Desert Managers Group - Hazardous Materials Work Group

(DMG-HMWG) Meeting Minutes

Black Rock Visitors Center -- Joshua Tree National Park

Yucca Valley, California

February 19, 2003 - 10:00 A.M.

After introductions, Co-Chair John Key called the meeting to order at
10:00 A.M.

Fourteen people were in attendance: BLM (6 - Molly Brady, Mona Daniels,
Peter Graves, Lowell Jeffcoat, John Key, and Russell Scofield), NPS (2 -
Jeff Ohlfs, and Gerry Wolfe), BIA (1 - Gil Stuart), DOI-DMG (1-John
Hamill), Cal EPA (1-Garry Brown), Riverside County Health-Solid Waste
LEA (1-Steve Moise), San Bernardino County Health-Solid Waste LEA
(1-Kristian Alfelor), and California District Attorney's Association
(1 - Jane Crue)

**[Minutes Review of Previous Meetings]{.underline}** John Key
distributed the minutes from the past two meetings held in August (in
Ridgecrest) and November 2002(in Riverside) for review. After a quick
review - there were no corrections, additions or deletions made and the
minutes were approved.

**[Guest Presentation:]{.underline}** Jane Crue, Circuit Prosecutor -
Waste Tire Program, California District Attorney's Association gave a
power-point presentation on Environmental Circuit Prosecutor Project and
the Waste Tire Enforcement Program. Jane talked about some of the ways
that she could assist the group member in their prevention and
enforcement roles. She also talked about the waste tire problem in
California - where 30 million tires are generated annually. One of the
biggest problems with waste tires is their potential for tire fires. She
stressed the fact that tire fires are a major hazardous materials event.
She used the Westley Tire Fire in Stanislaus County as an example. That
fire produced large quantities of hazardous waste: mostly pyrolitic oil,
polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's), benzene, butadiene, residual heavy
metals (lead and chrome), and large amounts of contaminated water use to
fight the fire. To date more than \$ 20 million dollars had been
expended by U.S. EPA and the State of California to cleanup the site.
The California District Attorney's Association is operating the program
on a two-year grant from the California Integrated Waste Management
Board (CIWMB). The focus so far has been in Madera and Imperial
Counties. Jane also distributed copies of her presentation.

**[Illegal Dumping Prevention Plan - Status:]{.underline}** Russell
Scofield next briefed the group about a proposal that the Keep
California Beautiful, Inc. has prepared for the DMG-HMWG's illegal
dumping prevention program. The proposal offered several interesting
features including a "Cars don't litter -- People do" program, a proud
community program, a litter prevention program, and a number of
educational and outreach components. A small subgroup will be formed to
review the proposal and provide recommendations for future action.

**[Initiative Reports:]{.underline}**

**Illegal Dumping Initiative:** John Key updated the group on the
illegal dumping program. On January 21, 2003, group members (BLM and
Riverside County LEA) met in Palm Springs with representatives from the
California Integrated Waste Management Board and the Metropolitan Water
District -- the group visited illegal dumping sites in several of the
Canyons along Dillon Road; these sites included the Indio Hills illegal
disposal site, sites in Berdoo Canyon, and sites in Fan Canyon. While at
Berdoo Canyon, two stolen cars were recovered that morning -- these cars
were apparently stripped and burned the evening before to avoid
recognition -- this is a particular problem for the site where a wide
variety of things are dumped ranging from homicide victims to
clandestine drug lab residue to medical waste. Based upon the amount of
solid waste present, it was recommended that a Farm and Ranch Grant
would be appropriate for this area. The site (Walter's Camp) that was
planned to be visited in Imperial County was deferred since it was
determined that almost the entire site was on private land -- the local
county solid waste LEA was handling that site.

John Key talked about CIWMB's Farm and Ranch cleanup grant program and
updated the group on the grant that BLM had received under this program
for a number of small illegal dumpsites in the Landers-Yucca Valley
area. Four of the six sites had been cleaned up in late November and the
remaining two sites are planned for cleanup later on this year.

**Wire Burning:** Nothing new to report.

**Abandoned Minelands (AML):** John Key reviewed the renewed interest in
this initiative; however he indicated that he had not had time to follow
up with the State of California concerning their inventory of AML sites
or with the BLM's California State Office on the status of their AML
inventory.

**[Training Update:]{.underline}** John Key distributed flyers for
following cooperative training opportunities and conferences that were
coming up:

1\. Waste Management Conference (February 27-28, 2003 - Santa Monica,
CA)

2\. Arid Southwest Lands Habitat Restoration Conference (March 3-4, 2003
-- Palm Springs, CA)

3\. Management of Unexploded Ordnance at Closed & Transferred Ranges
(March 25-27, 2003 -- Phoenix, AZ)

4\. Environmental Crime Scene Investigations Training (April 10 & 11,
2003 -- Sacramento, CA)

5\. 2003 CHMIA Conference (April 30-May 2, 2003 -- Shell Beach, CA)

**[New Business:]{.underline}** 2003 DOI Conference on the Environment
(May 12-16, 2003 -- Phoenix, AZ) -

Russell Scofield and John Key have both submitted abstracts for the
conference - we have not heard back, but expect both abstracts to be
accepted for a formal presentation and a poster for the conference. John
Key is serving on the steering committee for posters and exhibits.

**[Roundtable discussion followed:]{.underline}**

San Bernardino County (Kristian Alfelor) -- He was working on a site in
Colton where he might need some assistance.

Riverside County (Steve Moise) - They were working on several sites with
BLM and are interested in working on a Farm and Ranch grant for Dillon
Road/Coachella Valley/Canyons illegal disposal site project.

BIA (Gil Stuart)- Two tribes are funding cleanups and are putting
together applications for separate Farm and Ranch grants. One of the
sites involved more than 6,000 crushed automobiles. Gil also reported
that perchlorates are becoming an issue for them.

BLM -- Neeldes FO (Molly Brady) -- Molly reported the successful Eagle
Pass cooperative cleanup program conducted on public lands day in
cooperation with BLM, the City of Needles, and a host of volunteers. BLM
California State Director Mike Pool attended the event.

BLM -- Yuma FO (Lowell Jeffcoat) -- Lowell reported discovery of piles
of stockpiled ore from the World War II era that had concentrations
above regulatory concern for manganese and arsenic in eastern Riverside
and Imperial Counties near the Colorado River and location across the
river in Arizona. Imperial County Environmental Health was looking into
the sites.

BLM --Palm Springs FO (Mona Daniels) -- Mona reported that her office
was looking into a better inventory of abandoned mineland sites and
would appreciate assistance in that endeavor.

The meeting adjourned about 1:20 P.M.

The **next meeting is scheduled for May 29, 2003** at 10:00 A.M. at the
Bureau of Land Management, California Desert District Office new
headquarters at 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos in Moreno Valley,
California.