Ground water testing at toxic dump begins

Paul Clinton

Oil and chemical companies that polluted a 38-acre parcel of land in

southeast Huntington Beach have begun ground water tests to determine the

exact nature of the contamination.

An environmental firm hired by a consortium of nine companies, which

includes most of the major oil producers, started sinking test probes

into the ground water on Monday at the Ascon toxic waste dump.

The Geo-Probe devices, as they are known, can be pushed through the

soil to collect samples from the ground water at depths of up to 100 feet

or more.

Fullerton environmental firm Project Navigator is handling the work

for the companies, who have agreed to review documents and perhaps help

clean up the site.

“It’s part of a work plan,” said Santana Gonzalez, a Chevron Texaco

spokesman. “After that, we’ll possibly consider a couple of ground water

monitoring wells.”

During this round of testing, environmental consultants will sink 12

probes into the ground water at different locations off the site’s

property line. It is at the intersection of Magnolia Street and Hamilton

Avenue.

On May 28, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control

mailed a letter to residents surrounding the Ascon property informing

them of the work.

During the test battery, four samples will be taken in the

neighborhood east of Ascon and eight in the areas north and west of the

site.

Some samples will also be taken within the property’s fenced off

borders, according to the letter.

Results of the tests will be submitted to the agency in September.

While negotiating with the oil and chemical companies on a cleanup

plan, the agency is also supervising the testing program.

Councilwoman Connie Boardman lauded the testing work as a positive

sign of movement on the long-delayed cleanup of the site, which was an

end point for crude oil waste, styrene and other noxious substances for

five decades.

“I think this is the first time the responsible parties have moved

forward to do anything out there other than dumping,” Boardman said.

A handful of environmental firms in the 1990s took samples at Ascon

and reported that benzene, crude oil and petroleum hydrocarbons had

leaked into the ground water.

* PAUL CLINTON is a reporter with Times Community News. He covers City

Hall and education. He may be reached at (714) 965-7173 or by e-mail ato7 paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .