Olin should move its dirty soil out of Morgan Hill
– and because it’s not willing to do it voluntarily, the state’s
Regional Water Quality Control Board should immediately issue an
emergency order forcing the company to do so.
Olin should move its dirty soil out of Morgan Hill – and because it’s not willing to do it voluntarily, the state’s Regional Water Quality Control Board should immediately issue an emergency order forcing the company to do so.
This is not a precedent-setting request. When sewer was dumped into the Pajaro River, an emergency order was issued.
At the company’s now-defunct road flare factory in Morgan Hill, tons of perchlorate-tainted soil leeches its poison into South Valley’s groundwater at this very moment. We are in the rainy season, meaning another season’s precipitation is filtered through that perchlorate-laced soil, picking up the poison and delivering it to a plume headed south through San Martin and toward Gilroy.
The RWQCB should have ordered the soil removed soon after the perchlorate was discovered in October 2000 – four rainy seasons ago. But the plume’s poisonous reach has been allowed to spread. Had an emergency order been issued in March 2002, when Morgan Hill had to close a municipal well due to high perchlorate levels, the perchlorate plume would have lost last winter’s growth. Now, here we are in January 2004 and Olin – after all this mess and publicity – says it doesn’t want to remove the soil.
Give us a break.
Instead, Olin wants to try applying ethanol and bacteria to the affected soil. This method would require two years for the bacteria to digest the ethanol and perchlorate and produce chlorite, which is said to be harmless.
That might be a fine plan – after the worst of the contaminated soil is removed. We wholeheartedly agree with Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy who said, “It seems they should remove at least the dirtiest of the soil.”
The real question: is why hasn’t Olin been forced to do so already?
It has been more than three years since perchlorate was discovered on the perchlorate site. South Valley residents should not have to wait another two years for a cleanup process that might not be as effective as soil removal.
We’re tired of the deep-pocketed corporation responsible for the perchlorate plaguing South Valley dragging its feet and pinching pennies when it comes to cleaning up the mess caused by its former road flare factory in Morgan Hill.
We’re tired of the laissez-faire attitude toward enforcing a responsible cleanup effort on the part of regional and state water officials.
Olin should remove the perchlorate-tainted soil immediately. It’s a public health threat that should be halted.
Perhaps state water quality officials will listen if enough residents send them a message.
Here’s who to contact:
• Regional Water Quality Control Board: www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb3/
895 Aerovista Pl., Ste. 101, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Sr. Water Resources Eng. Eric Gobler, (805)549-3467, eg*****@rb*.gov/
Executive Director, Roger Briggs (805) 549-3140 or rb*****@rb*.gov/
Board Members: Bruce B. Daniels, chair, Leslie S. Bowker, Gary C. Shallcross, Russell M. Jeffries, Daniel M. Press and one vacancy.
