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The
energy challenge facing California is real.
Every Californian needs to take immediate action
to reduce energy consumption
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For
a list of simple ways to reduce demand and cut
your energy costs, see the tips at: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/news/echallenge.html
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The
Regularly Scheduled Board Meeting of January 25,
1999 has been canceled due to a lack of quorum.
Items scheduled to be heard at this meeting will
be continued until the next regularly scheduled
Board Meeting currently scheduled for March 11,
1999, unless new Board appointments are made that
would allow for a special meeting to be held before
then. The meeting will be held at the Richard H.
Chambers U.S. Court of Appeals Building, 125 S.
Grand Avenue, Main Courtroom, Pasadena. If
you need more information, please contact Robyn
Goodman, Executive Assistant at 323/266-7514.
Board Member Status
Recently, Governor Davis withdrew pending nominations for a number of appointments that were made by former Governor Wilson. Among these were two pending appointments for the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Board Chair John Slezak and Vice Chair Charlotte Craven were the two Board members affected by this action which left the Board with only four remaining members and without a quorum.
MUN Dedesignations
On November 2, 1998, the Regional Board voted to amend the Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region (Basin Plan), by adopting a resolution to "Incorporate Changes in Beneficial Use Designations for Selected Waters." This amendment removes the beneficial use designation for "Municipal and Domestic Supply" (MUN) from 8 coastal surface waters and 2 ground water areas along the coast. Before becoming effective, the amendment needs to be approved by the State Board, Office of Administrative Law, and the US EPA. A State Board workshop to hear public comments on this amendment was postponed from January 6, 1999 to February 3, 1999, due to unexpected delays at State Board in mailing out public notices during the holidays.
Chloride Policy
In January 1997, the Regional Board adopted a Chloride Policy (Resolution No. 97-02: Amendment to the California Regional Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region, to incorporate a Policy for Addressing Levels of Chloride in Discharges of Wastewaters). This policy, in part, directs staff to work with concerned parties to consider revision of chloride objectives and/or wasteload allocations to ensure that all beneficial uses are adequately protected chloride. The Regional Board's most recent outreach effort was a workshop in Ventura on January 13th, at which Dr. Ben Faber (UC Cooperative Extension) discussed why irrigation water with chloride levels above 105 mg/L can harm sensitive crops (such as avocados and strawberries) under certain conditions. Jonathan Bishop and Elizabeth Erickson presented preliminary estimates of agricultural loading in the Santa Clara watershed and an evaluation of well data showing increasing chloride levels in ground water along the Santa Clara River.
Industrial Storm Water Program
Typical operational and material handling practices conducted at auto dismantling facilities can generate significant quantities of conventional and toxic pollutants- in particular, heavy metals and certain hydrocarbons. Due to concerns over storm water pollution from this industry, the industrial storm water team has launched a multi-tiered compliance assessment of nine randomly selected auto dismantling facilities currently operating in Los Angeles County. The objectives of this project are to: 1) assess the overall compliance status of the industry; and 2) evaluate to what extent current approaches and efforts devoted to implementing the conditions of the General Permit are contributing toward or resulting in effective pollution reduction. The four main components of the project for each selected facility are:
1) An evaluation of the facility's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (The results of this evaluation outlining deficiencies and modifications will be documented in a SWPPP review letter issued to each individual facility), 2) a site inspection to evaluate the site conditions, to assess the adequacy and accuracy of the SWPPP; and to verify implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP); 3) a storm water sample collection to assess effectiveness of measures; and an assessment of the compliance status of each selected facility (as well as an overall industry profile) and; 4) an evaluation of the potential correlation between the quality of SWPPP, BMP implementation status and the sampling results. The project is expected to be completed by mid-1999.
Enforcement Issues Related to the Industrial Storm Water General Permit
An important requirement under the General Permit for Industrial Storm Water is annual reporting, including storm water monitoring at least twice a year. Monitoring efforts should include visual observations of storm water discharges, and collection and analyses of samples of storm water discharges. Results of this monitoring program must be recorded on standard annual report forms, and submitted to Regional Boards by July 1 of each year. The compliance rate for annual reports has improved to over 90% for the year 1998/98.
