[CPEO-MEF] Irvine Desalter/TCE remediation project

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

from Don Zweifel <zweifel@earthlink.net>

      To all interested parties:

Re a summation & resolution of only some of the problems surrounding the
former Marine Air Base @ El Toro, Ca.

During the last six years the Dept. of the Navy (DON) and the Orange
County Water District (OCWD) in conjunction w/ the Irvine Ranch Water
District (IRWD) have been spitting & snarling @ each other over who
should pick up the lion's share of the tab regarding the severe
contamination of our Irvine Groundwater Sub-basin/principle aquifer and
sub-surface soils @ MCAS, El Toro. 

Since DON has been identified as the Potentially Responsible Party or
PRP regarding the trichloroethylene (TCE) plume they have finally agreed
to clean up the aforementioned & currently nonpotable aquifer but not
any of the groundwater infused w/ high concentrations of mineral salts,
AKA Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). That is the primary reason for the
foot-dragging by DON, i.e., they effectively refused to concur re the
contention that they contributed to the high TDS condition.

The previously mentioned water districts have reluctantly agreed that
DON is not culpable for the excessive TDS findings. However since the
TCE problem surfaced in the late 80's it has grossly complicated
clean-up efforts.  This serious TCE contamination extends beyond the
base perimeter at least six miles to the west which by the way, is under
some of the most costly real estate in Southern California, the
Woodbridge upscale housing tract & the relatively new commercial complex
known as the Irvine Spectrum.

Don Zweifel
MCAS, El Toro charter RAB member
& pro bono consultant to El Toro
Local Redevelopment Authority,
ETLRA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~