McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association (MENA)

Old City Green Waste Dump No Environmental Hazard to Neighborhoo

Aug 30, 2004

The City of Sacramento used to own and operate a gravel quarry on a site that now belongs to St. Francis High School and eventually became part of the school?’s playing field.



According to Councilmember Steve Cohn, the city also used the site as ?“an informal?” green-waste dump. When the high school began its expansion project testing for methane gas generated from the decomposing trash was conducted, which involved an extensive environmental study by the city and the Sacramento County Environmental Health Department.



While officials say there is no public health or safety problem, the city is going to clean up the site. Monitoring wells checking on any gas migration into the surrounding residential area show the gases are being contained.



A plan is being developed to extract the gas through a pumping process that will release the gas through a tower structure like a chimney. No gas will be burned and the actual size of the tower will depend on the outcome of discussions with the area?’s Air Quality Management District that has regulatory oversight. The structure also will be screened and fenced.



Councilmember Cohn has promised to keep neighbors informed regarding the clean-up and to have a neighborhood meeting about the actual design of the tower before it is built. MENA representatives were briefed about the matter and will be tracking developments.