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NORWALK, CA – Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk) today hosted a community update at John Dolland Elementary School to inform and educate the community on the future of the Norwalk Tank Farm property. The Tank Farm is a decommissioned Air Force fuel supply depot that is undergoing cleanup of jet fuel contamination for future development.
Residents in attendance heard presentations from the invited panelists that represented the Tank Farm Restoration Advisory Board, the Air Force, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Parsons Environmental Corporation, Kinder Morgan Pipelines, and the City of Norwalk.
“Today’s community update provided a great opportunity for Norwalk residents and our local community to learn about the scope of contamination and the current and future cleanup operations,” said Napolitano. “We must work together to fully remediate this property quickly so that it can be redeveloped to create jobs and public benefits for Norwalk residents.”
The Norwalk Tank Farm is a 51.07-acre facility owned by the Air Force and operated by the Defense Energy Support Center that was a critical fuel supply depot since the 1940s. The Tank Farm contains 12 aboveground empty storage tanks that stored Jet Propellant 5 and Jet Propellant 8 fuel before it was decommissioned in 2001. The site is bordered by residences to the North, South, and West, and Holifield Park to the East. Cleanup has been underway since 1995 to remove the contamination which consists of fuel product, benzene, and other petroleum hydrocarbons. The City has zoned the property to be developed for light industrial, commercial, and open space uses. The City of Norwalk has requested that 15 acres of the open space section be dedicated for the expansion of neighboring Holifield Park.
Congresswoman Napolitano has been involved with the Tank Farm since her tenure on the Norwalk City Council in the late 1980’s. She has facilitated many meetings between the City, the Federal Government, and all responsible parties to ensure that strong remediation efforts are taken to mitigate the human health risks and redevelop the property.
“I hope members of the local community left today’s update with a better understanding of the concerns surrounding the Tank Farm,” said Napolitano. “By working together we can turn this site into a place that all residents will benefit from.”
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