City of Irvine official admits to toxic contamination under Irvine
The city of Irvine's Larry Agran admitted the toxic cancerous contamination migrating from El Toro a.k.a. the "Great Park" is indeed under the entire central part of the city of Irvine, California. Our research has revealed it is actually under an even larger part of Irvine that also includes such neighborhoods as Quail Hill, Oak Creek, Orangetree, Oak Creek, Westpark, Deerfield and other neighborhoods. The big problem: Considering how the city of Irvine (and others) has known about the existence of the contamination for decades, why didn't the city of Irvine disclose the dangers to residents before? Why hasn't the city announced a testing plan Irvine's Agran called for at the city council meeting on January 13, 2008? The absence of a law requiring such disclosure is no excuse for covering up the presence of the contamination especially when people's lives and property values have and are being put in jeopardy—people have a right to know. Previously, Irvine officials denied the presence of the contamination, denied it was a problem, etc.
Going forward, what is the city of Irvine willing to do to compensate residents for their losses as a result of being exposed to this toxic contamination for so long? Who is going to compensate residents for their lost property values considering how nobody will likely want to buy a home anywhere near this contamination? We invite city officials to announce just what exactly their plan is on the city's web site to address these two questions. Our guess is Irvine will continue to do nothing about the problem while Irvine residents and their property values continue to suffer.
Still waiting for Irvine's contamination test plan
On Tuesday, January 13, 2009, Irvine's Larry Agran called on city staffers to look into doing some contamination testing in Irvine. But almost two weeks later, there hasn't been a word mentioned about it from City Hall thus far. TCE experts we spoke with said water testing itself doesn't need to be done because it's already been proven TCE has been in Irvine's drinking water for some time. What does need to be tested for is the presence of TCE vapors, and this will need to be conducted by an independent third-party testing company in many Irvine homes, apartments, businesses, schools, places of worship, etc. over an extended period of time both indoors and under foundations. People who lived in Irvine and have since left the area will also have to be tracked down and tested as well. Is Irvine really going to do all this? We seriously doubt it because Irvine doesn't appear to have a clue as to the scope of work involved, what it will cost, and who will pay for it. Most agree Irvine already knows what they will find hence the foot-dragging. After all, the presence of TCE vapors have been found elsewhere where TCE is a problem, so the presence of TCE vapors would likely be found in Irvine also.
Citizens testify at Irvine city council meeting
On Tuesday, January 13, 2009, two citizens came forward and testified about the contamination under Irvine. To see the video of the compelling testimony, click on the link below. As a result, Larry Agran asked staff to look into what Larry called "selective testing". We at ElToroNow.com believe this may be a "ploy" by the city of Irvine to make it look like something is being done because Irvine knows it's in real trouble—they have known about the contamination for many years, but they have been covering it up. If any testing IS done, it will need to be done by an independent, out-of-county third party, it will need to include ongoing testing of the water, air, and soil inside and outside of various homes, apartments, schools, places of worship, etc. in Irvine. The testing will also need to involve testing of Irvine residents themselves for TCE contamination. Finally, the testing must be done with citizen oversight to make sure the results aren't tampered with.
Prior to the meeting, this site received several emails from Irvine residents reporting a variety of cancers in the Irvine area. In one particular case, an emailer reported multiple cancers on his Irvine street, and on the next street over.
Play the video below to listen to the compelling testimony of a woman who talks about what has happened to her, her family and friends as a result of drinking the IRWD water and living in Woodbridge:
Click here to see the Windows Media version
Help for apartment renters in Irvine
We received a number of emails from renters who are leasing apartments in the contaminated areas of Irvine who want to know how to terminate their lease and leave. An emailer to this site told ElToroNow.com tenants can legally terminate their lease for what is referred to as a 'breech of habitability'. The emailer went on to suggest renters submit a written maintenance request to their leasing office prior to leaving requesting the leasing office test the air (inside apartment units), water, and soil on the property. If this maintenance request is ignored or not fulfilled, you then—according to this emailer—have the right to leave, or make only a partial rent payment along with a note to your leasing office as to why you are making only a partial payment. If your leasing office agrees to do the testing—which needs to be done over a period of time, we suggest it be done by a third party with tenant oversight. The bottom line: Nobody can force you to continue living atop a toxic extension of an EPA Superfund site which affects the entire central part of Irvine according to Irvine's Larry Agran. If your leasing office tries to play "hardball" with you, contact a local tenant's rights attorney (ask for a no-cost consultation), as there are plenty of attorneys nearby who need work. You can also contact the media and share your story with them. Most apartment leasing offices that are atop or near the toxic plume would most likely want to avoid any publicity about the contamination.
