TOPOCK REMEDIATION REVIEWFourth Quarter 2011 Newsletter

Design for Groundwater Remedy in Progress

OnNovember18,2011,PacificGasandElectricCompany(PG&E)submittedthedraftBasisofDesignReport/Preliminary(30%)DesigntoDepartmentoftheInterior(DOI)andtheCaliforniaDepartmentofToxicSubstancesControl(DTSC).Thepreliminarydesignpresentsthepreliminarydesignbasis,designcriteria,drawings,andlistofspecificationsaswellasotherinformationrequiredforimplementingthegroundwaterremedy.Thisfirststepisintendedtoobtaininputfromagencies,tribes,andstakeholdersatanearlydesignstage(30%levelofdetail).

Tofacilitatestakeholderreviewofthedesigndocument,PG&EhostedasitevisitonDecember13-14,2011,toHinkleyandTopocktoviewthefull-scalein-situremediationsystematHinkley

andtheplannedremedycomponentsatTopock,respectively.Over45membersfromTribes(FortMojaveIndianTribe,HualapaiTribe,ChemehueviTribe),Agencies(DTSC,DOI,USEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,USFishandWildlifeService,BureauofLandManagement,BureauofReclamation),MetropolitanWaterDistrict,theTechnicalReviewCommittee(TRC),andPG&Eattendedthesitewalks.Afollow-upmeetingviateleconferencewasheldonJanuary6,2012,tocontinuethediscussiononseveraltechnicaltopicsnotcoveredduringthesitewalks.Inaddition,PG&Ehostedafollow-upsitevisitonJanuary9,2012,todiscussalternativewelllocations.

Thetimelineforsubmittalandreviewofthekeydesigndocumentsisbelow.

Groundwater Remedy Site Walk held on December 14, 2011.

DOCUMENTS TARGET SCHEDULE

Preliminary (30%) Design

Submitted for Review/Comment November18,2011Comments Submitted January27,2012Comment Resolution February9–March23,2012

Intermediate (60%) Design

Submit for Review/Comment May22,2012Comments Due June27,2012Comment Resolution July13–August9,2012

Pre-Final (90%) Design

Submit for Review/CommentOctober8,2012Comments DueNovember26,2012Comment ResolutionNovember27–December24,2012

January 2012 1

A site walk was held on December 15, 2011 to discuss planned sampling in selected areas.

Planning for Supplemental Soil Investigation

OnMay6,2011,PG&EpublishedaDraftSoilResourceConservationRecoveryAct(RCRA)FacilityInvestigation/RemedialInvestigationWorkPlan.Tribes,stakeholders,andagencieshavereviewedandprovidedcommentsontheDraftWorkPlan.BeginninginAugust2011,severalmeetingshavebeenheldtodiscussandresolvecomments,andadditionalmeetingsareplannedtoresolvethescopeofsamplinginsidetheCompressorStation.OnDecember15,2011,asitemeeting/sitewalkwasheldtodiscussplannedsamplinginselectedareas.

Aftercompletionofcommentresolution,PG&EwillreviseandsubmittheWorkPlanforDTSCandDOIapproval.PursuanttoCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA),DTSCwillreviewtheenvironmentalimpactsassociatedwiththeproposedactivitiesandfileadeterminationalongwiththeDepartment’sapprovaloftheRevisedWorkPlan.ThetimelinefortheSoilRFI/RIisshownbelow.

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2012

• Start Soil RFI/RI Report

• Start Soil Investigation

• Approve Soil RFI/RI Work Plan

• Obtain Approvals/Agreements to Implement the Groundwater Remedy

• Complete East Ravine–Topock Compressor Station Groundwater Investigation

2013

• Start Soil Risk Assessment

• Complete Soil RFI/RI Report

• Construct Groundwater Remedy

• Complete Remedial Design

Project Fact Sheet—Target January 2012

Community Survey—Target January 2012

First Quarter 2012 Newsletter—April 2012

Intermediate (60%) Design—Target May 2012

Revised Soil RCRA Facility Investigation/Remedial Investigation (RFI/RI)Work Plan–Target Spring 2012

RECENT/UPCOMING REPORTS AND NEWSLETTERSSITEWIDE NEXT STEPS

SUPPLEMENTAL SOIL INVESTIGATION WORK PLAN TIMELINE

Comment Resolution August2011–February2012

Revised Work Plan April2012

Agencies Review/Approve May2012(targetdate)

Field Implementation Summer2012

TOPOCK PROJECT ACTIVITY RECAP

1. TheBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT(BLM)issuedtheTribalAccessPlanonNovember26,2011,asrequiredbytheProgrammaticAgreement.TheAccessPlanensuresTribalaccesstoareaswithintheAreaofPotentialEffect(APE)fortraditional,cultural,orspiritualpurposes.

2. Tribal/PG&EmonthlyconferencecallswereinitiatedonNovember22,2011.Thesecallswereestablishedtoenhanceprojectrelatedcommunicationandarescheduledforthe4thThursdayofeverymonthfrom10:00amto12:00pmPacificStandardTime.PleasecontactGlennCarusoofPG&Eat925-301-6954formoreinformation.

