Ducey Rolls Out A Humdinger H2O Decoy...Thanks to AZ Reporter Joshua Bowling (and most Arizona Mainstream Media)
What's it all about: Contaminated Toxic Groundwater around former military bases - there are not one but two of those here in Mesa, Falcon Field Airport in northeast Mesa and Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport in southeast Mesa.
Growing fast around both of them are massive residential real estate developments as well as industrial facilities.
It is NOT a new story, but let's throw what did percolate yesterday after noting that there were a number of posts on the same serious issues years ago
Probably nobody likes what could be another potential public relations nightmare about a basic necessity and the most precious commodity here in The Salt River Valley/Watershed - water. We already have the ongoing fraud-and-bribery jury trial of Mesa ex-legislator Gary Pierce using his public office on the Arizona Corporate Commission in a scandal to benefit Johnson Utilities in Queen Creek over the paltry sum of $350,000 and a bribe of $35,000. That amount pales in comparison to over $360,000,000 spent by the City of Mesa for water treatment and wastewater treatment. The Environmental Protection Agency recently looked into substances called PSFAs and chemicals that are used in those processes. Here's some more local details from previous posts on this blog Dollar amounts (City Council Meeting in June 2017) 4 Take action on the following contracts:
Item 4-a 17-0665 Three-Year Term Contract for Water/Wastewater Treatment and Pool Chemicals for the Water Resources and Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Departments, and the Materials and Supply Warehouse (Citywide)
Not to exceed $4,7000,000 annually This contract will provide the various chemicals Water Resources needs to treat raw water and wastewater, and the chemicals Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities needs to treat swimming pool water. The Water Resources, Parks Recreation and Community Facilities Departments, and Business Services, and Purchasing recommend awarding the contract to the lowest, responsive and responsible bidders: A & M Corson's Aqua Value; AllChem Industries Holding Corp, dba AllChem Performance Products; BHS Marketing, dba BHS Specialty Chemical Products; Brenntag Pacific, Inc.; Chemrite, Inc.; DPC Enterprises; Evoqua Water Technologies LLC; Hill Brothers Chemical; Kemira Water; Leslie's Poolmart, Inc.; Norwalk Wastewater Equipment Co. Inc., dba Norweco Inc.; Pencco, Inc.; Polydyne, Inc.; Salt Works (a Mesa business); and Thatcher Company of Arizona, Inc.
August 9, 2016 As part of the study, which was published Tuesday in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, the researchers examined concentrations of six types of PFAS chemicals in drinking water supplies around the country. The data came from more than 36,000 samples collected by the Environmental Protection Agency between 2013 and 2015.
They also looked at sites where the chemicals are commonly found — industrial plants that use them in manufacturing, military bases and civilian airports where fire-fighting foam is used and wastewater treatment plants. Source: The Washington Post
30 August 2017
PUBLIC RIGHT-TO-KNOW: 2.8M Arizonans Live Within Vulnerable Zones from Toxic Chemical Leaks
2.8 million Arizonans live within vulnerable zones from toxic chemical leaks [Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series of stories in which the ABC15 Investigators and the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting collaborated to explore how Arizona regulates the storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals across the state.] By Brandon Quester, AZCIR | Lauren Gilger and Maria Tomasch, ABC15
BLOGGER NOTE: This study was done in 2014 and needs some updating.Here in Mesa an additional facility needs to be added to the list of the four vulnerable sites farther on this post
23 August 2017
Problem Here In Mesa? Sites of Military Bases & Water Contamination
. . .the BIG ISSUE of an impending 18-Year Drought is now getting some attention simultaneously with more build-out of residential, manufacturing and industrial facilities, like data centers that consume huge amounts of both water and electricity in East Mesa. _________________________________________________________________________ HERE ARE SOME UPDATES from previous posts on this blog _________________________________________________________________________
The question now arises is - beyond any questionable actions known or un-known by "bad actors" - how do we MANAGE THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS IN THE ENVIRONMENT? [These are man-made risks] Way too often they get ignored until there's a crisis: Clean Air + Clean Water Nearly every day HIGH POLLUTION alerts and advisories _________________________________________________________________________
Here's something we all might have missed last week published by ProPublica:
Suppressed Study: The EPA Underestimated Dangers of Widespread Chemicals
The CDC has quietly published a controversial review of perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, that indicates more people are at risk of drinking contaminated water than previously thought.
