01-04-2000 - BKK Landfill Closure Plans Status Report:.J . ,
GRADING PLAN
Grading of the southwest ridge continues and, as of May 1999, grading of
`the west ridge (along Azusa Avenue) continues as well. Azusa ridgeline
highest -elevation point prior to grading was approximately 675 feet. Since
the grading, , the current elevation as of Wednesday, October 13. 1999 is
-approximately 650 feet. Therefore, BKK has graded approximately 25. feet
of the hillside.
2.
LANDSCAPING OF CLASS III LANDFILL
The landscape work has been divided into five major, phases, . termed
Phases A through E (see attached map). Phase A ' landscape work was
completed in July 1998. Phase B was completed in mid -August .1999 and
Phase C is scheduled to be completed by December 1999, which may not
be met.
BKK. was requested to submit an updated schedule `confirming this
completion date with the remaining tasks.
Because the completed Phase A results showed that not all of the seed
types 'had germinated, BKK proposed- in Phase' B to remove the
unsuccessful seeds and replace them with an additional 15 containerized
trees and shrubs per acre. The City. approved the proposal in June 1999.
and BKK began planting containerized plants that same month. = The
planting is being followed by hydroseeding, which is completed. BKK has .
re-hydroseeded the random bare areas in Phase A concurrent with the .
Phase B hydroseeding effort, but have not noticed any growth.
Because of concerns regarding weeding in. Phase A; BKK prepared Phase
B slopes with a herbicide before planting. The herbicide . is expected to
help. reduce the level of effort for weeding the planted slopes. 'The'weeds
are very abundant with little evidence of-hydroseed germination.. BKK is
currently weeding the slopes. Many of the weeds have flowered.
Some potted eucalyptus trees planted on the Class III in Phase A have been
infested with the psyllid insect. BKK is still working with their consultant
and the State to determine what to do.
3.
LANDSCAPING OF THE CLASS I LANDFILL
BKK submitted a revised landscape enhancement plan in May 1997, after
which the City provided comments in June 1998. BKK then submitted its .
response in September 1998 coupled with a request to convene a meeting
to.finalize the plan, which is pending the City's response.
A side issue that has arisen is BKK's January 199.8 request to RWQCB to
revise and increase the permit limits for the quality. of mixed irrigation
water that has been used since 1987 on the closed Class I landfill. This
water. is a combination of city water and smaller amounts of reclaimed site.
water.. While not planning to alter the .water mix on -site, BKK had asked
`to change the permit with.increased salt levels so that the permit matches
true background groundwater condition. The City ;is. opposed 'to the
increase 'in salts due to the potential detrimental impacts .salts ' have 'on
plants, especially when the mixed water will be used for irrigation of the
proposed.new landscaping.' BKK. submitted a proposed resolution to the
City in August 1.998, which is pending the City's response.
The City and BKK have yet to meet and .agree. on. the landscape plan,
including the. resolution of the irrigation water quality. Upon agreement
of a landscape plan, the City and BKK will jointly submit the plan ,to
DTSC for approval.
4.
LANDSCAPING TO SCREEN THE CLASS I LANDFILL
In 1997 and 1998, BKK installed a perimeter screen of trees along the
south and southeast border of the closed Class I landfill. Because of a
potential conflict with a new road that may be built to accommodate future
site development, a portion of the screen (along .the southern border) has
been temporarily installed with boxed trees instead of permanently planted.
in the ground.. ` The plan is for the boxed trees to be planted once the road
alignment' is resolved. This temporary screening may require . a
modification to the Settlement Agreement.
In May 1999 the City Council approved "a one-year extension to the
approval to keep a portion of the trees in temporary boxes. That extension
runs until June 2000. The boxed trees must be planted within 60 days of
resolving this issue.
5.
'AZUSA FRONTAGE SCREENING "
If BKK proposes to excavate the westerly ridgeline below the trigger
elevation level so that it no longer blocks the view from passing cars, BKK
will be required to install a tree screen along Azusa Avenue. BKK has not,
yet made -the noted grading proposal, so the tree screen issue is currently
moot.