For those facilities in violation of the annual reporting requirement, the Executive Officer is issuing Administrative Civil Liabilities (ACLs), 10 of which were issued in December. With postponement of the next Board meeting to March 11, 1999, these ACLs will be reissued so that permittees have an opportunity to present their evidence within 60 days of issuance of the ACLs. Staff anticipate that additional ACLs for annual reporting violations will be issued and heard at future Board meetings.
New TMDL* Unit
A special Total Daily Maximum Load (TMDL) training was conducted on January 8th for staff in the new TMDL & Planning Unit as well as staff from the Watershed Units. The training was led by David Smith, who is US EPA's TMDL coordinator for Region IX. In addition to an overview of the TMDL process, the training also included a useful case study.
The TMDL & Planning Unit is pleased to announce that Tracy Woods, Environmental Specialist III, has joined the Regional Board. Tracy received a degree in Environmental Biology from Humboldt State University. Most recently Tracy has been working Planning issues with the Central Valley Regional Board. Prior to the Regional Board, Tracy was with the Ecological Studies Branch of the Department of Water Resources, analyzing environmental data to determine the impacts of water diversions from the San Joaquin Delta.
* A TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) represents the assimilative capacity of a waterbody for a pollutant. We believe that beneficial uses will be more effectively protected by using TMDLs as tools to allocate wasteloads among point and nonpoint sources discharges--as such, we envision that TMDLs will become the analytical backbone of our watershed management initiative.
Monitoring Program Workgroup Surface Waters/Stormwater Subcommittee
Regional Board staff coordinated and participated in the Surfacewater/Stormwater Subcommittee meeting of December 9. This subcommittee is one of three working subcommittees of the Monitoring Program Workgroup. This meeting was an informational meeting dealing with data reporting and laboratory issues, total daily maximum loads (TMDL), and watershed issues. Staff from the State of California programs dealing with laboratory issues as well as State Water Board staff participated. Regional Board staff also made presentations regarding watershed issues and the direction of the newly formed TMDL Unit. The Monitoring Program Workgroup is expected to prioritize problems of monitoring programs and to recommend solutions to the Regional Board to make monitoring programs more effective.
Regional Board Staff Erosion and Sediment Control Workshop
On November 9, 1998, Hossain Kazemi, Environmental Specialist IV with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - San Francisco Region, conducted a training workshop for Los Angeles Regional Board staff. The purpose of the workshop was to expose staff to methods typically found on construction sites for erosion and sediment control and to discuss compliance and enforcement issues relating to non-compliance with the State of California General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activity (Permit). To complete the workshop, the procedures involved in conducting construction site inspections were also discussed in detail.
The workshop consisted of slide and video presentations of different types and sizes of construction sites, applicable erosion controls, and the distribution of an erosion control handbook. Erosion and sediment control success stories as well as failures of erosion and sediment controls leading to enforcement in the San Francisco Region were also discussed.
Azusa Landfill
Staff received a closure plan entitled "Partial Final Closure and Post Closure Maintenance Plan, Zone I, Azusa Landfill, Azusa, California" on December 11, 1998, for the 80-acre unlined portion of Azusa Landfill. Based on staff review and discussions with the Local Enforcement Agency (Los Angeles County Department of Health Services) the closure plan was determined to be incomplete and the operator responsible for this portion of the landfill (Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc.) was so notified.
Rose Hills Memorial Park Dumpsite, Whittier
On December 17, 1998, the State Water Resources Control Board dismissed a petition filed by Rose Hills Company, current owner of a small, unpermitted landfill located at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, for failure to raise substantial issues. The subject of the petition was Executive Officer approval of the Final Closure Plan for closure in-place of the disposal site, which continues to be an ongoing dispute between the current owner and the past owner, Rose Hills Foundation.
Alhambra Investigation Area
U.S. EPA has granted the Regional Board approximately $600,000 to investigate chlorinated impacted sites in the Alhambra Investigation Area in San Gabriel Valley. In addition, part of the funding will be used to support on-going assessment and cleanup work in San Gabriel. Staff will perform database searches to located potential source sites, site inspections, and assessments and cleanups, if warranted.