One can hope this is just a coincidence, but there's one guy here in Mesa who has a work history at not one but two former military airfields that have been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as Superfund Clean-Up Sites for toxic chemicals left to percolate into underground aquifers around the now de-commissioned bases. Both are now business parks and commerce ports. One in Portsmouth NH and one here in southeast Mesa: Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Both are locations where J Brian O'Neill has a work history WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? The former Williams Field here in Mesa gets scant attention as an EPA Superfund Clean-Up Site. Portsmouth NH has a much more active group of citizens. Please see the post-script after the main body in this post. Just like the risks and hazards to public health from contaminated dirty dangerous air here in Mesa there are significant costs involved in our water resources where taxpayers bear the brunt to deal with consequences. _________________________________________________________________________
ADDENDUM/UPDATE: Readers of this blog may like to note that the City of Mesa's Economic Development Advisory Board - charged with the responsibility to act as the advisory board to the Mesa City Council on matters pertaining to economic development, including goal setting, strategic planning, marketing and business recruitment, retention and expansion - unanimously approved this motion at their June 4, 2019 meeting against residential development: ". . . to direct a letter to the Planning & Zoning Board, the Mayor and City Council expressing this Board’s strong recommendation against any residential development anywhere near or within the “Elliot Road Tech Corridor”. Specifically, the area that lies between Power Road and Signal Butte Road (West to East), and the power line corridor and Elliot Road (North to South), as well as anywhere directly adjacent to existing or planned employment uses. The motion was seconded by Deb Duval for the purpose of discussion. After discussion by the Board, Brian Campbell moved to amend the motion to oppose the Hawes Crossing application as it doesn’t meet the goals stated in the Office of Economic Development’s Strategic Plan - including but not limited to (a) the Application contemplates residential development between 80th Street and Hawes Road (between the existing power line and Elliot Road); (b) the Application contemplates mixed use (and thus potential residential development) east of Loop 202 adjacent to the anticipated SRP 230kv transmission line; (c) the Application contemplates residential use in the flightpaths of PHXMesa Gateway Airport and does not consider the anticipated increase of flights due to SkyBridge and other Airport expansion; and (d) the Application fails to consider its contemplated residential uses’ impact on existing community services and neighboring communities (including the Gilbert School District). The amended motion was agreed to by Mr. Adams and seconded by Deb Duval. Upon tabulation of votes, it showed: AYES: Ovando-Karadsheh, Kasselmann, Adams, Campbell, Christensen, Duvall, Likens, Nickerson, Perry NAYS: None Motion carried by unanimous vote _________________________________________________________________________
Readers might want to take note that water is a precious resource here in the desert and the East Valley. On top of the $150,000,000 for SBWTP and the $200,000,000 for the GWTP, take a look > As you can see in the infographic to the right, the taxpayer burden for costs in the City of Mesa's FY17/18 Wastewater Treatment Bond Projects in this fiscal year's budget amount to $45,3000,000 > 23.9%. Together with the costs of water at $80,9000,000 (42.5%) they consume 2/3 or 66.3% of the entire Budget Pie. Wastewater costs more than 2X as much as the total amount spent on Parks and 5x as much as money spent on Electric. ________________________________________________________________________ Abundant Water and Waste Water Capacity – The City of Mesa maintains a substantial water and wastewater infrastructure network in the Zone, and is continuing to expand to accommodate for future industry growth. The City is investing over $150 million to construct the Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant, which will add an additional 24 million gallons per day (MGD) of pumping capacity to the area by Summer 2018. In addition, a $200 million expansion of the existing Greenfield Water Reclamation Plant will also enhance wastewater capacity in the area by 14 MGD, bringing the total plant capacity to 30 MGD.. . . two manufacturing operations were cited as sources of possible contaminants discharged into the city's wastewater treatment pipeline - both the Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant and the Greenfield Water Treatment Plant, in the southeast and northeast quadrants of Mesa are in close proximity to former military bases where the discharge of contaminants have been issues for remediation. ADEQ the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, has the responsibility for both clean air and water. Major Employers
Bridgestone Americas – R&D facility conducting research and developing manufacturing process to produce rubber from the Guayule plant
CRM Rubber – Producer and supplier of crumb rubber to the asphalt industry. Largest crumb rubber producer in the western U.S.