Site visitor emails suggestion that may help Irvine residents
We received an email from a lady who lives in Mission Viejo who saw the O.C. Register contamination story in the paper. In this lady's email, she said, "The contamination could actually be a good thing for Irvine residents because it could give them a way out of their houses that could preserve some equity. If people were not told about the contamination when they bought in Irvine, that's blatant fraud, and residents should contact their attorneys to discuss the opportunity".
O.C. Register publishes contamination story
On Sunday, January 4, 2009, the Orange County Register published a story on the front page of the Local section entitled 'El Toro cleanup defended'. In the next few days (or sooner), we will publish an in-depth analysis of the comments made in the article by the officials referenced in the article. We will also publish information that every resident of Irvine (homeowners and renters) will want to know—information that impacts the health and property values of thousands of Irvine residents—information the city of Irvine and the Irvine Ranch Water District does not want you to know hence their efforts to "downplay" the issue.
Large part of Irvine sits on top of toxic EPA Superfund site extension from nearby El Toro
According to Irvine's Larry Agran (the Chair of the Great Park), the entire central part of Irvine sits on top of a massive plume of toxic TCE contamination that has been spreading from the nearby former El Toro Marine Base in Irvine (an EPA Superfund site). Most people living in this contaminated area of Irvine don't even know they are living on top of this EPA Superfund site extension that has existed for years because Irvine city officials, the Irvine Ranch Water District, realtors, property managers, and others have been keeping it quiet—a dark Irvine secret that has been covered up for years to keep residents from suing. In fact, an environmental defense law firm by the name of Latham and Watkins has warned its clients to be prepared for what could soon be a wave of toxic TCE lawsuits brought forth by residents because of the new information that has come forward about the real dangers of TCE exposure.
An investigation has revealed an even larger part of Irvine is likely impacted by the contamination from El Toro that continues to spread today—an even larger part of Irvine than Irvine city officials and others are willing to admit to. In addition to Woodbridge, other Irvine neighborhoods are likely impacted also including Westpark, Deerfield, Oak Creek, Orangetree, Quail Hill, and others. The impacted area includes thousands of homes, apartments, schools, and businesses.
For many years, the city of Irvine, the Irvine Ranch Water District, the Navy, and others have done little about the contamination. Meanwhile, over the years, the contamination has spread great distances impacting major drinking water aquifers in its path. In an effort to combat the problem, the Irvine Ranch Water District has been importing water from other sources to "blend" with the contaminated Irvine water in an effort to make the contaminated water "drinkable" (sellable) to Irvine residents. Unfortunately, this effort to "blend" other water with the contaminated water under Irvine has actually helped spread the contamination even more instead of cleaning it up—something most Irvine residents don't know about.
Irvine residents lied to:
In 2004, there were several contamination meetings in Woodbridge involving residents, the Woodbridge Village Association, the Irvine Ranch Water District, and others. During these meetings, Woodbridge residents were told they need not worry about the contamination under Woodbridge because—according to IRWD officials at at the meeting—the plume was over 1,000 feet deep underground. But in December of 2008, a meeting was held at the IRWD during which time the IRWD—after being presented with maps of the underground plume they already knew about—apologized for having made a "mistake" about the plume's depth, which maps from Navy environmental contractors clearly show is much closer to the surface than IRWD officials said it was. Has the IRWD mailed out notices to Irvine residents apologizing for their "mistake"? Not hardly. Instead, the IRWD continues to insist their drinking water is "safe".
Because there are billions of dollars of potential liability involved with this issue, there has been an extensive effort on the part of many in Orange County to keep Irvine residents in the dark about the contamination, and this list of culpable parties contains names of people and organizations that reads like a "who's who" of Orange County. Meanwhile, people in Irvine continue to come forward reporting all sorts of unexplained health maladies involving either themselves or family members who live in Irvine now, or did in the past—deaths have also been reported.
Many don't realize TCE is not only a cancerous water contaminant, TCE also produces toxic vapors that are even more toxic—vapors that can build up in enclosed places like shower stalls in people's homes and apartments. According to one Orange County official, "TCE cuts through soil (under peoples homes and apartments) like a hot knife through butter." TCE also produces toxic vapors that can easily get into people's homes, apartments, schools, etc.
In other parts of the country where similar TCE contamination exists, there have been all sorts of reported health problems including deaths resulting from TCE and TCE vapor exposure—the same kind of contamination that exists under Irvine. So much so, several members of Congress have moved to inact legislation requiring more resident notification to those who live in contaminated areas. To see more about this and the effects similar TCE contamination is having on people elsewhere, visit www.tceblog.com and read all about TCE's dangers. Be sure to watch the video on the site as well—it's very compelling. Google is also a great way to research the dangers of TCE. Tip: Use search terms like TCE vapors, TCE vapor intrusion, TCE health dangers, etc.