Office of Statewide Consistency Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program Review Report: Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (November 25, 1998)
On November 25, 1998, the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program Review Report, Los Angeles Region was issued by the Office of Statewide Consistency (OSC). The program review was requested by the Executive Officer in order to determine and document the status of improvement measures that were undertaken by this Regional Board's UST Program following the SWRCB audit conducted during mid-1996. Overall the report is favorable and acknowledged the significant progress made to the UST Program over the past 2 1/2 years. The report clearly indicates that: 1) Regional Board staff are hard working and conscientious; 2) staff performance is very good; 3) we have a well defined documented, and executed closure process; 4) our UST Program is cost effective and efficiently operating; 5) this is the only Regional Board that has a Board approved procedure specifically addressing MTBE; 7) we have the most advanced LUSTIS Database System in the State; 8) we have developed a GIS Database to facilitate assessment of potential impacts to drinking water wells; 9) UST case files are well organized and no filing backlog exists. The Report does contain a number of recommendations intended to strengthen the UST Program in several areas (i.e., UST case management and closure criteria/process, UST caseload, documentation of Regional Board actions, LOP/LIA coordination, LUSTIS system maintenance, consistency between UST Units, correspondence, training, and staff meetings).
A Program Review Tracking document has been generated to monitor the progress on completing OSC recommendations and will be updated on a monthly basis to ensure all recommendations are addressed in a timely manner. The ongoing program review process includes periodic status reports on the progress of actions taken to address OSC recommendations, and are scheduled at six-month (May 25, 1999) and at one-year (November 25, 1999) intervals. A number of meetings have been scheduled during January 1999, with the State and Regional Board staff and/or the LIA's/LOP within our Region to discuss issues and recommendations contained in the OSC Report. This will allow us to focus our time and resources, identify potential problem areas or special needs, and significantly reduce the time necessary for full implementation of OSC recommendations as necessary.
Charnock Sub-basin Investigation Area
The activities within the Charnock Sub-basin Investigation Area have entered Phase II Enforcement activities. The majority of the PRPs selected a single group (Shell/Chevron/Exxon Group) to negotiate with the Agencies on October 2, 1998. The PRP group responded to the Agencies on November 20, 1998, with a redline version of the Draft Consent Decree and Scope of Work provided to all PRP's on July 20, 1998. At this time, meetings are being held between the agencies, the impacted parties (City of Santa Monica and Southern California Water Company), and representatives from the PRP Group. A meeting was held with the PRP Group on December 11, 1998, to discuss recommended changes to the Draft Consent Decree and Scope of Work received from the PRP Group. The agencies are currently evaluating potential changes and or modifications to the Draft Consent Decree and Scope of Work. Based upon the current schedule, the final date for PRP's to sign the Consent Decree and Scope of Work is January 20, 1998.
Additional activities by Regional Board staff are focused on reviewing subsurface investigation reports, notifying PRP's what additional soil and/or groundwater assessment will be required, overseeing remedial site assessment investigation work, and implementing soil and groundwater cleanup plans where needed. Extensive soil gas and soil sampling work was implemented to complete assessment activities along the Equilon Pipeline (formerly Shell Oil Company). A workplan to complete similar soil gas and soil sampling assessment work was approved for the Chevron Pipeline on January 8, 1998.
Arcadia Wellfield
Regional Board staff completed the review and evaluation of the Groundwater Flow and Transport Model (Model) for the Arcadia Wellfield, the Phase 2C Final Hydrogeologic Assessment Report, and results of the GTE phone vault investigation. The Model will be used to evaluate potential MTBE migration pathways from the former Service Station site which include; a utility vault, a subterranean parking garage, leakage through and/or absence of the shallow first aquitard separating the perched zone from the production zone.
The Treatment Feasibility Study and Remedial Action Plan for the production zone aquifer was approved for implementation on August 21, 1998. The method chosen for treatment of contaminated groundwater will be liquid-phase granular activated carbon (GAC). Groundwater will be pumped from the two existing production wells (Arcadia Wells No. 4 and 5) at a rate of approximately 400 gallons per minute. Extensive pilot testing of the GAC treatment system will be conducted in order to obtain a SDHS Permit to add the treated water to the domestic supply.
