Friday, August 10, 2007

Two mile contamination plume in the ground and groundwater under Chico, CA

August 9, 2007 - The first step is being taken to start cleaning up a plume of toxic chemicals lurking underground in a south Chico neighborhood.

TCE and PCE, chlorinated solvents commonly used for dry cleaning and metal degreasing, were discovered almost four years ago in the wells of homes in the Skyway Avenue neighborhood.

Further investigation revealed that the chemicals were released some time before 1976, by Combustion Engineering, which operated at a location on Speedway Avenue, off the Midway.

The plume, found to extend for about two miles, is believed to run from its origin on Speedway Avenue, under Skyway and Cessna avenues and ending along Hegan Avenue in the area of the Chico State University farm.

Now, state agencies and a corporation being held responsible are designing a clean-up plan, beginning with an outreach effort to assess the community's concerns.

More . . .

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