Manufactured gas plants

Project Overview

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has completed soil removal activities at the site of a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) that operated in the late 1800s/early 1900s at Huntoon and Montgomery Streets in downtown Oroville (site). Today, the site occupies a portion of a larger parking lot. All work was performed voluntarily under the oversight of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and in coordination with the City of Oroville and the Butte County Air Quality Management District.

Cleanup activities included the safe removal of roughly 7,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Workers backfilled excavations with clean, imported fill. Restoration activities are anticipated to be complete in summer 2019.

PG&E will need to perform a few post-remediation activities before DTSC issues a certificate of completion. Groundwater will be monitored at the site for a minimum of three years to confirm cleanup activities were successful.

History

The former MGP operated from 1878 to 1926 providing a constant source of energy for the community's lighting, heating and cooking needs. PG&E owned the plant from 1916 to its closure. Some byproducts of the gas making process were left buried on-site as the plant was dismantled – a common practice before environmental regulations. PG&E is remediating the property to meet today’s environmental cleanup standards.

Site-related documents can also be found at:
Butte County Library – Oroville, 1820 Mitchell Ave, Oroville, CA 95966 (530)538-7641