Whenever it is proposed, a potential conflict with underground City
utilities- will have to be resolved which may require a modification to the
Settlement Agreement.
6.
DUST CONTROL PLAN
There is a requirement to implement a dust. control plan for the future
graded pads at the proposed business park. The plans are pending City's
approval. The plan would remain in force -until development covered the
building pads: - This requirement -does not apply until BKK grades the
westerly and southwest ridges down . to . the proposed_ business park
elevations, which has not yet occurred. BKK submitted a plan to the City
in 1996, for review and approval.
7.
CLASS III LANDFILL FINAL CLOSURE AND .POSTCLOSURE
PLAN
The first three of the five. major construction phases (A, B, C, D and E)
have been proceeding under the approved Partial Final Closure Plan. The
complete site Final Closure. Plan covers the remaining two construction
phases D .and 'E, (see attached 'map). The draft Environmental Impact
Report and Health Risk Assessment has been.released for public review.
The comment period ended October 7, 1999. Completion of the final EIR
is expected in late. November or early December.
Closure work for Phase A and B is complete. Phase C. final soil cover
placement work has been completed. The Phase C landfill gas control
system; is now being installed. Phase C closure work and landscaping is
scheduled to be completed by'December 1999.
The cover is comprised of 71/2 feet of vegetative soil on top of one foot of
clay. and two feet of foundation,soil layer. This greatly exceeds regulatory
requirements and was done, as part of the MOU litigation settlement, in
order to have more than adequate thickness to accommodate the deeper
roots of trees. In July 1997 the City approved a reduction in the vegetative
soil layer thickness to three feet . in areas such as roads that have no
vegetation (and therefore do not need the thicker layer).'. That approval
may require modification to the Settlement Agreement.
8. CLASS I LANDFILL POSTCLOSURE PLAN
The. closed Class I Landfill hasbeen operating since 1989 in accordance
with DTSC postclosure regulations, but without . the site -specific
postclosure permit. DTSC has announced that the postclosure permit
public comment period will be for 90 days commencing November 15,
1999 through February 15, .2000. Also, there was a public hearing on the
postclosure permit on December 15, 1999 at the City Hall Community
Room at 7:00 p.m.• 'The draft permit Is available for public review at
the' West Covina Public Library, the City's Environmental
Management Department and City of Walnut Public Library.
Attached is DTSC's Fact Sheet #2, November 1999, which. provides
additional information on the draft. permits.
�. • it
CaUforriiaEnvironmentalPtroteedonAgency
DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL aa• i°' aw..� ~t �
RECEIVED
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGE
.-� BKK LANDFILL
I J j; [ 1QG o�tIFoaN�*
West Covina
puLlic In ut Sou ht on DPa{t post-ClosutpeVe';mit
IFact Sheet #2 Novem6ep 1999
INTRODUCTION
1
PtlBi�G�{l�N�
The California Environmental _Protection Agency,
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), has
Apui>Uc'heanng.to Rear more aboutthrs pro fa
issued a draft Post -Closure Permit (draft Permit) for
neyorEu oanr>enis
portions of BKK Corporation's landfill site located at
2210 South Azusa Avenue in West Covina. The draft'
Permit, once approved, will establish requirements for
Ekcembec t5, T99 of T OOpm
the ongoing post -closure maintenance and monitoring of
Wes Covina Efal� CnCea�ec
theclosedmixedhazardousmunicipalwastelandfill(the
Commun�fyjloom , st F.W 1 ` .
