DATE:
October 23, 2024
04
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ESTABLISH APPROPRIATIONS AND ADVERTISE AND AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE RAMONA BURN DUMP CONSOLIDATE AND CAP PROJECT AND RELATED CEQA EXEMPTION (DISTRICT: 2)
Body
OVERVIEW
Prior to the 1970s, much of the municipal solid waste in southern California was burned with the ash and remnants buried or placed in dumps, which were rudimentary compared to modern landfills. The County of San Diego (County) operated several burn sites to meet municipal waste disposal needs. From approximately 1947-1974, the County operated the Ramona Burn Dump on National Forest Service lands under a special use permit issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Services (USDA FS). The 3.5 acres site is located within the Cleveland National Forest in the unincorporated area of Ramona. When solid waste activities on the site ended in approximately 1974, the burn ash was covered with soil to encapsulate the waste, the permit was ended, and responsibility for the site was returned to the USDA FS.
In November 2007, the Witch Creek fire burned the vegetation covering the Ramona Burn Dump, and a subsequent inspection of the area documented that the soil cap had deteriorated and exposed burn ash and waste debris at the surface. The USDA FS completed a preliminary assessment site inspection which found elevated concentrations of metals, such as arsenic, lead, and zinc, and chemicals, such as dioxins and furans, present at the site. The USDA FS and the County began negotiations regarding responsibility and site remediation requirements. On June 5, 2023, both parties reached a final agreement and court order outlining site remediation efforts. The agreement requires the County to bring the site back into compliance with State regulations and makes the County the responsible party for ongoing maintenance and monitoring. Following the final agreement and court order, the County received $1,500,000 from...
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