A Design Plan for the groundwater treatment system is due by mid-January 1999. According to the approved implementation schedule the production zone aquifer recovery and treatment system shall be constructed and commence groundwater cleanup operations by January 31, 1999. Between February and June 1999, full scale demonstration testing and engineering evaluations of the treatment system will be conducted in order to obtain a SDHS Permit to add the treated water into the City of Santa Monica's domestic supply. During the demonstration study treated groundwater will be discharged to the storm drain under a General NPDES Permit.
Southern California Water Company MTBE Pollution Investigation of the Malone Well
In September 1998, the Regional Board was notified of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in a Southern California Water Company's drinking water well (Malone Well) located in San Dimas. In October 1998, the Regional Board conducted inspections and record searches, and identified ten potential responsible parties (PRP's) within an approximate one-mile radius of the polluted Malone Well. In December 1998, the Regional Board sent letters to the ten PRP's notifying them of the MTBE problem and requiring site information pertaining to their underground storage tank operations and assessment work completed for leaks. The information from the PRP's are due to the Regional Board by January 22, 1999.
Southern California Water Company (SCWC) owns and operates two drinking water wells in the San Dimas area (Malone Well and City Well). Groundwater sampling in September 1998, identified MTBE up to 10.4 ΅g/l. Subsequent groundwater sampling has not detected any MTBE. The two production wells are currently used for domestic water supply with continued monitoring required by the State Department of Health Services- Drinking Water Field Operations Branch. On December 29, 1998, SCWC was requested to provide well construction, production, and hydrogeologic information in the surrounding area to assist in determining the source(s) and cause(s) for the pollution in their well. The information from Southern California Water Company is due January 29, 1999.
Based on the Regional Board's review and evaluation of the information to be provided from the PRP's and SCWC, a determination will be made for relative to future assessment work.
Mobil Oil Company Service Station No. 18FG9, Sherman Oaks
Mobil Oil Company (Mobil) operates a service station at 13272 Moorpark Avenue in Sherman Oaks. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) received a permit application from Mobil to operate a catalytic incinerator system as part of a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system to cleanup residual soil and groundwater pollution at the service station site. St. Francis de Sales and Dixie Canyon Elementary schools are located approximately 1/4 mile from the Mobil Oil Service Station. The SCAQMD Permit process requires that residents and the schools be notified of the proposed permit and receive comments from the community on the proposed plan prior to permit approval.
Two community meetings were held on November 5, 1998 and November 18, 1998, to provide information to residents in the area and to discuss neighborhood concerns.
A workplan was received on December 18, 1998, for completing a soil gas survey and the installation of additional groundwater monitoring well(s). Copies of the workplan have been sent to the designated repository set up by the community group. A 30day review period of the workplan by interested parties has commenced and will end on January 25, 1998. Prior to the end of the 30-day review period a meeting will be scheduled with representatives from the community group to discuss any technical issues associated with workplan approval and implementation. The results from the soil gas survey and the additional groundwater monitoring wells will be used to determine alternatives for site management and the level of cleanup that may be necessary. The workplan is anticipated to be approved by Regional Board staff in early February with assessment work completed by the end of February. A technical report containing the results of the investigation will be submitted by late March 1999.
December 22, 1998 Compliance Date for UST Upgrades
The compliance deadline date for the upgrading, replacing, or closing of underground storage tanks (UST) was December 22, 1998. This culminates a more that ten year federal and State program which started in the fall of 1988 to have all UST's meet higher standards for construction, secondary containment, overfill protection, corrosion protection, automatic line leak detectors and pump shut-off, striker plates, monitoring, and spill prevention. The best estimates we have to date indicate that approximately 65% of all UST's within this Regional Boards jurisdiction have been upgraded to meet current standards. During February 1999, we will be polling the 15 UST permitting agencies to obtain better estimates of the actual number of sites that have been issued compliance certificates, sites that are currently not operating but have plans to upgrade existing tanks in the near future, and the number of sites that have existing UST's that are not operating and do not plan to upgrade to meet current requirements.
