Eleven indicted for hazmat explosion in California
By Land Line staff
Nine individuals and two companies in California were indicted on Wednesday, Aug. 19, for numerous charges ranging from conspiracy to dispose of hazardous waste to causing great bodily injury or death by emitting an air contaminant, according to U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General.
Green Compass Environmental Solutions LLC (Green Compass), Santa Clara Waster Water Company (SCWWC) and nine SCWWC officials and employees were investigated after an explosion of a vacuum cargo tank trailer containing hazardous waste last November. More than 1,000 gallons of chemicals spilled, caused a fire and resulted in several explosions.
People within one mile of SCWWC were evacuated and those within a three-mile radius were given shelter-in-place orders. Highway 126 and an elementary were also shut down. Dozens were treated for possible exposure. Two SCWWC employees and three firefighters were hurt. The firefighters who were hurt went on disability leave as a result.
Investigators found that SCWWC stored more hazardous materials than it was permitted. SCWWC officials tried to hide the excess material by relocating it to an off-site, unsecured truck just before an inspection. Hazardous materials were also disposed of through a wastewater pipeline to the city’s sewage plant and by trailers to a landfill.
The nine SCWWC executives and managers who were indicted were Douglas Edwards, chairman of the board; William Mitzel, chief executive officer; Charles Mundy, vice president-environmental health safety and facility operations; Dean Poe, vice president-oil and gas sales; Brock Gustin William Baker, operations manager; Marlene Faltemier, human resources manager; David Wirsing, transportation manager; Mark Avila, supervisor, and Kenneth Griffin, shift supervisor.
Charges filed under the indictment include:
Conspiracy to dispose of hazardous waste;
Impeding enforcement;
Failure to warn of a serious concealed danger;
Disposal of hazardous waste;
Handling a hazardous waste with a reckless disregard;
Withholding information regarding a substantial danger to public safety;
Filing a false or forged instrument;
Causing great bodily injury or death by emitting an air contaminant; and
Dissuading a witness from reporting a crime.
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Santa Clara Waste Water Explosion (Mission Incident)
Santa Clara Waste Water Current Status
The Ventura County Environmental Health Division (EHD) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed oversight of the Mission Incident cleanup phase on January 9, 2015 and the site was returned to the Santa Clara Waste Water (SCWW) representatives. On December 4, 2014, the Ventura County Planning Division suspended SCWW’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and the permit will remain suspended until further notice. This suspension does not allow SCWW to operate its wastewater process units or receive any loads of wastewater. However, since January 9th, SCWW has been working to restore damaged infrastructure and perform maintenance and repair of equipment and structures damaged during the explosion and fire. A description of the SCWW maintenance activities can be found at the link below.
Land Use Permitting
The County of Ventura Resource Management Agency (RMA) staff has met with SCWW and its representatives to discuss the status of the conditional use permit and what information must be submitted prior to the County considering the resumption of any activities or the lifting the suspension. SCWW seeks to obtain an emergency use permit that would allow removal of the waste material that has partially solidified in their process tanks.
Mission Incident Summary
At approximately 3:30 am on November 18, 2014, a vacuum truck parked in the unloading area of SCWW exploded. A fire ensued, eventually involving several previously reported hazardous materials, including: oxidizers, acids, polymerizing agents, and possibly chlorine tablets.
It is not clear what was in the vacuum truck when the explosion occurred. The unloading area filled with a mixture of water, watery sludge, and chemicals. The emergency response phase ended on November 22, 2014, when the Ventura County Fire Department transferred the incident to the EHD and the EPA for the cleanup phase.
At that time, the evacuation and shelter in-place orders ended and the businesses and residents located on Mission Rock Road were able to return to their business or residence, and businesses were able to reopen at that time. The cleanup phase involved analytical testing, solidification, and off-site disposal of the spilled material. The objectives of the EPA/EHD cleanup were completed on January 9, 2015.
Although SCWW provided the results of their internal investigation to the EHD and others on February 27, 2015, the cause of the explosion is still under investigation by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. A copy of the SCWW internal investigation is available at the link below.