State environmental officials will host a public meeting regarding the local school district’s Removal Action Workplan for the proposed Borello elementary school site on Peet Road from 6 to 8 p.m. July 27 at the El Toro Room inside the Community and Cultural Center.
“The draft RAW describes the investigations and proposed cleanup activities for pesticide contamination at the site,” the California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s July 2017 public notice states. “Environmental investigations of the site, from 2014 through 2017, found concentrations of dieldrin and chlordane in soil samples exceeding screening levels.”
The 9.7-acre site is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Peet Road and Mission Avenida. It was donated to Morgan Hill Unified School District by the Borello family for the sole purpose of building an elementary school.
A 30-day review and public comment period will kick in July 7 and run through Aug. 7. Comments can be sent to Mellan Songco, Project Manager, DTSC Sacramento Office, 8800 Cal Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826, or via email at Me***********@dt**.gov.
The draft RAW and environmental review document are available to review at the Morgan Hill Library (660 W. Main Ave.) or on the DTSC’s EnviroStor website envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public (select “Site/Facility Search,” enter “60002240” in the “Site Code” field and click “Get Report.”).
At a June 27 special meeting, the MHUSD board of education voted 4-3 to support Morgan Hill Unified School District leaders in carrying out the cleanup plan. The proposed school is expected to serve about 600 students in 25 classrooms and the project includes an administration building, multi-use building, library/media building, grass playfield, three playgrounds, two parking lots, drop-off and pick-up areas and landscaping.
“This area contained apricot and cherry orchards from the early 1900s through 2004. The Morgan Hill Unified School District plans to cleanup the Site prior to building a new elementary school,” the public notice continues. “The proposed cleanup recommends excavation of 19,700 cubic yards (1,600 truckloads) of contaminated soil and disposal at an off-site permitted facility. This would effectively protect human health and the environment.”
Soil testing done a decade ago and then again in 2014 detected dangerous levels of now banned pesticides in the soil once used to farm the vast agricultural spread—including a chemical identified as dieldrin. According the Environmental Protection Agency, dieldrin decreases the effectiveness of the immune system, may increase infant mortality, reduces reproductive success, may cause cancer, may cause birth defects and damages the kidneys.
The notice of intent to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Borello Elementary School is also available at MHUSD headquarters (15600 Concord Circle) and can be reviewed by contacting Casino Fajardo at (408) 201-6089 or email at fa******@mh***.org. Comments can also be sent to Fajardo.
The July 27 meeting will be located at the CCC, 17000 Monterey Road.
