The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with four parties of the now defunct Halaco Engineering Co., on an agreement to stabilize and secure the closed smelter site in Oxnard, Calif.
John Haack, Robert Haack, Clarence Haack, and the Clarence Haack Living Trust are named in the agreement requiring a time-critical removal action to protect public health and the environment and to control hazardous substances onsite.
"This is an important first step in evaluating this site," said Dan Meer, Superfund chief of response, planning and assessment for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. "We will be working with the responsible parties as they perform work under our agreement."
Halaco Engineering Co. is currently in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The removal action at the site will include the following activities:
• Implementing site security measures which may include security guard service, repair, replacement, or installation of chain link fencing, and posting of warning signs;
• Identifying and mitigating sources of radioactive contamination in excess of EPA residential screening levels;
• Containing or stabilizing all hazardous substances and process solids from the smelter area and waste management unit;
• Sampling, characterizing, removing, and consolidating for disposal all liquid and solid wastes from containment structures, buildings, tanks, drums, small containers, and pit sumps.
In addition to performing the time-critical removal action, the settling parties agreed to pay the EPA for all future response costs related to this removal action at the facility.
On June 19, the EPA initiated a two-week integrated site assessment sampling event to determine if other short-term and/or long-term actions are necessary to stabilized the site. The EPA’s integrated assessment report will become final this fall and will be available for public review.
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