Ideas sought on Beale groundwater cleanup
The cleanup of old contaminated sites at Beale Air Force Base will continue as officials propose strategies to treat two areas on base.
From now until April 5, the public can comment on the cleanup of groundwater at Site 17, located downhill from the base housing area on the installion's east side, and site 32/1, located near the flight line.
The projects are part of a larger effort to clean up an estimated 39 sites around the base over the next several decades. The projected cost for cleaning up all sites are projected to run $200 million.
Many sites have already been cleaned up, but others will require years of monitoring.
Beale officials, along with the Yuba County Environmental Health Department and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control are overseeing the cleanup.
Both proposed remedies are available for public viewing in a mitigated negative declaration at the Yuba County Library, 303 Second St. in Marysville. The document is not currently available online.
A mitigated negative declaration is an environmental document that states a project will cause little or no harm to the environment provided certain mitigating measures are implemented.
At Site 17, officials propose to build a slurry wall around a plume of contaminated groundwater to keep it from migrating off base. The slurry wall will be made of soil, bentonite, water, cement and other materials, which are mixed into the ground to form a barrier that water will not pass through.
The slurry wall would be built next to a previously installed slurry wall.
At Site 32/1, experts propose to oxidize the contaminated soil. This is done by drilling a well near the site and using a vacuum to pull out and then treat vaporized gases from groundwater.
Site 32 has a structure on it, but the area includes Site 1, which is a drainage ditch that extends off base near North Beale Road.
Appeal-Democrat reporter Daniel Witter can be reached at 749-4712. You may e-mail him at dwitter@appeal-democrat.com.
