Former Madera Manufactured Gas Plant

PG&E and Southern California Gas worked together to clean up the site of a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) at the intersection of East Ninth and South E Streets in Madera, California. Environmental remediation work at the site was completed in 2011 as part of a voluntary program under the oversight of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). The 14-week-long project involved the removal of impacted soil beneath the footprint of the MGP site. The property is now used as a parking lot for a PG&E-owned construction yard.

 

Madera MGP before

 

A post-remediation evaluation was conducted in a June 2012 On-Site Remediation Closure Report (PDF, 8.2 MB), which verified that the goal of achieving unrestricted land use was reached. DTSC agreed with this determination in a June 2012 Approval Letter (PDF, 233 KB). In February 2013, DTSC issued a No Further Action (NFA) Letter (PDF, 226 KB) for the PG&E property.

 

Madera MGP after

 

An Off-Site Remediation Closure Report (PDF, 4.9 MB) discussing the successful removal of impacted soil in accessible off-site areas was determined to be complete by DTSC in January 2013. However, for portions of two adjacent city streets with arsenic greater than background levels, a DTSC-required Soil Management Plan (SMP) was prepared that will be coordinated through the City of Madera for any future work that may take place in these areas.

 

The former Madera MGP operated from 1913 to 1931. The site resides in a present-day commercial/industrial area, in close proximity to one single-family home. The former MGP plant was dismantled when natural gas became available in Madera, and the MGP structures were removed from the site between 1931 and 1935. PG&E purchased the property in 1931 from the company now known as the Southern California Gas Company.

 

Community Benefits

  • Installation of a new fence around the perimeter of the site, and
  • Installation of a new lighting system to better serve the surrounding community.

Sustainability

Sustainable practices are important to PG&E. We try to reduce our carbon footprint on environmental remediation projects to the greatest extent possible. On this project, we were able to recycle 487 tons of asphalt/concrete, contribute $533,000 to the local economy and provide 1,991 hours of work to local community members.