June 14, 2000 Meeting Minutes

Mr. Sandel, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. on June 14, 2000.

1. PUBLIC FORUM

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   Brian Adkins, Env. Specialist/Geologist, Environmental Management Office, Bishop Paiute Tribe, discussed plans to develop water quality standards under the Clean Water Act, Section 303.
   
   
   
2. MINUTES

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   Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 10-11, 2000 in Adelanto will be considered at the July meeting.
   
3. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR

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   Item 18 was removed from the consent calendar.
   
   Item 19 was removed from the agenda.
   
   

Motion: Moved by Dr. Cooley, seconded by Mr. Clarke and unanimously carried. to adopt the remainder of the Consent Calendar.

NPDES PERMITS

21. Tim Alpers; Alpers Trout Hatchery, Mono County

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    There was no staff presentation.
    
    Tim Alpers, Alpers Trout Hatchery, discussed the financial constraints he faced under the proposed permit with regard to monitoring. He asked the Board to take action to ensure that all fish hatcheries are regulated, thus allowing pricing to remain competitive.
    
    Mr. Singer stated his intent to bring this matter to the next Executive Officer's meeting.
    
    

    Motion: Moved by Mr. Clarke, seconded by Dr. Cooley and unanimously carried. to adopt the staff recommendation.

UPDATED WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS

18. Los Angeles County Sanitation District No. 20 and the City of Los Angeles World Airports; Palmdale Water Reclamation Plant, Los Angeles County

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    Dr. Nebeker did not participate in this agenda item.
    
    Mr. Sandel opened the public hearing.
    
    Hisam Baqai, Supervising WRCE, Jehiel Cass, Chief, Antelope Valley Unit and Ted Saari, Assoc. WRCE responded to two areas of concern as expressed by Lyle Talbot, DCAP, in a June 13, 2000 letter.
    
    Mr. Talbot discussed his concerns over the landspreading of treated effluent near the Little Rock Wash as well as the possibility of improperly sealed abandoned wells in the area.
    
    Mr. Singer pointed out that the permit prohibits the discharge of effluent to surface waters, which include Little Rock Wash.
    
    This item was left open, allowing Mr. Talbot, the discharger's representative and Board staff the opportunity to work out language for incorporation into the proposed permit that would address the identification of abandoned wells in the area.
    
    <break in public hearing, Board meeting continued>
    
    Jehiel Cass, Chief, Antelope Valley Unit read the proposed amended language into the record.
    
    Mr. Sandel closed the public hearing.
    
    

    Motion: Moved by Mr. Clarke, seconded by Dr. Cooley and unanimously carried. to adopt the staff recommendation as amended.

    
    
    

13. IMC Chemicals, Inc., U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Searles Dry Lake Operations; Argus Plant, San Bernardino County

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    see Item 23 below
    
    
    
14. IMC Chemicals, Inc., U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Searles Dry Lake Operations; Trona Plant, San Bernardino County

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    see Item 23 below
    
    
    
15. IMC Chemicals, Inc., U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Searles Dry Lake Operations; Westend Plant, San Bernardino County

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    see Item 23 below
    
    
    

ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

23. Continuation of a Public Hearing - Consideration of a Cease and Desist Order - IMC Chemicals, Inc. and the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Trona and Argus Operations, Violations of Waste Discharge Requirements, (Board Orders No. 6-91-910 and 6-91-909), San Bernardino County

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    Mr. Sandel opened the public hearing and administered the oath.
    
    Greg Cash, Associate Engineering Geologist, gave the staff presentation for items 13, 14, 15 and 23,, which included the following information:
    
    
    • Proposed revised WDRs
      
      
    • Proposed CDO
      
      
    • Past violations, including the presence of floating oil which may have been the cause of recent waterfowl deaths
      
      
    • Threatened violations
      
      
    • The discharger's corrective action and cleanup activities
      

Larry Trowsdale, manager of environmental affairs, IMCC emphasized the company's commitment to addressing the problems at Searles Lake.

Kathleen Cox, Bureau of Land Management, wanted to ensure that a June 2, 2000 letter regarding land status was part of the record.

Donna Davis, Department of Fish and Game, related that necropsy results showed oil inside the dead birds collected thus far. A continuing concern is visible oil on Searles Lake, in the dredger pond and channels, and the effect on the waterfowl population.

Mark Caywood, Department of Fish and Game, related that since petroleum products were not used at the Argus facility, housekeeping practices are the issue and as such, cleanup should be more expedient. He went on to discuss measures being taken to discourage the birds use of the lake and the resulting decline in waterfowl deaths.

Mr. Baqai stated that since petroleum products were not used at the Argus facility, cleanup would occur more quickly.

There being no further testimony, Mr. Sandel closed the public hearing.

Board members discussed revisiting the issue in six months, ensuring satisfactory compliance with the time schedule. Mr. Singer pointed out that the WDRs contain a monthly reporting requirement. If sufficient progress were not being made, Mr. Singer would bring the matter back to the Board for reassessment. In addition, the Executive Officer's Report will provide a progress report.

Motion: Moved by Judge Newsom, seconded by Dr. Nebeker and unanimously carried. to adopt the WDRs for items 13, 14 and 15 as proposed.

Motion: Moved by Mr. Clarke, seconded by Dr. Dodge to adopt the CDO for Item 23 as proposed. Roll call vote. Voting yes: Eric Sandel, William Newsom, Judge ret., Jack Clarke, Richard Dodge, Ph.D., Eugene Nebeker, Ph.D., Beatrice Cooley, Ph.D. Voting no: None Motion carried 6-0.

 

22. Continuation of a Public Hearing – Consideration of an Administrative Civil Liability Order for Thomas Erickson and Samina Naz, for Failure to Cleanup and Abate Petroleum Products at the Tahoe Tom's Gas Station, 4029 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, in Violation of deadlines in Cleanup and Abatement Order No. 6-98-42

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    Mr. Singer drew the Board's attention to requests made by both the discharger's attorneys requesting a continuation of the hearing. A continuance was not granted.
    
    Mr. Sandel closed the public hearing.
    
    The Board met in closed session to deliberate.
    
    The Board returned to open session
    
    

    Motion: Moved by Mr. Clarke, seconded by Dr. Nebeker and unanimously carried to adopt analternate order of $131,000 with $100,000 stayed pending compliance with certain tasks and $31,000 payable by July 14, 2000.

26. Executive Officer's Report

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    Mr. Singer discussed severall items from the narrative of the report.
    
    
    • Report by Hydroscience done for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency that analyzes nutrient loading into Lake Tahoe
      
      
    • Request by Terrence Finn's attorney, Stuart Smits, to place the Finn Bridge Project on the next meeting agenda so that additional information may be considered.
      
      
      

27. Reports by Chairman and Board Members

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    • Mr. Clarke discussed an upcoming meeting regarding source water protection around the Victor Valley
      
      
    • Dr. Cooley attended a budget workshop
      
      
    • Mr. Sandel and Mr. Singer attended the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) seminar
    
    
    

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Note: Board members met in closed session on June 14, 2000 from 10:00 to 10:10 p.m. to discuss Item 22. Authority: Government Code Section 11126(c)(3).