November 17th Report of CIWMB action

   Yesterday, November 16th, the California Integrated Waste Management Board authorized funds and conditions for a winterization of the Westley Tire Fire site.  The cost is over $335,000.

   The main problem is the coming winter rains that would normally run through this now contaminated site.  The watershed of the tire site canyon is said to be 462 acres with most of that uphill of the fire and its resulting toxic debris.

   The challenge is to damn up the two main channels into the site and construct two 3,000 foot long plastic pipelines (about 24” dia each) which will be above ground and to carry the normal uncontaminated runoff through the site and past the contamination to the normal runoff area near Interstate 5.

   The contaminated burn site will be controlled so that runoff does not leave the site.  In addition to the original pond, there are now two larger ponds constructed to hold toxic runoff that may include pyrolitic oil and ash in addition to foam, which once used, is said to be toxic.

   In addition, the CIWMB also authorized the tire burning plant to restart and burn an estimated one million tires that were off to one side of the burn area.  In addition, tires too large to go into the burning plant, will be cut up, shredded and hauled to the Altamont land fill a few miles north of the site.

See Modesto Bee article this date re state action:  www.modbee.com.

   A car full of our committee members attended the CIWMB meeting in Sacramento and read into the record, our conditions for cleanup of this site and the importation of new tires to supply the tire incineration plant.  Other info was also provided to the Board.

   According to Karen Cox, Ed Filbin will be allowed to start moving the large “East” pile down to where they can be picked up by Modesto Energy Limited Partnership (MELP) to be burned in their facility.  This pile which climbs up a hillside off to one side is said to be as much as 1 million tires.  Maps also indicates that this pile is outside the area designated by Stanislaus County -- PD-91 -- for the storage of waste tires at that site.  Photos going back many years show that this pile has been out of the PD zone and thus a violation of Stanislaus County ordinances.

   Other tires will be moved into a position to be burned depending on the winterization construction going on at the site.  These activities must all go on at the same time in a limited staging and construction area.  Much of the site contains mounds of burned tires mixed with dirt and ash. A large area of partially burned tires and toxic water and debris also occupies a large area normally used by tire delivery trucks.

   The long-term cleanup of the site has not been addressed as yet.  The work on eliminating the unburned tires is expected to take about 40 weeks.

   While the Community Concern-Action Committee is not unhappy with yesterday’s decisions, they will stay vigilant as to how various government agencies handle this winterization and remediation project.  The committee will not turn it’s back and make assumptions that all will be taken care of.

   Those interested in joining our effort that includes a health clinic on air issues each Monday at the Patterson High School Cafeteria, please join us. The more watch dogs, the less chance this will go bad a second time.