Grant Writing, Site Investigation and Cleanup Workplan Development

EKI has been retained by the City of Yuba City to provide environmental assessment of a 2.15-acre property located at 442 B Street in Yuba City. The project site was formerly occupied by fruit packaging and agricultural chemical companies and is considered a brownfield. It is in a disadvantaged community and has been vacant since the 1990s. The property sits within a central part of Yuba City that would be significantly improved by a beneficial reuse. The City’s vision is to redevelop the property into a mixed-use, mixed-income housing development. The Site cannot be redeveloped until further investigation and cleanup of environmental issues is conducted.

With EKI’s support, the City obtained a grant under the Department of Toxic Substances Control’s (DTSC’s) Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) program to perform the site investigation, bench/pilot studies, cleanup planning, and community engagement needed to enable redevelopment. EKI was retained to develop scope, schedule, and budgets for the City’s ECRG application for this site.  The full +$2M amount requested in the City’s ECRG application was awarded in March 2024.

To date, EKI has completed the preparation of a conceptual site model (CSM) and an investigation work plan; investigation of soil, soil vapor, and shallow groundwater at the Site to address data gaps; investigation reporting; and bench-scale testing and scoping for a potential pilot test of remedial technologies. A cleanup work plan is currently underway. EKI is also leading communications with regulators; providing input to the City for their administration of the ECRG; and is subcontracting to a communications specialist to assist the City with public outreach via a community survey, website, and social media posts specific to the ECRG project.

Outcome

EKI is working towards the City’s goal to obtain regulatory approval for a site cleanup plan by March 2026, the end of the ECRG funding period.