FUJIFILM – Manufacturer of chemicals for the semiconductor industry
Matheson TriGas – Producer and supplier of industrial gasses used in manufacturing industries such as steel, fabrication, medical, water treatment, semiconductors, chemicals and food freezing
Metso – Provider of industrial equipment repair and field services for the mining, aggregates, and process industries
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical – manufacturer of chemicals for the semiconductor industry
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems – Manufacturer of airbag components
The two companies that are mentioned in response to Councilmember Freeman's question are included in the map image here:
________________________________________________________________________ The response included why the city put the ordinance on the agenda: actions about monitoring, measuring and reporting toxic emissions taken by ADEQ
Feb 6, 2018 - ... these sectors are complying with their permit limits and conditions. Working with authorized states, EPA's focus on facilities in these industrial sectors, driven by water pollution data, will build compliance with Clean Water Act discharge permits and cut illegal pollution discharges, that impact water quality
>> 2.8 million Arizonans live within vulnerable zones from toxic chemical leaks [Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series of stories in which the ABC15 Investigators and the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting collaborated to explore how Arizona regulates the storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals across the state.] By Brandon Quester, AZCIR | Lauren Gilger and Maria Tomasch, ABC15 The EPA is tasked with collecting and maintaining these records, but a patchwork of state and federal regulations make it unclear whether the plans are effective in protecting surrounding communities,READ MORE > https://azcir.org/az-risk-management-plans-epa/
"In 2015, Andrea Amico found out her kids and husband had been drinking highly contaminated water for years at a former Air Force base-turned-business park in Portsmouth. The water came from a well beneath her husband's office and her toddler's daycare. It was full of PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam that the military used for decades. ANDREA AMICO: My radar kind of went up, like, oh, jeez, what are these chemicals? I've never heard of them. . .
PHOENIX —Governor Doug Ducey is calling on the U.S. Department of Defense to take prompt action to address Pentagon-related groundwater contamination near Arizona’s military installations.
In an April 27 letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Governor Ducey requested DOD to identify and treat water in Arizona contaminated in the areas surrounding four DOD installations and to prevent additional human exposure to PFAS from other DOD facilities in Arizona.
The four installations with known impacts to groundwater—Luke Air Force Base, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Morris Air National Guard Base and the former Williams Air Force Base—are located in the two most populous metropolitan areas in Arizona, and each is surrounded by businesses and residential communities where thousands of Arizonans live, work and rely on clean groundwater for drinking.
The water is contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
"Ensuring that all Arizonans have the cleanest possible drinking water from public water systems today and for our future is critical for our health and well-being and a top priority of our state,” said Governor Ducey. “The situation in Arizona deserves attention. Arizona, through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, is acting to contain the spread of PFAS now, and I ask you to make a similar commitment on behalf of DOD for prompt remedial actions to address the DOD-related PFAS contamination of groundwater throughout Arizona and protect the health and safety of Arizonans.”
View Governor Ducey’s Letter to the Secretary of Defense HERE.
Ducey called for sharing of data and taking other steps to protect public drinking water systems, including
stopping spread of underground plumes of contaminants.
Growing fast around both of them are massive residential real estate developments as well as industrial facilities.
Probably nobody likes what could be another potential public relations nightmare about a basic necessity and the most precious commodity here in The Salt River Valley/Watershed - water. 
The question now arises is - beyond any questionable actions known or un-known by "bad actors" - 
Suppressed Study: 
One can hope this is just a coincidence, but there's one guy here in Mesa who has a work history at not one but two former military airfields that have been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as 
ADDENDUM/UPDATE: Readers of this blog may like to note that the City of Mesa's Economic Development Advisory Board - charged with the responsibility to act as the advisory board to the Mesa City Council on matters pertaining to economic development, including goal setting, strategic planning, marketing and business recruitment, retention and expansion - unanimously approved this motion at their June 4, 2019 meeting against residential development: 
"In 2015, Andrea Amico found out her kids and husband had been drinking highly contaminated water for years at a former Air Force base-turned-business park in Portsmouth. The water came from a well beneath her husband's office and her toddler's daycare. It was full of PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam that the military used for decades.
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