Toxic Torrance Homes

What is the fate of the vacant homes?

2008-08-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

With 5 homes vacant what does Exxon plan to do with them?

The word on the street is they plan to tear the homes down and put up a fence around the lots.

Wow as if our home values are in the dumps now we have to deal with a bunch of dirt lots with an ugly fence around them?

This is crazy they are making the street a dump and no one seems to care. Where is our Mayor Frank Scotto? Come on Mr. Scotto please help us and do not let them make 5 more dirt lots on our street.

It should be all or none. You can not destroy our street one house at a time.

Number of Abandoned homes increase on Torrance Street

2008-08-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

The count is up to 5 Abandoned homes on Del Amo Blvd. in Torrance. The ExxonMobil refinery has purchased the homes and the families have moved on. So what is the fate of the remaining homes and families?

ExxonMobil has backed out on the "buyers protection plan" for many of the homeowners. They promised to help the homeowners but so far they have only purchased homes directly on top of the contaminated soil.

Other homeowners are in negotiation with ExxonMobil and refuse to take the low offers for their homes. ExxonMobil is low balling the homeowners and they had record profits last quarter.

Come on Exxon buy us all out and put this matter to rest. You know it is the right thing to do.

You do not have to dip into the record profits it is only an insurance claim for you. This is what makes me so mad. Exxon's insurance and risk management are too blame too. The claims department is slow and inefficient. They do not know what is going on here in Torrance as they are located in Texas. The need to pay the claims and help us move on with our lives.

Homeowners move out

2008-08-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well at least 2 families have moved out so far. Exxon has paid them for their homes and off they went. Meanwhile the rest of us are left wondering what our homes are worth and will we ever be able to sell them.
Your home is your investment and no one at this street has any equity. No one will give you a loan to re-fi or a new loan.
We are all stuck in limbo with the HUGE oil company holding all the cards.
Come on Exxon you had record profits last quarter and you can not help a few home owners?
Sad Sad...

May 1st meeting in Torrance

2008-07-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

At the meeting many promises were made but so far none have been kept.
They promised to help homeowners that wanted to sell and move. So far 4 homes are bank owned and how many more must fall before someone at Mobil takes responsibility and will step up to the plate and help us?
Where is the City of Torrance to help us? Silent...
City Attorney will you sue them like you did in 1990?
Please help us.

Here is a report from the State of California Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding the meeting May 1st.

http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb4/water_issues/programs/remediation/scp/fact_sheet/exxon_mobil_final_fact_sheet2.pdf

Mobil Settles California Suit Over Toxic Acid at Refinery

2008-07-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

I found this one interesting. Exxon settled with the City of Torrance on this matter, but they have made no moves to help all the homeowners. Should we sue them? Good question. I think everyone on the street needs to be on board and fight for our rights. If you own a house on this street you should fight now.

Mobil Settles California Suit Over Toxic Acid at Refinery
By MICHAEL LEV, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: October 19, 1990
LEAD: The Mobil Oil Corporation said today that it had settled a lawsuit directed at its refinery in suburban Los Angeles by agreeing to reformulate a highly toxic acid used in the plant or ban its use and to allow inspections by an independent safety adviser.
The Mobil Oil Corporation said today that it had settled a lawsuit directed at its refinery in suburban Los Angeles by agreeing to reformulate a highly toxic acid used in the plant or ban its use and to allow inspections by an independent safety adviser.
The agreement settles a public nuisance suit filed last year by the City of Torrance against Mobil and its refinery, where a number of accidents and fires have occurred in recent years. The lawsuit sought assurances that the refinery, in the middle a densely populated suburb, would operate safely.
Officials involved in the case said the settlement represented a victory for communities like Torrance, which live in the shadow of petrochemical plants and fear for the safety of its citizens. Torrance has about 142,000 residents.
''The lack of uniform regulatory devices has implications just about everywhere,'' said Leroy Jackson, Torrance's City Manager. ''The community did not have an effective way to address the safety concerns of the city. This settlement establishes a methodology.''
Mobil's refinery manager, Joel Maness, said, ''We think this is a fair settlement.'' He added that while hydrofluoric acid could be used safely, ''it is also necessary to maintain good community relations,'' and that ''we are fully committed to operating in a safe and environmentally sound manner.''
Under the agreement, Mobil will reformulate hydrofluoric acid, which is used to make premium unleaded gasoline, by the end of 1994 to insure that it does not form a poisonous vapor cloud during an accident. So far, the company has spent $25 million trying to do this, according to James A. Carbonetti, a spokesman.
If Mobil cannot succeed, the company has agreed to ban the use of the acid by the end of 1997, and instead use sulfuric acid, which is more stable. But converting the plant would cost $100 million.
The agreement also stipulates that an outside consulting firm will be hired to work under court jurisdiction for seven years to study the plant and recommend ways to improve its safety record.
Kenneth L. Nelson, the City Attorney in Torrance, said the independent safety adviser ''will have some teeth because he would be operating under court authority.'' Concern Is Widespread
While the Torrance lawsuit, which had been scheduled for trial in November, appears to be the first such action addressing the use of hydrofluoric acid, concern over its use is widespread.
When an accident involving hydrofluoric acid occurs, a dense plume of the poison gas can be released that hugs the ground as it travels over distances. Anyone coming in contact with it can suffer severe skin and lung burns. In 1987, hydrogen fluoride, a related compound, was accidentally released at the Marathon Oil Company Refinery in Texas City, Tex., hospitalizing 1,000 people.
While no serious accident involving the acid has occured in Torrance, the safety and pollution record of the Mobil refinery, across the street from many homes, have troubled city officials for some time. Seeking Better Safety
Since 1987, Torrance has been searching for a way to make the refinery safer. Earlier this year, voters defeated a referendum that would have effectively barred the use of the acid. The measure was defeated because of heavy spending by Mobil and opposition from city officials, who said the lawsuit would be more effective.
Separately, the Southern California Air Quality District, a regional environmental agency, has been considering banning the acid in the five manufacturing plants in the area where it is used.
The oil industry maintains that no ready substitutes are available for hydrofluoric acid, which is used in many refineries, because the use of such replacements has been curtailed by pollution regulations. 'An Available Remedy'
Ralph H. Nutter, Torrance's lead attorney, said he believed the settlement represented the first time a leading manufacturing company agreed to court supervision of safety practices on a long-term basis.
''If companies do not protect their employees or the community, particularly the surrounding community of an industrial or petrochemical plant, this is an available remedy,'' he said.
Industry executives said it was difficult to measure the effect of the ruling, because it was rare for a refinery to be in the middle of a populated area.
''I don't believe the circumstances are readily transferable to other refineries,'' said Richard C. Morse, who is the general attorney at the ARCO Products Company, which operates a refinery outside of populated areas in the Los Angeles suburbs.
Mr. Morse said the general concern about the ruling would be whether an outside consultant and court intervention would prevent or slow the implementation of normal changes in plant operations, jeopardizing safety or efficiency.

