We know it is a very busy day, but please stop by the Chatham Open House today. The Installation of the new Mayor and Council will occur at 6 PM but there is still time (before or after) to attend the open house.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., located at: California Center for the Arts Escondido (Theater Lobby) 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido
DTSC responded to our comment letter. DTSC_response_ENU_28NOV2018. As usual, we have disagreements with many of their comments. However, we think it is important that the letter states, “DTSC acknowledges that this remedy has not reached the offsite RAPs sent in the RAP. We are not there yet.” On this we agree.
Escondido Neighbors United encourages everyone to attend the DTSC Public Workshop on Chatham Wednesday, December 12, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., located at: California Center for the Arts Escondido (Theater Lobby) 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido
ENU will, again, be raising concerns about the failure to monitor all of the required wells, the lack of action on the toe of the plume, and other issues we have raised before.
Further, per this new letter, which states “Before site certification, a final allowable level will be established [for 1,4-dioxane] to ensure that an appropriate risk-based health protectiveness level is achieved.” (DTSC at 5) We will want to know how that will be done.
Again, we will ask for more appropriate posting of the worst part of the creek and more action to address the releases into the creek.
Last, it states that, “DTSC has not found a ‘silver bullet’ that would have allowed us to reach the RAOs by today”. (DTSC at 2) To this comment we want to reassure that we are not so unsophisticated to think that a highly complex situation such as this would respond to a simplistic, single action ‘silver bullet’. It will take many actions. Further, we do not see the finding of these strategies, as DTSC’s job. It is the job of the PRPs to propose additional actions needed to get us to the RAOs to be reviewed by DTSC. We will be asking what new and innovative technologies they have proposed to address our site. It is incumbent on them to bring options to the regulatory agencies as they are ‘potentially’ responsible.
But, it is incumbent on all parties to estimate when, if ever, this will be remediated. We have waited long enough.
The post about our original letter is here.
The City Council will hear and update on the Escondido Climate Plan Update. Please attend if you care about this issue. Please see the Sierra Club blog for more information here.
Since it is clear the Escondido will have a new Mayor, Paul McNamara and District 1 Councilmember Consuelo Martinez, this issue should be delayed until they are seated on December 12.
We have had reports of a drone harassing hawks and crows in the park. If you see this drone, please call the sheriff. One report was that it was associated with some corporate car at the Oak Creek site.
Also, instead of spending money, you can help Green Felicita Park. The park is planting Sycamore trees at Felicita County Park – part of a program to replant lost trees 3:1 in developed parks – and you’re invited! Plant a tree you can revisit, and watch grow, for years to come. We’ll also be beautifying the creek bed with general maintenance and trash clean-up. Grab some gloves and give back to your community – and plan to get a little dirty! This event is free and all ages are welcome!SPECIAL OFFER: In an exclusive partnership with County Parks, Lyft is offering FREE rides up to $10 to all Green Friday park destinations. Use code: GREENFRIDAY when you book.x
Our most recent ‘Jewel of Escondido’ recognition goes to California Homemades at 138 W. Grand Ave. California Homemades has many options of delicious lunches and snacks that are fully plant-based. Here you can have soups, roll-ups, wraps, and lots of other things and protect the climate and animals at the same time. Plus, eating a more plant-based diet is better for your health.
It is somewhat ironic that the same day that we will install a new Mayor and a new Councilmember, (who actually care about the environment and public health), DTSC will hold their next public open house about the Chatham Barrel Yard waste site. Please plan to attend if you can.
Important letters have been filed by local organizations. Please read these before you attend the meeting.
Escondido Neighbors United
Sierra Club North County Group
You can get background info here:
Chatham Open House: Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Please come and join DTSC at a community meeting to be held Wednesday, December 12, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., located at:
California Center for the Arts Escondido (Theater Lobby) 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025
For further information about the upcoming public meeting, and if you require disability meeting access information, please contact the DTSC Project Manager Hossein Nassiri at (714) 484-5384 hossein.nassiri@dtsc.ca.gov.
This week Escondido Neighbors filed ENU Comment Letter on Chatham Remedy Review August 2018. The Public Fact sheet is here and the full 5-year Remedy Review Report is here.
The letter raises many issues about the lack of progress of the cleanup, the failure to stop contamination from entering Felicita Creek, and the need to add treatment wells to stop further expansion of the plumes, among other issues.
If you are interested, please submit comments to DTSC by Sept 6th. This is a serious issue for our region and one that needs additional action.
If you are new to this issue, here is some background.
More information about this site can be found
here DTSC Chatham Barrel Yard Link Envirostor
