup actions. Shallow soil vapor probes in public rights-of-way east of Crenshaw Boulevard (in the City of Lomita) continue to be monitored on a semiannual basis while Site-wide soil vapor is monitored on an annual basis. Site-wide groundwater is monitored on a semiannual basis.
Soil vapor concentrations in public rights-of-way east of Crenshaw Boulevard have remained relatively stable. The extent of groundwater contamination from the Site is adequately delineated to the east and does not extend past Cypress Street in the City of Lomita; the data continue to indicate there is no significant migration of contamination eastward.
REFERRAL TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE
On April 27, 2023, the Los Angeles Water Board adopted Resolution No. R23-003, authorizing the Executive Officer to refer the Site and the enforcement of all matters related to compliance with Cleanup and Abatement Order R4-2021-0079 (Order) to the California Attorney General’s Office. A referral to the California Attorney General’s Office provides the Los Angeles Water Board with additional tools to obtain compliance and encourage dischargers to work collaboratively. In particular, the Attorney General may seek injunctive relief and/or obtain a consent judgement to place the dischargers under a judicially enforceable timeline to comply with the Order.
In closing, we value our partnership with the City and remain committed to keeping the Lomita City Council and its residents informed about the status of the investigation and cleanup. The investigation and cleanup of the contamination associated with the Site remains a high priority for the Los Angeles Water Board.
By the first quarter of 2024, we expect to have results from the ongoing assessment activities, interim remedy(ies) implemented, and additional results from vapor intrusion assessments conducted at private properties in Lomita. While we continue to work closely with City staff, we welcome the opportunity to update the City Council at that time.
Lomita City Council - 4 - July 25, 2023
City of Lomita Skypark Commercial Properties
If you have any questions regarding this letter or would like to discuss anything further, please do not hesitate to contact Hugh Marley, Assistant Executive Officer at [email protected] or Ms. Jillian Ly, Remediation Section II Manager, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
___________________
for Susana Arredondo
Executive Officer