Class I landfill), and will renew an existing permit forthe
1A4,4 West: Garvey Avenue South
ongoing operation ofthe leachate treatment plant (UM)West
Covina, Cd 1birna 91790"
�t
that is necessary to continue to properly treat waste
liquids from the closedClassl landfill. (See FacilityMap
Closes Pemaii attdproposed MgaCed
on page 5 of this fact sheet)
I:iegalfve edaraiion ace avaifaSTe for pnii tev aYitre
�fromatiax repository loafed at8te Vesfiovma�l�xar;:
l60 C West Corona pacfcway, West Covma,'CAt790 arat:
DTSC invites you. to review this fact sheet to learn
�fhe DTSC'a. Gfeiidale~oifi�.GsiechbeTow` The pubric cow.
more about the draft Permit and Mitt Negative
�� g
ci�ntperiod" .for these :ocumerifs �s frorrr November FS;:
Declaration. If you have questions regarding. this
t99 tO Fetiru 15L 2000 Wniien comm.ents-must be: ,
project, please contact the DTSC representatives listed
postrnariced F 2000-and submri6ed to
on page 7 of this fact sheet.
:by"Febtua
:. •Depadment of Tb=Snbstances Control.
FAcuxrYDESCRUMONANDMSTORY
Ath, PhiGpChandteF;lhutCh[ef
1011 North: Grandinew Avenue;
The site is situated'on 583 acres located northeast of the
Glendale. CA .gt2lil iF
intersection of Azusa Avenue andAmar Road.
BKK owns the 5837acre property that includes both the
Class.I landfill and the LTP. The site contains two
The. closed Class.I landfill encompas es about 195
separate landfills, plus the UP and other landfill -related
acres, and the UP sits on about a half -acre within the
operations. The Class I landfill contains mixed
5837acre property., The inactive Class III landfill
hazardous and municipal wastes, and an adjacent Class.'encompasses
roughly 160 acres. (See Facility Map on
III landfill contains municipal waste only. The Class I
page 5.) . The remainder ofthe property is comprised of
landfill (together with the UP) is regulated by DTSC .
storm water control, soil borrow areas, cogeneration and
and is the subject of the draft Permit.. The Class III .
flare stations, maintenance and administrative facilities,
landfill is currentlyundergoing closure construction, and
environmental monitoring systems, and some undis-
is regulated by other agencies..
turbed ground. o€
TORB&AmONTmoB KmALmLuryouwjsTCommzmmmREMRN'IHECOUPONONPAGE70FTMFACTSHEET
-will address the next five years of this 30-year period,
after which the permit will have to. be renewed. The
standard 30=year post -closure care period can be
,extended beyond 30 years, if necessary.
The draft Permit allows BKK to continue operating the
existing LTP: BKK will treat liquid hazardous wastes
generated on the BKK landfill site, and will use properly
treated effiuent water for on -site dust control and irrigation.
The pr" capacity of the LTP is limited to 50,000
gallons per day. The draft Permit allows forthe treatment
of liquid wastes from the leachate collection system, the
vapor control systems, and the ground. water wells and
includes a proposal: for increasing the capacity up to
100,000gallonsperdayatalaterdate. This increasetothe
LT? .is necessary in_ order to accommodate anticipated
elevated flows from the additional liquid extraction wells
that BKK plans to install in "the future as part of the
environmental remediation effort currently being overseen
by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
SCOPE OF DRAFT PERMIT
The draft Permit establishes site -specific post -closure
maintenance and monitoring requirements for the Class
I landfill and allows BKK to continue operating the LTP.
As partofthese post -closure requirements for the Class
I landfill, BKK is required to continue operation,
maintenance and inspection of interim corrective
measures currently in place at the BKK landfill, and to
complete ongoing corrective action work.
The closed Class I landfill operated in accordance with
the regulatory standards and typical operating practices
that were in place. in the 1970s and early 1980s. As
such, it did not have a bottom liner, and there has been
some off -site groundwater contamination in discrete
areas. Modern landfills, such as 9KK's adjacent Class
III landfill that operated from 1987 to 1996, typically
have bottom liner systems. The groundwater
contamination associated with the closed Class I landfill
has triggered the environmental remediation effortthat,is
currentlybeing overseen by USEPA.-." There "are a
number of interim corrective measures that are already
in place on site, and these will be augmented by the "final
remedy" , measures" once those are selected and
implemented in the future.
