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Chemical Waste Management - Kettleman Hills Facility
PCB Disposal/Storage Resources
On this page:
- Update Chemical Waste Management - Kettleman Hills Facility
- Project Introduction
- Project Documents
- Map
- Site Repositories /Library Sources
- Historical Documents
Key Dates in Kettleman/Avenal
January 2010 (tentative) Chemical Waste Management Kings County releases final EIR for Kettleman Hills Facility Haz waste expansion
End of September Avenal Power Plant CEC release of Presiding Members Preliminary Decision (PMPD); comment period on decision opens
9/30/09 Avenal Power Plant EPA public information session on PSD permit
10/1/09 Avenal Power Plant EPA public hearing on PSD permit
10/5/ – 10/7/09 Chemical Waste Management Kings County hearings on Kettleman Hills Facility Landfill B-18 Expansion Plan
10/15/09 Avenal Power Plant EPA 2nd public hearing on PSD permit for Avenal Energy Power Plant; comment period closes
End of October Avenal Power Plant CEC's Public Comment on PMPD closes (30 days from release of PMPD)
Nov 2009 (tentative) Chemical Waste Management EPA public meeting to share results of PCB Congener Sampling Study and Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments for Kettleman Hills Facility
TBD California Department of Public Health meeting to discuss birth defects and general health fair (not yet scheduled)
Who can I contact with questions or comments?
Call or fax
- Edwin Poalinelli - Project Manager
(415) 972-3390
Fax: (415) 947-3533
- Luis Garcia-Bakarich - Community Involvement Coordinator
(415) 947-3533
Fax: (415) 947-3528 - Debbie Lowe - Environmental Justice Coordinator
(415) 947-4155
Fax: (415) 947-8026 - EPA at 1 (800) 962-6215
- Bi-Lingual Message Center
1- 800-231-3075
Send mail to:
Edwin Poalinelli
US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street (WST-4)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Region 9 PCB storage and disposal page and PCB program contacts
Update on Chemical Waste Management - Kettleman Hills Facility PCB Permit Project
EPA has completed our review of the public comments (both written and verbal at the public meetings and hearings) we received on the draft Coordinated PCB Approval ("permit").
Based on our review of the public comments, EPA is requiring that Chemical Waste Management conduct additional sampling to identify whether congener and Aroclor forms of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are present in air, soil, and biota/vegetation at and around the facility.
EPA will use this additional sampling data to evaluate whether exposures to these media pathways could potentially impact human health and the environment.
As sampling plans are developed, EPA technical staff will meet with those specific community stakeholders who have raised these PCB risk concerns on the Draft Coordinated Approval. Aspects of the sampling plans will be discussed at the February 4 meeting.
EPA will make all new information available to the public via posting documentation on our website, issuing fact sheets, and hosting additional meetings.
EPA intends to public notice a re-proposal of our Draft Coordinated Approval decision based upon additional data from this sampling effort.
EPA will hold a larger community meeting and a formal hearing during the re-proposal to share information and to hear community concerns.
EPA will respond to comments in a formal response-to-comments that will be completed prior to the issuance of a final decision on this permit.
Project Introduction
In 2008, the responsibility for implementing the PCB Coordinated Approval (permitting) process was transferred from EPA Region 9's Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) program to EPA Region 9's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Program. EPA has the authority and responsibility to assure that facilities like CWM are operated in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment.
EPA recognizes that local citizens in the Kettleman City, Avenal, and Hanford communities are important stakeholders that must be involved in our permit decision process, therefore our goal is to foster a successful public participation process. We also recognize the importance of involving other environment interest groups and other citizen groups in this process, and encourage the regular exchange of comments and questions.
On February 4, 2009, EPA hosted a public meeting at the Kettleman City School to provide an update on the current status of the Chemical Waste Management, Inc. polychlorinated biphenyls permit renewal application. The meeting was conducted in English, with simultaneous Spanish interpretation.
On August 12, 2009, EPA and other local, state and federal agencies participated in a community-organized listening session focused on concerns about birth defects and other health issues. EPA provided a neutral facilitator and simultaneous translation services. Verbatim transcripts in English and Spanish are available below.
Project Documents
- EPA Comments on CMW Congeners Study Workplan (PDF) (7 pp, 48K)
- Cover Letter for CMW Congeners Study Workplan Revision (PDF) (15 pp, 730K)
- EPA Comments on Revised CWM Congeners Study Workplan (PDF) (4 pp, 179K)
- Revised CMW Congeners Study Workplan (PDF) (438pp, 16.5M) - A work plan describing sampling to identify whether congener forms of PCBs are present in air, soil, and vegetation at and around the facility, and Appendix C Complete 1994 Study (PDF) (152 pp, 54.4M)
- February 4 Meeting Announcement/Fact Sheet (PDF) (2 pp, 1.14M, About PDF) - A bilingual fact sheet providing information on the Feb 4 PCB Permit Renewal Update Meeting in Kettleman City
- EPA Letter Requesting CWM-KHF to Conduct Additional Sampling of Air, Soils, and Biota/Vegetation for PCB Congener Analysis (PDF) (8 pp, 1.0M scanned)
- PCB Disposal Activity Impact Analysis (PDF) (3 pp, 21K) - This analysis identifies why additional sufficient data needs to be collected to assess the magnitude of potential human and ecological impact to off-site receptors from PCB disposal activities at the Kettleman Hills Facility.
- Consent Agreement and Final Order (PDF) (14 pp, 6.25M) - A copy of EPA's 2005 fully executed and settled enforcement action against CWM.
Map
Site Repositories /Library Sources
Paper copies of documents identified in this project's Administrative Record are available for review at the Kettleman City Library.
Historical Documents
We provide the following reference documents for information and background. The Official Public Comment period for the Draft Permit and the Draft EJ Assessment is closed, and EPA is no longer accepting additional comments
- Kettleman City Listening Session, August 12, 2009: Bilingual (PDF) (17 pp, 131K)
- Kettleman City Listening Session, August 12, 2009: English (PDF) (17 pp, 137K)
- Sesión de interlocución con la Comunidad de Kettleman City, 12 de agosto de 2009: en Español (PDF) (18 pp, 127K)
- Draft Permit (PDF) (32 pp, 1.2M)- The draft permit that proposes that PCB waste storage and disposal activities continue at the CWM Kettleman Hills facility.
- Fact Sheet (PDF) (8 pp, 291K) - A bilingual description of the CWM Kettleman Hills facility, draft permit, draft environmental justice assessment, and the public participation process.
- Press Release - A notice sent to press contacts about the opening of the public comment period on the draft permit and draft environmental justice assessment.
- Table of Contents for Administrative Record (PDF) (6 pp, 39K)
- Kettleman Hills Facility Environmental Justice Assessment (PDF) (2 pp, 102K)
- Draft Environmental Justice Assessment (PDF) (77 pp, 1.5M) - An assessment of environmental, community health, economic, and social indicators in Avenal and Kettleman City.
- Summary of Draft Environmental Justice Assessment English (PDF) (10 pp, 187K)| En Espaņol (PDF) (12 pp, 181K) - A summary of the draft environmental justice assessment