The public can readily determine whether a gasoline service station has upgraded tanks by looking for the compliance certificate decal. The decal is about half the size of standard piece of paper, it depicts a white map of the State of California on a blue background. This compliance certificate decal is to be displayed in a prominent area in order to be visible to the public and fuel delivery services. In addition, the fill tube for each upgraded UST contains a similar decal for fuel delivery services.
Assembly Bill 1491, signed by former Governor Pete Wilson on October 8, 1997, which prohibits fuel delivery to underground storage tanks that have not been upgraded or replaced. This bill became effective on January 1, 1999. The delivery of fuels to non-upgraded UST's may subject the fuel delivery service to fines of up to $5,000 per day per tank.
California State Auditor Bureau of State Audits Report-California's Drinking Water (December 17, 1998)
On December 17, 1998, the Bureau of State Audits issued it's "California's Drinking Water: State and Local Agencies Need to Provide Leadership to Address Contamination of Groundwater by Gasoline Components and Additives," (Report). The Report focused on underground storage tank (UST) leaks resulting in contamination of drinking water from BTEX and MTBE. The audit team reviewed and evaluated the roles and regulatory processes of the California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Health Services, State Water Resources Control Board, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and Local Oversight Agencies charged with ensuring the quality of drinking water. In short, the Report indicated that the State does not effectively regulate UST's and does not aggressively enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act, by not adequately enforcing laws that require prompt follow-up and monitoring at contaminated sites, notify the public about chemicals found in drinking water, nor manage the complete cleanup of contamination in groundwater. The Report contained a number of specific recommendation for each agency to improve their policies and procedures, and included:
a.Recommendations identified for CAL/EPA were related to the identification, permitting, and monitoring of UST's together with modifying procedures for oversight of local agencies.
b.Recommendations identified for the State Department of Health Services (SDHS) focused on promptly obtaining laboratory data from production wells, assess the safety of drinking water sources every three years, enforcement of State water quality laws and taking necessary corrective actions, and the development of a statewide GIS system.
c.Recommendations identified for the SWRCB focused on issuance of clear guidelines for the investigation and cleanup of MTBE in groundwater and to assist in development of the SDHS GIS system compatible with the SWRCB Leaking Underground Storage Tank Information System (LUSTIS)
Regional Board staff will actively participate in all efforts needed to address the recommendations identified in the Report for the SWRCB, RWQCB, and Local Agencies, to include: 1) the development of statewide guidelines for investigating and cleanup of MTBE in groundwater; 2) continue with our participation in the LUSTIS Revision committee that was formed by the SWRCB during mid-September 1998; and 3) place added emphasis on our enforcement program in-place for the UST Program, to ensure that Regional Board directives are being acted upon in a timely manner.
Underground Storage Tank Working Group
The fifth UST Working Group meeting was held at Regional Board office on December 2, 1998. A total of 28 people attended the meeting. The attendees represented environmental consultants, local regulatory agencies, California Bankers Association, environmental organization, real estate company, and Regional Board staff.
This meeting was focused on risk assessment for UST site cleanup and closure. Dr. Denise Clendening of Woodward-Clyde Consultants presented the general approach of risk assessment methodology. Ms. Teri Copeland, a consulting toxicologist, presented the most update risk assessment information and an overview of MTBE toxicity. Because the topic of risk assessment is so related to our Board staff's work, a number of Board staff in the Groundwater Division also attended the meeting and participated in discussions. The presentations were well interacted with questions and discussions from the attendance. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Carl Sjoberg of Los Angeles County Department of Public Works informed the meeting about the status of the gasoline retail permit required by the December 22, 1998, upgrade deadline.
The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for late March or early April 1999. The topics of interest identified by the Working Group members included (1) risk assessment case study, (2) MTBE treatment technology, (3) UST panel report about MTBE, and (4) impact of the Foster-Gardner law suit ruling. Agenda for next meeting will be available at a late date.
