Orange County Grand Jury
• 2011-2012
Nesi/ascon Study Nesi/site Study: the Saga Continues
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 10 findings
F1
The subject area is a former dumpsite where industrial and oil field wastes were disposed of into surface impoundments;
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Numbers of unsuccessful efforts to clean up the site had been made from the early 1980‘s;
No recommendations for this finding
F3
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), an agency under the California Environmental Protection Agency, became lead clean-up agency in 1989;
No recommendations for this finding
F4
The 1999-2000 Grand Jury studied the problems of potential dangers to the health and safety of the community and recommended that the City of Huntington Beach pursue a more stringent policy of safety enforcement of the appropriate regulations and rules pertinent to the toxic dangers facing the City;
No recommendations for this finding
F5
The 1999-2000 Grand Jury found that the City of Huntington Beach did not assume the degree of responsibility for monitoring the Nesi/Ascon site that seemed prudent to that Grand Jury;
No recommendations for this finding
F6
A Consent Order and Decree was issued in 2003 by the State DTSC through which seven companies agreed to take on the task and expense of reclaiming the site;
No recommendations for this finding
F7
DTSC-driven ―clean-up‖ began in 2003; 35 1999-2000 Grand Jury Final Report, ET-1 36 Ibid, ET-5. ―[t]he City of Huntington Beach does not assume the degree of responsibility for monitoring the Nesi/Ascon site that seems prudent to the Grand Jury.‖
No recommendations for this finding
F8
Final remediation has still not been attained but is expected to be completed in 2015;
No recommendations for this finding
F9
―Clean-up‖ is taking an extraordinarily long time to achieve, far longer than originally contemplated.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Huntington Beach City Council should give the Nesi/Ascon site (now called the Ascon Landfill) a high priority and use their positions to bring pressure on the appropriate entities to hasten (in accordance with State law) the final effective reclamation of this site. [See F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F7, F8, F9]
F10
Some neighbors claim that there have been abnormally high numbers of physical and neurological illnesses in nearby housing owing to the toxicity of the site, although Public Health Agency statistics do not appear to bear this out. Such public health statistics have not calmed he fears of some local residents. Responses to Findings 1 through 10 are requested from the City Council of Huntington Beach.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Huntington Beach City Council in conjunction with the Orange County Health Agency (Public Health) should inquire into the possibility that health issues in the neighborhood of the dumpsite were caused or exacerbated by proximity to the site. [See F1, F3, F4, F5, F7, F9, F10] Responses to Recommendations 1 and 2 are required from the City Council of Huntington Beach, and a response to Recommendation 2 is requested from Orange County Health Agency (Public Health).
Additional Recommendations 1
These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.
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R3The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation. All responses should be received no later than October 1 (unless the agency or department has requested in writing an additional extension). Follow-up is the responsibility of the sitting Grand Jury.
Conclusions 1
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CL1As a result of the Consent Decree and its required studies, the 2005 emergency action, and the completed interim removal measures, the 2011-2012 Grand Jury is pleased to report that, finally, substantial progress has been made in cleaning up almost a century's worth of toxic waste cesspools in the middle of an area surrounded, in great part, by a school, park, and residences.35 While progress has been made, it has been painfully slow, and, according to some residents, the lack of speed or feelings of urgency have perhaps been at the expense of the health of some in the nearby community. While the 2011-2012 Grand Jury understands the need for thoroughness and care as well as compliance with State and Federal law on the part of the DTSC and others playing a part in the Nesi-Ascon rehabilitation, it would urge Huntington Beach city officials and its citizens (in the words of our predecessor Jury) to "bring pressure on the appropriate entity" 36 to accelerate the clean-up and complete it once and for all.