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AGENCIES HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON BKK LANDFILL ACTIVITIES

Release Date: 1/18/2002
Contact Information: Wendy L. Chavez, Press Office, 415/947-4248, chavez.wendy@epa.gov

     Proposed modification to BKK Landfill decision would ease land restriction for sports complex

     SAN FRANCISCO - - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control will hold a public meeting and hearing on a proposed remedy modification to the EPA's groundwater contamination cleanup decision for the BKK Landfill in West Covina.   Modification of one of the land use restrictions would allow the city of West Covina to pursue redevelopment of the northern 70 acres of Parcel One of the BKK Landfill property into a sports complex facility.

     The meeting and hearing will be held Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the West Covina City Hall Community Room, 1444 W. Garvey Ave.S, West Covina, Calif.   Public comment will be considered before the modification can be made.
               
     The proposed modification involves a partial removal of one of the land use restrictions of the EPA's groundwater remedy which prohibits the use of any of the 583-acres of BKK's property as a park or playground.  The city of West Covina is contemplating redevelopment of these 70 acres into a Big League Dreams Sports complex facility.

      The partial removal of the prohibition applies only to the northern 70 acres of Parcel One on the western side of the BKK Landfill property and is conditioned on BKK's agreement to monitor any development project involving a park or playground.   BKK's monitoring agreement will include indoor air monitoring requirements for specific occupied building structures and soil and subsurface soil vapor monitoring and will ensure there is a system in place to detect and mitigate any releases to ensure protection of public health and safety.

     If the modification is made, DTSC and the city of West Covina will also have to modify a deed restriction prior to any development of the northern 70 acres of Parcel One involving a park or playground.
                               
     The original EPA cleanup decision requires BKK to install and operate a minimum of 61 new groundwater and leachate extraction wells to remediate groundwater and control further off- site movement of contaminated groundwater.
     
     The public may also comment on the proposed remedy modification during the public review and comment period, which begins Jan. 18, 2002  and closes on Feb. 20, 2002.   Written comments, postmarked no later than Feb. 20, 2002, may be sent to:

Carmen D. Santos Project Manager U.S. EPA Region 9, WST-5 Waste Management Division
 75 Hawthorne Street
 San Francisco, CA 94105, or santos.carmen@epa.gov  

Phil Chandler, C.E. G., RGP Unit Chief Southern California Permitting Branch California DTSC  1011 N. Grandview Avenue Glendale, CA  91201 or PChandle@dtsc.ca.gov
   
     The proposed remedy modification is part of the EPA's Administrative Record for the BKK site and copies are available at U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Copies of the proposed remedy modification are also available at the following location:

West Covina Public Library 1601 West Covina Parkway West Covina, CA 91790 (626) 962-3541