Completion of Corrective Action at Leaking Underground Fuel Storage Tank Sites
Board staff have reviewed corrective actions taken for soil and groundwater contamination problems from leaking UST's for the time of November 21, 1998 through January 7, 1999, and determined that no further corrective actions are required:
U-Haul Facility No. 713-86, Pico Rivera (R-06629)
DFK Corporation, Oxnard (930330234)
Chevron Service Station No. 9-8304, Los Angeles (900380389)
Northrop Grumman, Pico Rivera (R-03497A)
ARCO Service Station No. 1909, Baldwin Park (I-10623)
Shell Service Station No. 204-4236-0101, Lawndale (I-05690)
Shell Service Station No. 204-4236-0200, Lawndale (I-04819)
C. COASTAL WATERS/ WATERSHEDS UPDATES
Contaminated Sediments Task Force
The Los Angeles Basin Contaminated Sediments Task Force was established by the California Coastal Commission and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, pursuant to Senate Bill 673 (Karnette), to develop a long-term management plan for dredging and disposal of contaminated sediments from coastal waters adjacent to Los Angeles County. The Executive Committee (composed of the directors of the Coastal Commission and Regional Board, as well as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific Division) of the Task Force met on December 3, 1998, to review progress during the first year of operation and approve the Report to the Governor and the Legislature.
This first annual report presents the status of the Contaminated Sediments Task Force and the multi-agency cooperative agreement (called the Memorandum of Understanding). The report also describes the first annual public workshop and progress toward developing the management plan.
The report highlights four major accomplishments:
1)The Los Angeles Basin Contaminated Sediments Task Force was established with an organizational structure to assure broad participation from a range of stakeholders at various levels within organizations, and to involve these stakeholders in developing elements of the Plan.
2)A multi-agency cooperative agreement was agreed upon between eight agencies to develop and implement a long-term management plan for dredging and disposal of contaminated sediments from coastal waters within Los Angeles County.
3)The first annual public workshop was held on November 5, 1998, to report on progress of the Task Force and solicit public input.
4)The Task Force established an Interim Advisory Committee to streamline the existing permitting and project review process, resolve issues, investigate opportunities for multi-user disposal alternatives, and provide a link to the development of the long-term management plan.
In the coming year, the Task Force will continue plan development, focusing on identifying critical data gaps and strategic pilot projects.
Calleguas Creek Watershed
The Water Quality/Water Resources Subcommittee met on December 4. The meeting included presentations on TMDL scheduling in the watershed and an update of the ongoing Characterization Study. The Subcommittee is currently in the process of drafting a Water Resources/Water Quality Chapter in the Calleguas Creek Watershed Management Plan. Subcommittee members have developed a list of their goals and objectives for water quality and water resources and are working to clarify participants' goals and objectives, identify possible solutions to problems, pinpoint concrete actions which will be taken to address the problems, filter out long-term from short-term goals, and reach agreement on what issues to deal with first. Seven primary goals have been identified including achieving 1) an adequate supply of water, 2) groundwater overdraft protection, 3) water quality protection, 4) maintaining aging infrastructure, 5) protection of natural habitat, 6) protection of lands from floods and erosion, and 7) regulatory streamlining. Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) and concerns over use of household water softeners and their contributions of chlorides to treatment plants are two early action items that have been identified. The next meeting of this subcommittee is scheduled for February 5.
The Public Education/Outreach Subcommittee has completed the first edition of a newsletter to cover watershed issues and events. It will eventually have its own website with links to other web pages.
The Habitat/Recreation Subcommittee last met on October 28 and continues work on a wetlands study which includes a habitat
mapping component. Its next meeting was rescheduled to January 13.
The full Management committee last met on November 4. The watershed effort will be receiving $200,000 in grant funding from Congress. The committee has begun planning for a State of the Watershed conference to be held in early 1999. The full committee is next scheduled to meet on February 3. Information about the management committee and its subcommittees can be found at <www.calleguas.com>.
The Surface Water Element of the Calleguas Creek Characterization Study Monitoring Program continues. Samples are collected on the first Wednesday of each month.
Los Angeles River Watershed
The Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council meets on the third Wednesday of each month. The most recent meeting was held on December 16. A workshop topic was San Gabriel Valley and Central Basin Groundwater Contamination and Cleanup and included presentations by five speakers. The Council is close to finalizing an arrangement for a website. A Water Quality Beneficial Uses Committee has been newly formed and is reviewing the laws and regulations that apply to the listing and de-listing of beneficial uses. The Friends of the LA River now has a Los Angeles River e-mail discussion forum. To subscribe, e-mail to "la-river-discuss-subscribe@makelist.com".
