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Atlas Environmental Engineering will host a meeting to discuss the G&M Gas Station on Pacific Coast Highway at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11, in the Senior Center. The Senior Center is at 707 Electric Ave.
According to an Aug. 16 letter from Geniece Higgins, a supervising hazardous materials specialist with the Land and Water Quality Section of the OC Health Care Agency, two sampling points at the gas station at PCH and 13th Street showed increased benzene, ethylbenzene, naphthalene, and methane. Higgins will attend the Sept. 11 meeting, according to a public notice.
A Sun reader provided a copy of the letter.
“Based on the high methane detections, the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) and Atlas Environmental conducted a site visit with the Orange County Fire Authority and So Cal Gas on August 13, 2024,” Higgins wrote.
“The field readings did not report detectable methane. OCHCA also conducted above ground sampling to monitor for volatile organic compounds in the surrounding area and buildings and did not measure any,” Higgins wrote.
She wrote that additional sampling would take place on Friday, Aug. 23.
“Atlas [Environmental] is also in the process of obtaining access agreements to sample within and immediately beneath the buildings at 1244 & 1250 PCH and 361 & 324 13th St,” Higgins wrote.
She wrote that the conflicting information about methane detected in June 2020 and in July and August 2024 required additional evaluation.
“OCHCA is working with the State Water Resources Control Board’s Vapor Intrusion and Risk Assessment team to further discuss sampling data associated with the site. Updates will be provided once received,” Higgins wrote.
“OCHCA is in the process of scheduling an in-person community meeting for mid-September to discuss the path
forward. More details will follow once a meeting date/time has been established,” Higgins wrote.
