This bill would provide that “no mining activity, operation or facility, or appurtenances thereof, as defined, in operation for more than 3 years, and conducted or maintained for commercial purposes in a manner consistent with proper and accepted customs and standards, shall become a nuisance due to any changed condition in the locality if it was not a nuisance at the time it began, except as specified.”

This  legislation attempts to avoid misunderstandings between residents and the mining operations near their homes, as increased urbanization brings communities closer to these historically rural activities. Today, there are 717 active mines or aggregate facilities within the state that produce some of the most important materials in California and are used to build everything from homes to roads. The average Californian uses between six to seven tons of aggregate per year.

“I am pleased that Governor Brown has signed SB 110, which informs Californians whenever they are about to purchase a home near an existing mining operation,” Senator Michael Rubio said. “Traditionally, mines are found far away from most residential communities but, as urbanization has increased over the years, homes have encroached upon those operations and misunderstandings have arisen as a result. In order to avoid any potential ongoing conflicts, SB 110 addresses the need to provide adequate notice that will clearly benefit both new residents and existing mining operations in communities throughout California.”

While we at GeoAssurance have been disclosing Abandoned mines in our environmental report since 2006, this new disclosure is not the same and should not be confused with abandoned mines.

Leaking underground storage tank This one has been in the news for the last 10 months. In 1986 there was a serious leak in an underground storage tank at the site. The company and health officials have been working to clean up the site since that time. It was discovered in January that contaminated soil vapors that have seeped into the soil in the Bridgeport neighborhood next to the station, causing three temporary evacuations. According to the orange county Register, “Four homes were thought to have significant levels of contamination and residents were relocated. After further study, the Orange County Health Care Agency and Arco found there were no immediate health risks and the residents were given clearance to return home in March.” This is an on going event. Below is a map showing the location of the station and monitoring wells.

More Information can be obtained from the following articles: Seal Beach wants changes to Arco gas leak cleanup plan BP/ARCO Sets Schedule for Seal Beach Cleanup Seal Beach, Saying Enough is Enough, Wants BP/ARCO to Remove Contaminated Soil

Petroleum contamination was discovered under the subdivision as a result of a nearby investigation by the State Department of Toxics Substance Control. The department detected benzene levels 100,000 times above the state of California’s standard. Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil, which can cause serious health effects if someone is exposed to the carcinogen. The long-term exposure to high levels of airborne benzene causes leukemia, a potentially fatal type of cancer. The Carousel neighborhood residents fear the test results and the overall outcome of the suspected contamination could leave their property worthless.

For the full story see: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/-toxic-soil-lurks-beneath-carson-neighborhood.html The map below is a 1934 USGS Topographic map depicting the Former Shell Oil Tank Farm in Carson Former Shell Oil Tank Farm in Carson as it is shown on parcels

IT’S IN the tank. Up in smoke. Biting the dust.

The real estate market? No. The toxic substances in the water, air and dirt enveloping many Southern California properties. With leaky oil wells in backyards, solid-waste landfills near homes and abandoned meth labs in residential areas, it’s a wonder Southland residents aren’t neon.

“California . . . has thousands of waste sites that were contaminated either by industrial, agricultural or past military uses,” said Angela Blanchette, a spokeswoman for the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Department of Toxic Substances Control.

“Some towns don’t have much to worry about,” said Ralph Kephart, president of Long Beach-based GeoAssurance Inc. and an expert in mapping natural and environmental hazards statewide. “But some towns have been abandoned because of toxic spills.”

So when thinking about purchasing that perfect house near a onetime military base, dry cleaner or property that’s been empty for a while, experts advise paying a private company $50 to $150 for a detailed environmental hazards report or searching for free online information about the neighborhood from government agencies. Unknown environmental hazards are not included in the blizzard of paperwork buyers read at the close of escrow, so consumers bear the burden of uncovering the potential presence of noxious substances themselves. And there are plenty.

Although hundreds of so-called brownfield sites are now cleaned up and put back to productive use, according to Blanchette, hundreds still are awaiting cleanup and redevelopment. As of mid-July, her department listed more than 2,000 toxic-waste sites statewide. These figures do not include all of the federal Superfund sites or those under other state jurisdictions.