Santa Monica Bay Watershed
The Modeling and Monitoring Subcommittee of the Malibu Creek Watershed Advisory Council is developing a watershed-wide monitoring program for the Malibu Creek Watershed. The group met on September 24, October 16, and again on November 23; a monitoring program is close to being finalized. Another meeting was scheduled for January 14. A major task soon will be finding partners to participate in this voluntary program to assess and help correct the water quality concerns in this area.
A meeting of the Malibu Creek Watershed Council was held on December 15. A Malibu Lagoon Task Force meeting previously scheduled for that date was cancelled. Both groups are scheduled to meet again on February 16. The Task Force is concerned with lagoon breaching, the septic tracer study, and all aspects of the UCLA study of the lagoon. A draft of the UCLA study may be ready by February; the study covers: a hydrologic evaluation, biological and water quality objectives, water level management, eutrophication issues, pathogens, and the historical condition of the lagoon. This study is being funded by a California Coastal Conservancy grant with assistance by local agencies.
The Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Subcommittee met on December 10. A major topic was the volunteer monitoring program being sponsored by Heal the Bay. The subcommittee's next meeting was on January 14.
A watershed committee has recently formed in the Topanga Creek Watershed. The first meeting of this group was held on July 27; subsequent meetings were held on August 31, September 29, and October 26. A major goal will be to prioritize potential actions previously identified in a draft Topanga Creek Watershed Management Study and start a coordinated resource management planning (CRMP) process. A longer-term goal is preparation of a watershed management plan that will help address a number of issues including flood control in the canyon. The committee's last meeting consisted of a watershed tour on December 1. The committee will meet next on January 25. The committee's website address is <www.TopangaOnline.com/twc/>.
Watershed Management Initiative Chapter
Each Regional Board has completed the process of producing a "chapter" on how that Board is implementing watershed management in the Region. The consolidated statewide chapter will become the basis for funding decisions including allocating money for monitoring, TMDL development, and grant monies disbursement. Copies of this Region's chapter may be obtained by contacting the Regional Board office, Regional Programs Section secretary. The next update of this Chapter is scheduled for March 1999.
Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council
Regional Board staff attended and made a presentation at the December 16, 1998 meeting. John Geroch made a presentation on Regional Board programs with respect to the San Gabriel Valley and Central Basin Groundwater contamination and cleanup. The meeting business also included a discussion of the Las Virgenes proposal for diverting Tapia Plant reclaimed water from Malibu Creek to the Los Angeles River. The Watershed Council is planning to have a workshop on the Tapia Plant issue at the January 20, 1999 meeting.
WIP Presentation
On December 27, 1998, Regional Board staff, Dr. Yi Lu was invited to give a presentation at the Environmental Symposium hosted by the University of California, San Diego. The presentation focused on an overview of our Well Investigation Program (WIP). Among the attendees were delegates from the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
Feedback from the presentation was very encouraging. Attendees were especially interested in WIP's site inspection procedures and the overall concept of the Superfund process. During the discussion period, some of the attendees suggested that similar presentations be made to agencies in China because the country is facing serious environmental problems and is planning to spend over 10 billion in U.S. dollars to combat environmental issues.
Freedom of Information Act and Public Records Act Request for the Month of November/December 1998.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and Public Record Act (PRA) requests to review or copy public documents are a very important part of the work at the Regional Board. The FOIA and PRA cover most of the documents at the Regional Board. The State legislature adopted statutory language requiring that these requests be tracked by the Regional Boards. The FOIA and PRA require agencies to provide a response on the availability of the requested document within 10 working days (FOIA) or 10 calendar days (PRA) of receiving the request. The Regional Board has a procedure and a database to track these requests.
During the month of November 1998, 18 FOIA / PRA requests were received and processed. In all cases but one, a response was provided within the mandated time frame. The one exception resulted from confusion over the file being requested which was resolved, and a response was provided by Board Staff.