Irvine apartment renters in danger from contamination under Irvine also (update)
If you rent at complexes in the city of Irvine (Woodbridge and other neighborhoods), you are living atop a toxic EPA Superfund site extending from the nearby former El Toro Marine Base. In addition to being a water contaminant, TCE also produces toxic vapors that migrate up through the soil into apartments—vapors that are especially dangerous to children. This has happened at other complexes in other parts of the country requiring special ventilation and other equipment to be installed. Chances are your leasing office (whose management knows about the contamination) hasn't told you about the contamination because they don't want to lose your business. But fortunately, you can legally terminate your lease because of the contamination—check with an attorney that specializes in tenant rights for details.
Irvine Ranch Water District comes clean about contamination plume under central part of Irvine
On Tuesday, December 16, 2008, a meeting took place at the Irvine Ranch Water District during which time IRWD officials admitted making a mistake when they told residents of Irvine the contamination plume under the central part of Irvine is over 500 feet below the surface when facts clearly show this isn't the case—the contamination is much closer to the surface. Here are just a few of the questions that remain unanswered that are "biggees" nobody seems to want to address:
- Who is going to compensate Irvine residents for the loss to their property values now that the plume's existence and close proximity to the surface has been confirmed by the Irvine Ranch Water District?
- Who is going to pay for ongoing TCE water and vapor testing in the affected areas of Irvine now that the plume's existence and close proximity to the surface has been confirmed by the Irvine Ranch Water District?
More about this developing story will be posted here soon.
Irvine homeowners:
Here's how you can save THOUSANDS off your property tax bill, and maybe even more
According to Larry Agran, Navy environmental clean-up contractors, and the Irvine Ranch Water District, a large plume of cancerous contamination (TCE) sits under the entire central portion of Irvine. If you live in this part of Irvine, chances are your house/townhouse/condo is right atop this contamination, which is essentially an extension of an EPA 'Superfund' site called El Toro—where the Great Park is being built. These neighborhoods include Woodbridge, Westpark, Oak Creek, Orangetree, Quail Hill, and several other Irvine neighborhoods.
What does this mean to Irvine homeowners living atop this Superfund mess?
If you live atop or near this toxic plume of contamination (click here to see contamination map), your home is most likely worthless because nobody will likely want to buy it if they discovered it sits atop or near a toxic plume of underground contamination. Would you buy someone's home if you knew it sits atop a large plume of cancerous contamination? Most likely not especially if you have kids.
So how can Irvine homeowners save thousands off their property tax bill?
Considering how homes atop or near this toxic plume of contamination under Irvine are most likely worthless, why should Irvine homeowners have to pay property taxes on a home that's worthless? They shouldn't! In other parts of the country, people who live atop or near similar contamination have successfully challenged their assessments, and they have saved THOUSANDS of out-of-pocket property tax dollars just like Irvine residents can, but only if you take action.
The city of Irvine has known about the contamination under Irvine for many years, but they have done very little to get it cleaned up. According to the Navy, it will take 30-50 years to clean up the contamination. Meanwhile, the contamination is not only putting homeowners in danger, it also prevents Irvine homeowners from selling their homes because of the real estate disclosure laws that require homeowners to disclose such contamination as part of the sales process. According to California law, failure to disclose such contamination prior to the sale of property could result in litigation brought forth by new buyers. If you bought in Irvine but didn't know about the contamination, you may want to pursue legal action against your realtor and others who may have intentionally kept you in the dark to make a sale.
During the month of November, the Navy and the Irvine Ranch Water District made a presentation to the Great Park Board of Directors during which time Larry Agran (Great Park Chair), the Navy, and the Irvine Ranch Water District confirmed the contamination's existence. According to Larry Agran, the contamination is, "Under the entire central part of Irvine." The presentation also revealed several other shocking facts about the contamination.
Click here to listen to the contamination presentation (MP3 you can also right-click and download to play on your iPOD or other portable device or player).
The voices you hear in the presentation are that of Mr. Marc Smitz (Navy), Mr. Paul Cook (IRWD), Larry Agran, Christina Shea, Steven Choi (Great Park Board).
Here's what Irvine homeowners living atop or near the contamination should do NOW to reduce their property tax payments they shouldn't be making:
Ask the tax assessor's office to re-appraise your property, and show them the contamination map below. After all, why should Irvine homeowners be paying property taxes on a home that's basically worthless? This challenge process could save Irvine residents thousands of out-of-pocket property tax dollars they shouldn't have to pay! You may also want to go after your realtor, mortgage company, the city of Irvine, and others for damages due to lost property value.
Click here to see where the contamination is located in Irvine.
Click here to see where additional levels of TCE have been detected (the real size of the plume), and where Irvine's drinking water wells are in relation to the migrating plume of TCE from El Toro/the Great Park.
Irvine residents: Be smart and take action today to reduce your property taxes. As a homeowner, you're required to pay property taxes based only on what your home is worth to a potential buyer, and not a cent more. Don't let the city of Irvine and others cheat you out of paying more property taxes than you rightfully owe.