3. ProgressmadeonseveralEnvironmentalImpactReport(EIR)mitigationmeasures:

•Anotherroundoffloristicsurveysisplannedforspring,2012.AsurveywaspreviouslyperformedinNovember2011.Theexacttimingwillbedeterminedbyaqualifiedbotanist.

•PG&EhasbeenworkingonanoutlineoftheCulturalImpactMitigationProgram(CIMP).AppliedEarthworkistheculturalresourcesconsultanthiredbyPG&EtopreparetheCIMP.

•AdraftpaleontologicalmanagementplanhasbeenpreparedandisunderreviewbyPG&E(CUL-3).Resultsfromtheinvestigationwillbeusedtodeterminewhetherapre-constructionsurveyand/orconstructionmonitoringisrequired.

4. TechnicalWorkGroup(TWG)meetingswereheldonOctober18,2011,inYuma,ArizonaandonJanuary19,2012inBoulderCity,Nevadatocontinuethediscussionofthegroundwatermodelingeffortinsupportoftheremedydesign.

5. ConsultativeWorkGroup(CWG)meetingswereheldonOctober19,2011,inYumaArizonaandJanuary18,2012,inBoulderCity,Nevada.ViceChairmanPhillipsandMs.McCormickoftheCocopahIndianTribegaveapresentationattheYumameeting,andPresidentJonesoftheYavapai-PrescottIndiantribeprovidedapresentationinBoulderCity’sCWGmeeting.

6. Akick-offmeetingfortheTechnicalReviewCommittee(TRC)washeldonOctober20,2011,attheTopockCompressorStation.ParticipantsincludednewTRCrepresentatives,theFortMojaveIndianTribe,theHualapaiIndianTribe,HDREngineering(whomanagestheTRC),DTSCandPG&E.

7. TheCWGDisturbedSoilSubgroupmembersheldaconferencecallonDecember9,2011,todiscussdisturbedsoilmanagementtopicsincludingthedraftPolicyforHandlingandDispositionofDisturbedSiteSoilspreparedbyDr.LeoLeonhart,technicalconsultanttotheFortMojaveIndianTribe.

Outreach Activities, Opportunities for Involvement and InputDTSCandDOIhostedacommunitymeetinginGoldenShoresonDecember12,2011.TheArizonaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,ArizonaDepartmentofHealthServicesandMohaveCountyDepartmentofPublicHealthwerealsopresent.Toviewthepresentation,visitwww.dtsc-topock.com.

ThePG&ETopockEnvironmentalInvestigationUpdateFactSheetwaspublishedinJanuary2012.Thefactsheetincludedthecommunitysurvey.Pleasepassitontoyourcommunityconstituents.Respondentshave30daystosubmittheircompletedsurveyonlineorviahardcopy.Theresponseswillbeusedtohelp

improvetheTopockcommunityoutreachprogram.Toviewthefactsheetortakethesurvey,visitwww.dtsc-topock.com.

TheCommunityOutreachPlaniscurrentlybeingupdatedandisexpectedtobecompletedinSeptember2012.ThepurposeoftheCommunityOutreachPlanistokeepthecommunityinformedinatimelyfashion,toformallydocumentcommunityperspectivesregardingtheenvironmentalinvestigationandremediationattheStation,andtoidentifyspecificcommunityoutreachactivitiestobeconductedtoensurecommunityinvolvementintheagencydecisionmakingprocess.

January 2012 3

RECENT/UPCOMING MEETINGS

• January 17/February 21/March 20—Clearinghouse Task Force Meeting, Henderson, Nevada

• January 18—Consultative Work Group Meeting, Boulder City, Nevada

• January 19—Technical Work Group (TWG) Meeting, Boulder City, Nevada

• January 26/February 23/March 22—Tribal Topock Project Monthly Updates, Teleconference

•March 3—Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Establishment Day, Blue Water Resort and Casino (for additional information, contact CRIT Tourism Bureau Manager at (928) 669-7037)

FOR MORE INFO:

VisitDTSC’sTopockProjectWebsite:www.dtsc-topock.com

QuestionsregardingthisnewsletterortheTopockProjectshouldbedirectedto:

AaronYueDTSCProjectManagerPhone:(714)484-5439E-mail:ayue@dtsc.ca.gov

PamelaInnisDOITopockRemedialProjectManagerPhone:(303)445-2502E-mail:pamela.innis@ios.doi.gov

The Topock Remediation ReviewisaquarterlytechnicalupdateontheTopockCompressorStationcleanupproject.ItispublishedbytheTopockClearinghouseTaskForce,agroupofstakeholderscomprisedofstate,regional,andfederalagencies,NativeAmericanTribesandPG&Erepresentatives.TheReviewisdedicatedtoenhancingstakeholderunderstandingoftechnicalandregulatoryinformation,encouragingparticipationindecisionmakingforums,andfosteringtimelyandeffectiveprojectmanagementanddecisionsfortheTopockCompressorStationprojectfinalremedy.

You may view past issues of the newsletter in the Document Library on the project’s website (www.dtsc-topock.com). Once there navigate to the “Public Outreach” page and its “Other Outreach Documents” category.

TOPOCK REMEDIATION

REVIEW

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