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Soda Ash Piles
Government
261160
Lake Street & Mojave Street OLANCHA, CA 93549
214
029-200-11
36.321117339973554 / -118.02287936297945
3
Byous, Eric
Byous.Eric@epa.gov
415-972-3531


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Property Location



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Property Progress


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CAs Associated with this Property

CA NameCA #StateTypeAnnouncement Year
R9 TBA - California (STAG Funded)n/aCATBA2004


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Assessment Activities at this Property

ActivityEPA FundingStart DateCompletion DateCAAccomplishment Counted?Counted When?
Phase II Environmental Assessment$155,870.0004/07/202210/25/2023R9 TBA - California (STAG Funded)YFY24
Supplemental Assessment$9,920.0005/30/202310/25/2023R9 TBA - California (STAG Funded)N


Is Cleanup Necessary? Yes
EPA Assessment Funding: $165,790.00
Leveraged Funding:
Total Funding: $165,790.00


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Climate Adaption and Mitigation - Planning or Assessment

There is no data for Climate Adaption and Mitigation - Planning or Assessment.


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Contaminants and Media


Arsenic
Cadmium (Cd)
Chromium (Cr)
Copper (Cu)
Lead
Mercury
Nickel (Ni)
Other Contaminants
Other Metals
Petroleum Products
Selenium (Se)
Iron (Fe)
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up
Ground Water
Soil
NOT Cleaned up
NOT Cleaned up

Cleanup Activities

There are no current cleanup activities.


Cleanup/Treatment Implemented: U
Cleanup/Treatement Categories:
Addl Cleanup/Treatment info:
Address of Data Source:
Total ACRES Cleaned Up: 214
Number of Cleanup Jobs Leveraged:
EPA Cleanup Funding:
Leveraged Funding:
Cost Share Funding:
Total Funding:


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Climate Adaption and Mitigation - Demolition or Cleanup

There is no data for Climate Adaption and Mitigation - Demolition or Cleanup.


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Institutional and Engineering Controls

U
U
U
U


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Redevelopment and Other Leveraged Accomplishments

There are no current redevelopment activities.


Number of Redevelopment Jobs Leveraged:
Actual Acreage of Greenspace Created:
Leveraged Funding:


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Climate Adaption and Mitigation - Redevelopment

There is no data for Climate Adaption and Mitigation – Redevelopment


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Additional Property Attributes

The property is a 214-acre property located in a rural area east-adjacent to Cartago, Inyo County California. The property is bounded to the north and east by Owens Lake; to the south by a bottled water plant; and to the west by Cartago, California. The property hosts building remains from former soda ash plant activities and a large pile of soda ash (magnesium lime) waste. The property was developed as a soda ash plant in 1917 and operated by the California Alkali Company until 1924, when the Inyo Chemical Company assumed operation of the plant until 1932. A bottled water operation previously occupied a portion of the property but is no longer present. Currently, a portion of the property is used as a wildlife refuge. Areas of concern include the former soda ash plant area, drainages leading to pond-like features, a large pile of soda ash waste, and two artesian wells. Inyo County, the Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) Applicant, and the property owner, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, have an interest in removing the remains of the former soda ash plant and using the property as a wildlife refuge and viewing area. A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was performed in September 2023 and identified the presence of contaminants in soil and groundwater at the property. Elevated concentrations of antimony, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, vanadium, zinc, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH)-diesel-range organics (DRO), and TPH-oil-range organics (ORO) were detected in soil samples. Elevated concentrations of lead were detected in surface soil samples collected from the former building footprint drip lines. Elevated concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and vanadium were detected in surface soil samples collected from the drainage area. Elevated concentrations of dioxins and furans were detected in one sample collected from the soda ash plant area. Elevated concentrations of antimony, barium, copper, lead, mercury, and vanadium were detected in soil samples collected from the pond-like features. Elevated concentrations of arsenic, barium, lead, manganese, selenium, vanadium, zinc, and mercury were detected in samples collected from the large pile of soda ash waste. Elevated concentrations of arsenic, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, sodium, and zinc were detected in groundwater samples collected from the two artesian wells. Soils that contain arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, lead, nickel, vanadium, zinc, TPH-DRO, TPH-ORO, and dioxins and furans at concentrations above the project screening levels could require removal or capping to prevent exposure or release, and to mitigate potential impacts on human health if the property is designated as a wildlife refuge and viewing area. The pile of soda ash waste is recommended for disposal as elevated concentrations of arsenic, barium, lead, manganese, selenium, vanadium, zinc, and mercury were detected in soil and soda ash waste samples. Results from the pile of soda ash waste did not exceed Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) or Waste Extraction Test (WET) limits and can be disposed of as non-hazardous waste. Additional testing or treatment of groundwater is recommended before use of any groundwater from the two artesian wells on the property. Further, data gaps for certain analytes were identified as a result of elevated laboratory reporting limits.
Commercial (214)


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