Institutional Controls and Land Use Controls

Institutional Controls and Land Use Controls

Institutional controls (IC) are instruments to help minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination.  The land use controls help to protect the integrity of the remedy. TCHD is responsible for implementing the institutional controls to prevent unacceptable human and environmental exposure to contaminants that have been associated with the IS & R NPL site near Pine Canyon.

Conservation Easement

In 1994, ARCO granted a conservation easement to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. This included 3,020 acres to be kept in its natural condition.

Environmental Covenant

In 2009, an environmental covenant was placed on 1.87 acres of the Tooele Valley Railroad Grade property. The covenant provides long-term controls over a former trestle area so that no future disturbance of the material is allowed.

Groundwater Monitoring Wells

TCHD is responsible for maintaining the monitoring wells that were implemented during the remediation process.  This includes protecting the wells from damage, painting of the wells and repairing damages.  These wells also monitor the levels of arsenic and lead in the groundwater and a database for arsenic and nitrate is maintained by TCHD.

Respond to Citizens

TCHD is willing to answer any questions or concerns that citizens may have.

Developer Coordination

Developers of land in Pine Canyon must contact the TCHD and review the overlay map showing areas with potentially impacted soil. If the property lies within the overlay zone, indicating potential impact from lead and arsenic contamination, the developer is required to submit a Sampling and Analysis plan to the TCHD for review.

Technical Support

As necessary, TCHD is prepared to help review developer plans, review sampling procedures and data and conduct confirmation sampling of excavated zones.

Five-Year Reviews

EPA conducts five-year reviews for superfund sites such as the IS & R site. The purpose of the reviews is to determine how the remedy is working and if the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. In 2012, the EPA and Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ), completed a five-year review of the remediation stage.  The review found that the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment because unacceptable exposure pathways are being properly controlled.  The next five-year review will be conducted in September 2017.