There are nearly 24,000 oil wells in Los Angeles and Orange counties, many properly abandoned but many not, according to the state Department of Conservation. And in 2007, 83 methamphetamine labs in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties were identified by the state and cleaned up — just the tip of the iceberg, experts say, because many labs go undetected.

diane.wedner@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-re-enviro27-2008jul27,0,4708351,full.story

Radon is a relatively new issue in California. Although you can’t see, smell or taste it, there may still be a radon problem in your home. Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. While this process is natural, the effects of radon are very dangerous, and very few people are aware that radon ranks as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States – second only to smoking cigarettes.

Levels of radon in an outdoor environment are usually quite low, and not much of a health risk to humans. Indoors, however, radon levels can be very high. Radon can enter homes and buildings through cracks in floors, walls or foundations, quickly leading to dangerous levels in confined spaces. Testing is the only way to know if your home has elevated radon levels. Testing is inexpensive and easy, whether you hire a professional or purchase a test kit (available at most hardware stores for around $13). If high levels are detected, radon reduction systems can bring the amount of radon down to a safe level at an inexpensive cost relative to the size and design of your home.

RADON IN CALIFORNIA

Back in 2003, local newspaper headlines in Palos Verdes read, “High School Science Project Leads to Federal Radon Study in California”. What began as 15-year-old Lauren Fukumoto’s high school science project soon expanded to a USGS study of the geologic causes of indoor radon in her south of Los Angeles school district. Awareness of California’s radon problems quickly spread throughout the country. From the CGS website, the story relates that geologist Ron Churchill was dispatched to Palos Verdes to discuss the radon issue with the school district and to observe and provide assistance to a special USGS study. He met geophysicist Joe Duval, USGS’ top radon expert, and the mapping began. Since that time, Mr. Churchill has produced a number of maps, including the Lake Tahoe Area, Eldorado County, Placer and San Luis Obispo County, Santa Cruz, Monterey County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County and Los Angeles County.

A few years ago I called Mr. Churchill and spoke to him about the radon data, as we had started using the maps in our disclosure reports. He explained his concerns about the accuracy of the radon potential maps and suggested comparing them with the actual test results from “zip code data”. There were too few test results to really draw hard conclusions, so I included both sets of data at that time, in order to obtain the best picture possible. Since then, we have started using the zip code data alone, as there is now enough test result data to get a more reliable picture – but it is still by no means complete. With all the ongoing testing, the data will become more accurate over time.

In addition, we have reviewed the CGS data with the test results collected by Air Chek Inc. (radon.com), which offers a variety of test kits and has a wealth of information on radon in California and throughout the country.

The map shown to the left is the EPA’s predicted average indoor screening by county and zone. On the right is the Lawrence Livermore map of predicted MEDIAN annual average living area concentration of radon.

WHAT ARE THE MAPS TELLING US?

Are the maps showing that California’s radon problem is limited to just a few counties? I don’t think so! California’s radon problem is widespread and serious.

The Berkley map contains the following disclaimer: “Colors may be hard to distinguish, particularly among the greens.” But this map, isn’t intended to give really detailed predictions anyway. Remember, these are predictions. There is some uncertainty in each county’s actual median! Note; only three counties are green (2 or 2.5 pCI/L or above). Having taught statistics I know it can be confusing for the unfamiliar, if not misleading, so I am going to use simple odds. – see below.

The EPA Map (left) has a different disclaimer: “The purpose of this map is to assist national, state, and local organizations to target their resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes. This map is not intended to be used to determine if a home in a given zone should be tested for radon. Homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in all three zones. In my opinion, all homes should be tested regardless of geographic location.

Map by Zip Code and County: These maps will give a different perspective. Based on actual tests, the colors change and the odds are clearer. However, these maps are still not complete, and there is still not enough hard and specific data at the address level.

CONCLUSION

These maps show that California has a widespread and serious radon problem. With the data gathered, we have narrowed the location to where the odds are highest. Still, with insufficient data in most areas of the state, my response will continue to be, “Let’s test and find out!”

Although you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it, radon is a serious health risk to Californians. As the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, radon is not something to be taken lightly. Fortunately, testing for and eliminating radon is simple, easy, and relatively inexpensive. Of all the natural hazards affecting California homes, radon is the easiest and cheapest to eliminate. With the dangers great, and elimination easy, there are simply no excuses for allowing the dangers of radon in any home.

National Pipeline Mapping System