SAN DIEGO RAB SUCCESS

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

NORTH ISLAND RAB HAS AN IMPACT

The following is reprinted from the Winter, 1995 
TOXINFORMER, the newsletter of the San Diego Environmental 
Health Coalition (EHC):

"EHC Active in Coronado Base Clean-Up"

 Based on input from Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) 
members, the Navy altered its plans and will now do a more 
protective cleanup of the most seriously contaminated site at the 
Naval Air Station, North Island (NASNI). EHC and Mr. Joe 
Zarnoch of the [California] Department of Toxic Substances 
Control submitted strong objections to the original plan to leave the 
hottest PCBs [polychlorinated biphenyls] on site. In response, the 
Navy proved its flexibility and commitment to listen to RAB 
member concerns and altered their plans.
 "The first proposal would have required an EPA waiver 
from Federal TSCA [Toxic Substances Control Act] laws. The new 
preferred alternative is comparable in cost to the original proposal 
and should reduce the toxicity and mobility of PCBs compared to 
the Navy's original proposal," stated Zarnoch. The current cleanup 
plan will treat all PCB contaminated soils to a level of 25 [parts per 
million] and dispose of it on Site 4. Site 4 will then become part of 
a driving range for the golf course. The victory is bittersweet, 
however, given that this plan allows for incineration of the 
recovered PCBs, which will pollute communities in Texas where 
the incinerator is located. EHC will continue active participation on 
the NASNI RAB and encourages other to join up.