Curtis Park Village Project

Curtis Park Village soil clean up

Toxic clean-up for the Curtis Park Village Project has picked up this year. The original plan for cleaning up all toxic soil was to have it taken by train to Utah and dumped  where it would not threaten any ones health and then replace it with clean soil from somewhere else. That does not appear to be the case anymore? When they first started the clean-up of the soil several years ago, railroad cars lined up next to the site filled with soil to be taken to Utah, what happen? In my observations over the last year, it  appears to be the same soil from the site but just moved around? I don’t see any soil cleaning equipment being used like what was used at the rail yards? At the rail yards, even though the soil is considered “clean” the state has mandated that all schools be built up off the ground by one floor and play areas be on top of other buildings. The state does not want to take any chances that a child could eat some dirt or breathe some dust while playing and then having the state liable for any sickness or illness linked to the soil. I wonder what the plan is for Curtis Park Village? Last I heard in July 2009, the project was stalled for over a year because Superfund clean-up costs exceeded the $4 million grated to the project in 2008 from Proposition 1C grants.

Curtis Park Village soil clean up

Project Background:

Prior to the proposal for the Curtis Park Village project, the project site was owned by Western Pacific Railroad (WPRR) and was used as a railyard and operations center. During the early 1900s, WPRR established the railyard for maintenance of steam locomotives and railcars, and in the 1950’s diesel engine repair and maintenance began at the proposed project location. Sothern Pacific Railroad acquired the WPRR in 1982, and discontinued maintenance yard operations at the Curtis Park Village site (Southern Pacific was subsequently acquired by the Union Pacific Railroad). Prior to discontinuing the railyard operations, the maintenance and refurbishing work conducted at the site involved the use of dangerous and toxic chemicals and substances. Cleanup procedures on the site started in 1986, and in the mid 1990s the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) determined that the site was contaminated and more extensive clean up would be necessary.

Curtis Park Village soil clean up

In 2004, Union Pacific Railroad sold 72 acres of the railyard to the applicant (Curtis Park Village, LLC). The application for development of the Curtis Park Village project was submitted to the City of Sacramento in early 2004.