[CPEO-BIF] School Building Sites Turn up Toxic Hazardous Soil

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

School building sites turn up toxic 
Hazardous soil in San Jose, Oakland
Monday, April 22, 2002 

Meredith May, Chronicle Staff Writer 

In the first statewide tests of contamination at public school sites, 
scientists found tainted soil where schools were being built in San 
Jose, Oakland and the Central Valley, according to a survey released 
today. 

The ground checks of 752 locations come after the discovery of 
contaminants halted school construction in Los Angeles and prompted a 
new state law requiring experts to test the soil before building 
schools. 

In the state's survey, 473 school sites passed their first inspection, 
267 needed a second look, and 12 had dirt removed, including one San 
Jose school where experts found farm pesticides. 

Under the old law, oversight fell to the California Department of 
Education, which did not have hazardous materials experts on its staff, 
according to the report. 

The state law, which took effect two years ago, puts the California 
Department of Toxic Substances Control in charge of looking for 
potential school hazards. The agency opened three new offices and 
assigned toxicologists, geologists and engineers to check the schools. 
School districts must have their future school sites checked in order to 
receive state construction bond funds. 

"Many schools in urban areas need to grow, but the only land available 
is former industrial sites," said Ron Baker, spokesman for the 
California Department of Toxic Substances Control. "In rural areas, 
schools are expanding on old crop land, so we're finding old farm 
pesticides in the ground." 

This article can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/04/22/BATOXIC.TMP&nl=top

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