The Department of Toxic Substance Control has been awarded a 200,000 dollar Community Wide Assessment Grant from the California Environmental Protection Agency for the inventory of mine waste on public and private lands in and around Jackson and Sutter Creek. At the Sutter Creek City Council meeting Monday evening, Jim Tjosvold, project manager for DTSC, presented the council with an overview of the US EPA Brownfields Grant. The Grant will provide money for the DTSC to determine the probability of mine waste and associated hazardous substances on lands with high development potential between the two towns. The analysis will be conducted using the DTSC’s “Abandoned Mine Lands Site Discovery Process,” which involves scrutinizing databases containing historical information, as well as public agency files, to determine the location of historical mine properties. In addition to the review of the files, public properties such as roadways, schools, parks and waterways will be inspected for the presence of mine wastes and mining features. Representative samples of mine wastes will be collected and analyzed for ‘chemicals of concern,’ including arsenic, mercury, and lead. Additionally, DTSC will provide some assistance on cleanup planning for selected properties including the identification of potential mitigation measures, suggested remedial actions and possible institutional controls. “The idea is to get a general overview of mining waste issues within the community in order to create a needs assessment,” said Tjosvold. “It is not intended, by any means, for enforcement.” The grant money will be distributed over a three year period, and the DTSC will begin the process in July of this year.
Thursday, 22 May 2008 02:06
Toxic Substance Control Awarded Grant
The Department of Toxic Substance Control has been awarded a 200,000 dollar Community Wide Assessment Grant from the California Environmental Protection Agency for the inventory of mine waste on public and private lands in and around Jackson and Sutter Creek. At the Sutter Creek City Council meeting Monday evening, Jim Tjosvold, project manager for DTSC, presented the council with an overview of the US EPA Brownfields Grant. The Grant will provide money for the DTSC to determine the probability of mine waste and associated hazardous substances on lands with high development potential between the two towns. The analysis will be conducted using the DTSC’s “Abandoned Mine Lands Site Discovery Process,” which involves scrutinizing databases containing historical information, as well as public agency files, to determine the location of historical mine properties. In addition to the review of the files, public properties such as roadways, schools, parks and waterways will be inspected for the presence of mine wastes and mining features. Representative samples of mine wastes will be collected and analyzed for ‘chemicals of concern,’ including arsenic, mercury, and lead. Additionally, DTSC will provide some assistance on cleanup planning for selected properties including the identification of potential mitigation measures, suggested remedial actions and possible institutional controls. “The idea is to get a general overview of mining waste issues within the community in order to create a needs assessment,” said Tjosvold. “It is not intended, by any means, for enforcement.” The grant money will be distributed over a three year period, and the DTSC will begin the process in July of this year.