Interim Corrective Measures
`The purpose of the interim corrective measures is to
retard further movement of contaminants into ground
water and remediate leachate and contaminated ground ,
water, control emissions ofcontaminants from landfill
gas into the air, and control the movement of landfill
gases through subsurface soils. (Typically, leachate is
liquid that has come in contact with hazardous wastes,
and is then polluted)
The following are . Interim .Corrective Measures
currently existing and in operation at the BKK landfill.
Ground WaterandLeachateExtraction We .- These
wells are located along the southeast boundary, north of
the site and off -site near the Miranda Springs area, and .
they are used to pump contaminated ground water and
leachate from belowthe ground., The interim measures
are being evaluated to determine their effectiveness.
Additional extraction wells may be required based on
this assessment.
Liquids Collection System: The system consists"of
storage tanks, manholes, pumps, and a piping system to
collect and convey contaminated` ground water and
leachate from the Class I landfill to the LTP.
r
LeachateTreatmentPlant(LTP):Leachate, contami-
nated ground water, gas condensate and other waste
liquids, are mixed and, treated at this plant using
biophysical and chemical treatment. As allowed by state
and local permits, BKK uses the treated LTP liquids for
dust control and irrigation of the Class I landfill cover.
Landfill Gas, Collection, Migration and Control "
System: Includes interior and perimeter gas extraction
wells, landfill gas probes to conduct monitoring at the
boundary ofe BKK landfill, and two landfill gas flare
stations. The gas collection system collects landfill gas
from the Class I landfill and gases from the LTP. The
system -,then. treats these gases by burning them in the
flares. In addition, energy recovery systems currently in
place and operation avBKK, utilize landfill gas for the
generation of electricity. The continued operation and
maintenance of this interim measure is essential to.
manage and control landfill gases to reduce emissions to
the surrounding air and minimize the potential for
subsurface movement of landfill gas.
Closed Hazardous Waste (Class 1) Landfill Cover
The final cover of -the Class. I landfill includes a
compacted clay cover and -a vegetation layer. One
purpose of the final cover is to minimize infiltration of
rainfall and excess irrigation water into -the disposed
hazardous waste. The final cover is also intended to
3
BKK. LANDFILL
— - - - Sne BOUNIAar
APPMMAX
PUAIES.
INACTIVE MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE y f ;•
CLASS .10 LANDFILL :•'
.tom .a•: •t•J.�'• ►• wsw•t} �`�
J • �CLOSEDV HAZARDOUS/MUNICIPAL WASTE
_ CLASS I LANDFILL -
i e: HCT M SCALE
Facility Map - Figure 2
HUMAN HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL ' RISK ecological system (plants, animals, and their habitats)
ASSESSNIENT specifically due to the presence. of hazardous and toxic
chemicals atahazardous waste facility.
Several health studies including a risk assessment have
already been completed forthe BKK landfill to assess the PAST HEALTH STUDIES
risks tohumanhealth from the landfill. A risk assessment
is a process _that is used to evaluate the extent of The following are brief summaries of the results of past
environment al problems based ontheireffects onhuman studies fortheBKK Landfill.
. health and the environmerrt: Risk assessments establish OEHHA Addendum Health Risk Assessment,1996
theoretical health risks. These studies estimate risk and
are generally conservative. A risk assessment looks at . The California Environmental Protection Agency, Office
current risks and does not have the abilityto predict what of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
will occur in the future. During a risk assessment, health released the Addendum Health Risk Assessment of
threats is and around a facility are iestigated,including Ambient Fugitive Vimi ChlorideEmissions from the Class
an investigation of possible pathways of contaminant I Unit of the BKK Landfill. April 1996. The Addendum
movement. Possible pathways of contaminant : report is an update of the 1990 ' interim health ` risk .
movementinclude: air, ground water, and soil. An assessment conducted by the California Department of
ecological'risk assessment is a process conducted to Health Services (DHS), Hazardous Waste Technology
determinetheextent andvariation oftoxiceffectstothe; Section. The vinylchloridemonitmingdatawerecollected
/ 5
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
If you would like additional information about the BKKside, please call the contacts fisbed below or visit and referto the -
documents available atone of the information repositories. Para information en Espanol acerca de la localidad
de BKK Landfill, (lame DTSC, Julio Narvaez, (818) 551.2938. _ Kung sino man ang may kailangan ng
inpornasion tungkol sa BKK landfill, tawagan si Cecilia Rosanna, sa (818) 551.2939.
