TOSC Assists Valley Center, a California Community Concerned about Multiple Contaminants

The Western Region TOSC program recently began working with a community group in Valley Center, CA. Valley Center is an agricultural community of about 8,000 people in San Diego County.

The community initially became concerned about environmental contaminants when a number of neighborhood children were diagnosed with cancer. They are worried about affects from multiple sources: the use of aerial pesticides in the surrounding area, the use of pesticides on school grounds, and an underground MTBE spill near the schools.

TOSC staff began working with the community in January when we first met with community members. We agreed to assist the community by:

• Helping the community understand an epidemiology report concerning childhood cancer carried out by UC-Irvine. TOSC will explain the methodology used for data collection and analysis as well as the inclusion/exclusion criteria the report used.

• Explaining the results from the MTBE water testing at local schools and the collection and analysis procedures.

• Supporting the community’s request for the City and State to test the city water and well water in the schools for MTBE and pesticides.

• Helping the community request City and State testing of soil around the school grounds for pesticides and MTBE.

• Evaluating the regulatory status of Dursban (chlorpyrifos), a pesticide, and reporting what we learn to the community.

  If you would like additional information about TOSC's work with Valley Center, please contact Mike Behm at behmm@engr.orst.edu or 541-737-9432.