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U.S. EPA orders seven Southern California businesses to clean up San Fernando Valley Superfund Site

Release Date: 09/22/2008
Contact Information: Margot Perez-Sullivan, 415.947.4149, perezsullivan.margot@epa.gov

Cleanup helps protect LA drinking water source

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is ordering seven businesses to pay approximately $500,000 towards clean up at one of the San Fernando Valley Superfund sites, located outside Los Angeles, Calif., or come up with an equally effective system to keep contaminated groundwater from affecting local drinking water wells.

The EPA has been active in groundwater cleanup efforts in the San Fernando Valley area since the early 1980s, when solvent contamination was first discovered. The North Hollywood groundwater treatment system has operated since 1989 to remove TCE, PCE, and other volatile organic compounds from groundwater in the North Hollywood area.

“We are asking these seven parties to contribute their fair share toward ongoing cleanup costs, or to step in and do the actual work of preventing contaminated groundwater from moving toward other drinking water wells,” said Keith Takata of the EPA. “Either way, the EPA will continue to protect this essential Los Angeles drinking water resource.”

The seven businesses cited by the EPA are Los Angeles By Products Company; Pick Your Part Auto Wrecking; Waste Management Recycling & Disposal Services of California, Inc. dba Bradley Landfill & Recycling Center; Hawker Pacific Aerospace; the Wagner Living Trust; the Basinger B Trust (Exemption Trust); and the Basinger C Trust (Marital Trust).

Earlier this year, as part of the EPA’s ongoing investigation and cleanup of groundwater contamination in the North Hollywood area, the agency entered into a $1.3 million voluntary settlement with Honeywell International, Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Calmat, and California Car Hikers to keep the North Hollywood groundwater pump and treat remedy operating to address TCE and PCE contamination.

The seven parties that EPA is ordering to do work refused to voluntarily enter into that settlement agreement.

The $1.3 million settlement and this order will help finance the ongoing cleanup of contaminated groundwater in the North Hollywood area of the San Fernando Valley.

For more information on the groundwater cleanup in the San Fernando Valley, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region09/sanfernandoallareas