Project Contacts
Phillip Blum,'P.E. Ms. Claire Best Ms. Carmen D. Santos
DTSC DTSC U.S. Environmental
Project Manager ` Public Participation Specialist Protection Agency
,(818) 551-2961 (916) 324-2809 Project Manager
(415) 744-2037 or
Ms. Vicky Semones
Community Relations
(800) 231-3075 or:
(415) 744-2184
Information Repositories
DTSC West Covina Library Walnut Library
1011 N. Grandview Avenue 1601 West Covina Parkway 21155 La Puente Road
Glendale, CA 91201 West Covina, CA 91790 Walnut, CA 91789
(818) 551-2871. (818) 962-3541 . (909) 595-0757
Notice to Hearing Impaired Individuals -
You can obtain additional information by using the California State Relay Service at 1-888-
877-5378 (TDD).. Ask them to contact Clain: Best at (916) 324-2809 regarding BKK Landfill. .
7
FFBKK LANDFILLL SITE
AGENCYCONTACTS
Interagency Steering Committee
The Inter -Agency Steering Committee (ISC) was formed in 1984 forthe BKK landfill site (Site). It is comprised of
representatives of local, state, and federal agencies involved in the monitoring, enforcement, and remediation
activities at the Site. For more information about agency -specific activities, please contact the following ISC
representatives.
as
California En vironmental Protedion Agency
Deparownt ofToxicSubstances Control (DTSC): Regulates hazardous waste management to protect human
health and the environment, including permits, preparing and issuing post -closure permits and permit renewals to
hazardous waste management facilities. Contact: Southern CaliforniaPermitting Branch (FPB) Unit Chief
Philip Chandler, 818-551-2921; FPB, Project Manager, Phillip Blum, P.E. 818-551-2961 and Public
Participation and Education Branch, Public Participation Specialist, Claire Best (916) 324-2809.
ss*
Integrated Waste Management Board (IWMB): Enforces solid waste regulations related to landfills. Contact:
Closure Mediation Branch, Associate Waste Management Engineer, Tim Crist, 916-255-3838.
ss* '
Ofte ofEnvironme»tal Health HazardAssessment (OEHAA): Evaluates public health issues and develops
health risk assessments. Contact: Hazardous Waste Toxicology Section, Associate Hazardous Materials
Specialist, Laurie Monserra4 916-327-7333.
Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB): Enforces state and federal regulations for discharges that can
affect water quality. Contact: Landfills and Cleanup Section, Engineering Geologist, Blyth Ponek-Bacharowski
213-266-7580.
*s*
West Covina Envwonm wdManazemeng Enforces state standards ofsolid waste handling and disposal. Contact:
Environmental Management Director, Steven L. Samaniego, 626-814-8411. .
South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAOMD): Responds to air quality issues affecting the public.
Contact: Public Facilities Branch, Supervising Air Quality Inspector, Richard Tambara, 909-396-2319; Air Quality
Inspector H, Rafael Reynosa, 909-396-2360. Complaint Line: 800-CUT-SMOG.
UnitedStatesEnvrronmentalProtedionAgencv (US, PA)
USEPA Proied Team forthe BXKLandfrll Site: Enforces the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
to protect human health and the environment. Contact: Project Manager, Carmen D. Santos, 415-744-2037;
Hydrogeologist, Kathy Baylor, 415-744-2028; Environmental Engineer, and Office of Community Relations,
Community Relations Coordinator, Vicky M. Semones, 415-744-2184.