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NPL Site Narrative for Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill
FRESNO MUNICIPAL SANITARY LANDFILL
Fresno, California
Federal Register Notice: October 4, 1989Conditions at proposal (June 24, 1988): Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill covers approximately 130 acres on the edge of the City of Fresno, Fresno County, California. The surrounding area is primarily agricultural with some homes to the north and south. The city has owned and operated the landfill since 1935. It expanded to its current size in 1945. The landfill has a permit from the State to accept nonhazardous solid waste and general refuse.
In 1983, tests by the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) revealed that methane gas was migrating from the landfill. In June 1984, residents living adjacent to the landfill wrote letters to EPA and CDHS alleging that waste crankcase oils and solvents had been openly disposed of at the landfill. In November 1984, Fresno installed 17 wells around the perimeter of the landfill to monitor methane and 6 wells to monitor ground water. The city also constructed barriers on two sides of the landfill to control methane migration. Monitoring conducted in 1985 indicated that methane migration to nearby homes was decreasing.
According to sampling conducted in 1984 by CDHS and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, and dichloroethylene are present in wells at the edge of the landfill. Upgradient wells show no contamination, and no other possible sources of contamination are known to exist upgradient of the site.
Nine municipal wells are within 3 miles of the Fresno landfill. Water from these wells feeds into a blended system that serves the City of Fresno. The general distribution area serves approximately 260,000 people. Nine private wells within 3 miles of the landfill serve an additional 3,000 people who have no other source of drinking water.
Status (October 4, 1989): EPA is considering various alternatives for the site.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.