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City, State to Address Resident Concerns of Possible Contamination at Ag Park

RIVERSIDE, C.A.– The City of Riverside and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) have outlined potential next steps for dealing with concerns about possible contamination at the property known as Ag Park.

The agreement came after a recent meeting at Riverside City Hall. City Manager John A. Russo and DTSC Director Barbara A. Lee co-chaired the July 24 meeting, which also included city executive staff and representatives from the City Attorney’s Office, as well as DTSC experts in environmental science, environmental justice and environmental law.

The meeting included an update on DTSC’s efforts to answer questions that residents have raised about the property at Rutland and Jurupa avenues. DTSC outlined its intent to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a concurrent review of the site and to identify any appropriate confirmation sampling at the site, which could include sampling of the soil as well as the groundwater.

“Our meeting was informative and productive,” Russo said. “I look forward to working closely with Director Lee and her staff to identify and execute a prompt plan of action moving forward.”

DTSC oversaw clean-up of an incident at the site in 2003 in which sludge from a broken sewage digester was released onto the property. That material and the site were found to contain chemicals known as PCBs. DTSC cleared the property for development in April, 2014, but notified the City in May, 2015 that the agency is reviewing its earlier findings. Last month, the City issued a “Stop Work” order at the property, suspending development of a proposed housing tract there.

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