New York Times July 23, 2008

Exxon, Torrance Investigate After Toxic Chemicals Found In Water

2008-07-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

Exxon, Torrance Investigate After Toxic Chemicals Found In Water
POSTED: 5:00 pm PST February 20, 2008
UPDATED: 6:06 pm PST February 20, 2008

TORRANCE, Calif. -- High levels of toxic chemicals were found in the groundwater below the 2100 block of Del Amo Boulevard in Torrance, said the chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Regional Water Quality Board.
Chairwoman Francine Diamond told community members at a meeting Tuesday night that methane and benzene, toxic chemicals associated with gasoline production, were found in the water.
"We're not saying there is or is not reason for people to be concerned," Diamond told the Daily Breeze. "We don't know yet, but we're going to find out. We know these kinds of chemicals can pose a serious health threat if there's human contact with those chemicals. There's no doubt about that."
She said she believes a nearby Exxon Mobil refinery is to blame.
Water quality officials, the city of Torrance and Exxon Mobil are in the process of conducting tests.
The toxic groundwater could affect as many as 10 homes in the area.
Homeowner Jorge Martinez said he first started smelling chemicals in his tap water. Homeowner Dora Gonzales said the air in her home will be tested this weekend as part of the investigation.

From the KNBC website

Interesting blog about Benzene

2008-07-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

I found this blog and thought it was interesting. Give it a look see.

Benzene blog
http://www.benzene.org/2008/03/02/exxon-mobil-may-buy-homes-on-torrance-toxic-site/

So how did this happen?

2008-07-23T17:59:00.001-07:00

Well that is what is strange about this contamination. ExxonMobil is calling it a "Historic Event" okay you ask what? Did a lawyer come up with that? They do not know how, when or if it will happen again. It seems to of just happened and no one knew about it. I am not buying that and neither should you.

Big oil company with lots of money and us the homeowners with no power or resources.

Where is the city of Torrance in all of this? That is a good question too. I would love to hear from the Mayor but he was not at the May 1st meeting.

So we wait and see if it happens again.

Contact Information

2008-07-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

If you would like to contact any of the officials or Exxon personnel here are the contacts:

Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Stephen Cain 213-576-6694 scain@waterboards.ca.gov

State of California Department of Toxic Substances Control Steven Hariri 714-484-5332 shariri@dtsc.ca.gov

City of Torrance Community Relations Office 310-618-5762

ExxonMobil 24 hour hotline 310-505-3158

ExxonMobil Public Affairs Carolin Keith 310-212-4618

Not that calling any of them will do you any good...just thought I should list them as a courtesy.

Daily Breeze articles

2008-07-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

The Daily Breeze does several articles about the soil vapors, displaced homeowners and the homes that can not be sold due to the vapors.

Lenders will not give new loans.

Current owners can not get a re-finance if the home is on Del Amo.

How it all began...

2008-07-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

Background:
On November 30, 2007 a strong odor was reported on Del Amo Blvd near Van Ness.
Indoor testing was conducted and based on the results they determined the indoor air was consistent with the outside air. (not sure what that means, double speak)
ExxonMobil determined that methane and vapors from gasoline-type materials, including benzene were present in the soil.
Testing continues.