Minutes 87-04-02
362
MINUTES OF AN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CYPRESS CITY COUNCIL
HELD
April 2, 1987
Mayor Kanel called the adjourned regular meeting of the Cypress City Council to order at
7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 1987, in the Administrative Conference Room of the Cypress
City Hall, 5275 Orange Avenue, Cypress, California.
PRESENT: Councilmembers Arnold, Coronado, Mullen and Kanel
ABSENT: Councilman Davis
Also present were City Manager/City Clerk Darrell Essex, Planning Director Chris Eynon,
and Senior Planner Holly Hamlin.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilwoman Arnold led the pledge to the flag.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: No Oral Communications were presented.
CONTINUATION OF CONSIDERATION OF TEXACO TANK FARM: Persons in attendance
were Texaco representatives Lyn Liddell, Manager of Special Projects, Mauryne Fennell,
Environmental Attorney, Randy Jewett, Supervisor of Environmental Health & Safety, Teresa
Makarewicz, Industrial Hygienist, and Rick Neubauer, Project Engineer; AQMD
representatives Don Rausch and Brian Farris; and the City's consultants Barbara Eljenholm of
RBF, and Rudolf Reyes and Gary Carlin of Hydro-Tech.
Mr. Jewett stated that Texaco was aware of the Council's concern regarding the possibility
of asbestos at the tank farm and they will discuss it and what Texaco is doing in their
presentation. He reported that Texaco recently met with the City's staff and consultants to
describe their assessment plan for the Tank Farm, and Texaco is in the process of finalyzing
their study which will determine what material has been used and where it is. Mr. Jewett
reported that Texaco spoke with their consultants this afternoon, and they can confirm that
there is no asbestos insulation on any of the 53 tanks, above ground piping and equipment
under Texaco's control. They found one small area on a Texaco heat exchanger piece of
equipment near Tank #34 which has asbestos insulation on the inside, and they are in the
process of sampling the piping and other miscellaneous equipment on the Edison side of the
tank farm. Texaco has also confirmed that some of the pipe insulation is not asbestos but
there is asbestos insulation on some small diameter (3-4") piping. The Texaco representatives
presented samples of asbestos and types of fiberglass and wool insulation materials. Mr.
Jewett stated that the primary type of insulation on the tanks is fiberglass. He stated that
~ Texaco should complete their assessment by April 17.
Councilman Coronado indicated that the City is concerned about any asbestos removal and
wants to work with Texaco, and Miss Fennell stated that Texaco as the property owner shares
those concerns and will try to ensure that state of the art methods for removal are used. Mr.
Jewett stated that there is no health hazard associated with asbestos on equipment which is
jacketed and contained and not in a friable form. He stated that Texaco has not yet sampled
any surface soil for friable asbestos. Mr. Liddell stated that there will be monitoring of the
area during the removal process to ensure that there are no asbestos particles not
contained. Mr. Jewett reported that the pipe-ways which are at knee height have small 4"
diameter pipes and larger 10-12" diameter pipes, and Texaco began an analysis of the larger
pipes today.
Mrs. Makarewicz reported on her background and indicated that she monitors the asbestos
activities at Texaco's Wilmington plant under the EP A and OSHA regulations. She reported
that Cal Osha is in the process of adopting new and stricter federal regulations, and Texaco
has been following the stricter federal standards. She indicated that the EPA regulations
basically address air exposure and asbestos disposal while the Osha regulations deal with
employees' health and work procedures. Mrs. Makarewicz stated that the first concern under
the regulations is whether the insulation is friable or not, and the friable form commonly
occurs during demolition or modifications to a plant. Osha dictates that a "regulated area"
must be established and marked off to ensure that there are no asbestos emissions beyond
that area. Mrs. Makarewicz described an isolated space procedure which has been used at
the Texaco refinery consisting of marking off the regulated area with tape, soaking the
insulation before removal, and constructing a room of plastic walls and floor around the
equipment being worked on. Mrs. Makarewicz also described a new glove bag technique for
asbestos removal. Mr. Jewett indicated that both techniques may be applied at the tank
farm. He stated that the asbestos material must be handled wet on site before it can be
transported. Texaco showed a video which described the glove bag and isolated space
363
City Council Minutes April 2, 1987
removal procedures, and demonstrated an air pump monitor which can be worn by workers or
located outside a regulated area to monitor asbestos exposure. Mrs. Makarewicz stated that
both she and the contractor will take samples during work at the tank farm. She reviewed a
report which showed sample results within regulated areas at two other asbestos clean up
projects undertaken by Texaco. She indicated that the sample results were so low and
insignificant and within the regulated exposure limit set by Cal Osha. She indicated that the
asbestos contractor will make recommendations with regard to establishment of regulated
areas at the tank farm. The City Manager requested that Texaco's actual work plan be
submitted to the City's consultants.
Mr. Rausch of AQMD stated that Texaco is aware of Osha's requirements for asbestos
removal since the steps are very routinely done. He reported that AQMD has not recorded
any violations or infractions in Texaco's operations of removing asbestos during the past
several years. He stated AQMD will take agressive action if there are violations. Mr.
Rausch stated that AQMD is required to observe asbestos removal to ensure that the
procedure complies with EP A regulations, and based on reports it appears that Texaco
follows the requirements. He indicated that AQMD has direct enforcement action on
atmospheric emissions and is not authorized to enforce Cal Osha's regulations for employee
safety but they can forward information to that agency for their enforcement.
Mrs. Makarewicz stated that her samples will be sent to an independent lab for analysis. Mr.
Rausch indicated that AQMD will make unannounced inspections at various times more
frequently than once a week during the removal process at the tank farm.
Mr. Essex stated that once the scope of the problem is determined and a work plan
developed, Texaco's plan will be brought to the Council for approval as a mitigation effort
before they can proceed with demolition. Councilman Coronado recommended that a City
employee or someone accountable to the City inspect on site daily during the asbestos
removal. Mr. Jewett stated that a Texaco supervisor will continually monitor the contractor
who is trained in proper procedures and will know when to shut a job down, and Mrs.
Makarewicz will do hygienic monitoring daily. He reported that Texaco's work hours will be
confined to 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The Planning Director indicated that the Council's determination on a Negative Declaration
is based on whether they feel the asbestos issue can be mitigated to an insignificant impact,
and the Council will be asked to decide what mitigation measures should be included. Staff
indicated that all the information will be presented at the April 27 Council meeting for a
final decision. The Council suggested that staff issue a press release so that interested
citizens can attend the meeting and indicate in a positive manner that the asbestos will be
removed safely and professionally.
Mr. Jewett stated that Texaco's abatement procedures are state of the art and address
asbestos if it becomes friable. Mr. Liddell stated that no short cuts are being taken with the
Negative Declaration and Texaco will be following state of the art procedures whether or not
the EIR is conducted. Councilman Coronado requested that a City-hired person be on site
eight hours a day.
ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Kanel adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m. to Monday, April 6, at
6:30 p.m. at the Cypress Community Center.
MAYOR OF T
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