[ADEQ Media] ADEQ to Work with City of Tucson to Clean up Contaminated Groundwater near Tucson Convention Center

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ to Work with City of Tucson to Clean up Contaminated Groundwater
near Tucson Convention Center

PHOENIX (August 14, 2007) - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEQ) Director Steve Owens announced today that ADEQ will work with the
City of Tucson to investigate and clean up contaminated groundwater near
the Tucson Convention Center (TCC) in downtown Tucson.

ADEQ has determined that the contamination likely was caused by leaking
underground storage tanks (USTs) once owned by the City near the TCC.

The tanks were removed from the site in the 1990s, and based on data
supplied by the City of Tucson at the time, the site was declared
officially "closed" in 1999. Data recently collected by the city,
however, shows that the soil and groundwater is still contaminated at
levels above cleanup standards at property located at 260 South Stone
Avenue, which belongs to the Tucson Police and Fire Department. 

Based on the new information, the City of Tucson will perform additional
activities to investigate the full extent of the soil and groundwater
contamination in the area and to take steps to clean up the
contamination. The City may be eligible to receive up to $500,000 in
funding from ADEQ's UST State Assurance Fund (SAF) to help offset the
cost of the cleanup. ADEQ will oversee the work performed by the City.

"We are committed to ensuring that the contamination is cleaned up,"
Director Owens said. "We will be working closely with the City of Tucson
to make sure that the necessary actions are taken."

No supply wells are known to be drawing drinking water from the
groundwater associated with the site.

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

**********************************************************************
NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to whom it is addressed.  It may contain information that is privileged and confidential under state and federal law.  This information may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-mail, and then delete the original e-mail.  Thank you.