During the month of December 1998, 17 FOIA / PRA requests were received and processed. In all cases but one, a response was provided within the mandated time frame. The one exception resulted from confusion over the file being requested which was resolved, and Board Staff provided a response.
Office Visitors
In December we received 609 visitors in our office for a total of 6,688 in 1998. In 1997, a total of 6,027 people visited our office.
Personnel Report
At the end the fourth quarter of 1998 our staff total was 100 - 81 technical staff (including 4 part-time technical staff), 5 permanent administrative support staff and 14 permanent clerical staff. There is one staff member currently using up leave balances before separating from this Region.
Staff is currently taking steps to fill 4 technical positions, 1 Associate Information Systems Analyst, 1 Section Chief, and 1 Unit Chief. The following appointments were made: 2 Sanitary Engineering Associates and 1 Environmental Specialist III. 1 ESIV (Supv.) reclassed to ESIV (Spec.) and 1 Air Pollution Specialist reclassed to Environmental Specialist III. 1 Associate Engineering Geologist and 1 Water Resource Control Engineer separated.
Summary of Enforcement Actions - December 1-31, 1998
Formal Enforcement Actions
Cleanup and Abatement Order. ...........1
Administrative Civil Liability ...................10
Administrative Enforcement Actions
Effluent violations.. .....................6
Oil spill.... ...........................1
Administrative Enforcement Actions for Overdue / Incomplete Reports
Groundwater monitoring reports... ...........3
Other technical reports...... ................11
Site assessment plans...... .....1
Site assessment reports....... ...........3
Site remedial action plans..... ...............1
Administrative Enforcement Actions for Stormwater Permits
Failed to submit annual report for 1997-98 ........98
Failed to submit annual report for previous years . ......2
Failed to submit storm water pollution prevention plan .........................4
Total Enforcement Actions for December ............141
Summary of Enforcement Actions November 1-30, 1998
Formal Enforcement Actions
Cleanup and Abatement Order. ................1
Administrative Civil Liability...... ................1
Time Schedule Order.................... ..........1
Administrative Enforcement Actions
Expired NPDES permit.. .....................................................1
Failure to comply with Cleanup and Abatement Order.. ..........2
Administrative Enforcement Actions for Overdue / Incomplete Reports
Discharger monitoring reports.............. ....2
Groundwater monitoring reports........ .......3
Other technical reports........ ... ....5
Site assessment plans............. .... .7
Site assessment reports....... ......... 2
Site remedial action plans......... ..... 1
Administrative Enforcement Actions for Stormwater Permits
Failed to submit Notice of Intent for coverage under the General Industrial Permit .1
Failure to comply with permit requirements....................................................................1
Total Enforcement Actions for November. ...................... ....................... .28
Spills Reported during November 1998
Chemical .... ...12
Crude oil.................................. ....... .8
Diesel.... ....... .9
Gasoline .. .... . ..8
Miscellaneous petroleum products..... .... 9
Oil..............................................................6
Other... .... . 9
Sewage....... ... .5
Waste water.... . .... ..5
Vapors.............................. .. ...9
Total.......................................... ..80
Spills which Entered Waterways or Waters
Chemical............. .. .. ..4
Crude oil.............. ... 2
Diesel ..... 3
Gasoline... ... ..... ..4
Miscellaneous petroleum products............ .4
Oil......................................................... 4
Other.........................................................2
Sewage. . ......5
Waste water............ ... .. .4
Total..........................................................32
Spills Reported During December 1998
Chemical............... ... .10
Crude oil.............. ...4
Diesel................... . 12
Gasoline .. .2
Miscellaneous petroleum products.... 11
Oil.............. ..3
Other..................... ....5
Sewage.......................... .. ..10
Waste water..................... . ...6
Vapors............... . ..21
Total........................... . ....84
Spills which Entered Waterways or Waters
Chemical .. ....2
Crude oil........ . .2
Diesel................................. . ..6
Gasoline....... .. ..0
Miscellaneous petroleum products.. ....7
Oil..... .....1
Other................... .. ..2
Sewage............ .. ..5
Waste water.......... .. ....5
Total........ .. .30