IN REPLY REFER TO:

LCD-10000 1.3.11

United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

Lower Colorado Dams Office P.O. Box 60400

Boulder City, NV 89006-0400

June 24, 2020

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Engineering·& Operating Committee (E&OC) Members (See Enclosed List)

Subject: Request for Information Related to the Hoover Dam Solid Waste Site (Site) on USBR's Property

Dear Boulder Canyon Project E&OC Members:

I have reviewed the enclosed May 28, 2020, request for information related to the Site from the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Arizona Power Authority, Southern California Edison Company and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power who asked that responses to the request be directed to the E&OC.

I have considered three approaches to collect this information: 1) Find the money to support this within our current budget and provide the information; 2) Develop a Work Plan and incorporate it into our Ten-Year plan and provide the information as funding becomes available; or 3) Refer the request to the FOIA process. As stated in the letter, the request is substantial. In order to be adequately and appropriately addressed, it needs to be submitted through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process.

After consulting with our Acquisitions office, my gut feeling is that the costs to collect this information will be many thousands of dollars and possibly be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. My preference would be that the requesting organization(s) fund this effort directly, but the funding for an official FOIA request is problematic. All funding collected for FOIAs must go to the Treasury. However, nearly all costs to collect this data will be charged to the Boulder Canyon Project (BCP). This will require the BCP to fund the effort with available BCP funds. I have discussed this with our FOIA office, and they will share the estimate of the effort to the requesting organization( s) before performing the work and incurring cost.

I recommend that this request be reconsidered after additional information is received/provided before submitting the request. We have not received a final determination from the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP), but they have indicated that they will likely accept the plan we submitted with some conditions. Our plan consists primarily of erosion control and waste removal and/or containment. If the additional conditions that NDEP require are not substantial, much of the requested information will not be relevant to t!J_e cleanup of the Site and the

INTERIOR REGION 8 • LOWER COLORADO BASIN ARIZONA. CALIFORNIA*. NEVADA*

• PARTIAL

2

cost and staff time for this effort will not be value added. In addition, we are close to completing our review and providing a response to Resolution #2020-0515, which may help answer at least one of the funding questions.

Freedom of Information Act requests can be submitted at FOIA.gov. If you have specific questions about the FOIA process, please contact Mr. Patrick Jacobs at email pjacobs@usbr.gov or call him at 702-293-8576.

I will share the NDEP response to our plan with you after we receive it. If you have any concerns or would like to discuss this further, please email me at lschilling@usbr.gov or call me at 702-494-2301.

Sincerely,

Enclosure( s) - 2

May 28, 2020 Mr. Len Schilling

Area Manager, Lower Colorado Dams Office

P.O. Box 60400

Boulder City, NV 89006-0400

RE: Request for Information related to the Firing Range Waste Disposal Site on USBR’s property Dear Mr. Schilling: The undersigned Contractors of the Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) in accordance with the Amended and Restated Boulder Canyon Project Implementation Agreement request that the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) provide the following information. We recognize the request below is substantial. Accordingly, we would appreciate if the materials are provided to the EOC Representatives as they become available and not held to be produced in a single batch. USBR should view these requests as continuing and on-going such that as new material is received/produced/discovered, it is timely provided to the Contractors. Additionally, our request should be broadly interpreted to include documents or records in any format, whether electronic, hard copies, reports, correspondence, maps, photographs, written notes, written explanations, and so forth. We are not asking USBR to create new documents -- we seek to gather the information USBR had when it made its decisions regarding the Waste Disposal site, so that we can better understand the decisions. Further, please consult with us prior to expending any funds on fulfilling these requests. Information/Document Requests

a. Firing Range / Waste Disposal Site

i. Documents regarding the disposal of waste by any person or entity at

the Firing Range Waste Disposal Site from 1931 to the present.

ii. Documents regarding all locations where waste from the construction

and Uprating of Hoover Dam and the construction of the Visitor Center

was disposed.

iii. Documents regarding the disposal of fluids from the installation or

removal of transformers at Hoover Dam from 1931 to the present.

iv. Documents from 1931 to the present regarding USBR’s policies on

waste disposal and compliance with same, including but not limited to,

the disposal of chemicals, hazardous waste, construction debris,

maintenance debris, and USBR’s debris.

v. Documents from 1960 to the present regarding communications

between the USBR and the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD)

related to the Firing Range Waste Disposal Site, including permits,

waivers, and USBR’s compliance with SNHD’s Solid Waste

Management Authority Regulations.

vi. Documents regarding how the Federal Government and Six Companies

allocated responsibility for waste disposal.

vii. Documents regarding the construction and use of the Firing Range.

viii. Documents regarding which entities or persons, including but not

limited to local, state or federal agencies, have used the Firing Range

and copies of agreements with those entities regarding their use of the

Firing Range.

b. Environmental

i. Documents regarding groundwater under the Firing Range Waste

Disposal Site, including groundwater samples, where the groundwater

and hot springs vents are located, and any connection between the

two. (USBR’s 1/15/2020 presentation contains a picture of the thermal

image of the hot springs’ vents, and USBR’s 5/15/19 presentation

states that “several hot springs vents were located throughout area

indicating there is a direct connection from the landfill to the water

table.”)

ii. Documents regarding types of materials underneath the top cover of

rock and dirt, including those used to develop USBR’s 5/15/2019

presentation slide 2.

iii. Documents relating to communications between USBR and NDEP

regarding the Firing Range Waste Disposal Site including any site

investigation, air monitoring, remediation plans (including

engineering-type drawings provided in CAD, GIS, or other native

formats), revisions, responses, and comments.

c. Funding

i. Documents regarding efforts by USBR to seek funding sources for

cleanup of the Firing Range Waste Disposal Site, apart from the

Contractors, including contribution from USBR or others, and/or non-

reimbursable Federal funding.

ii. Documents regarding how USBR has funded the cleanup of other

federal lands.

iii. Documents regarding why USBR believes the Resource Conservation

and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the applicable statute instead of the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability

Act of 1980 (CERCLA). (USBR’s 10/23/19 presentation slide 13 and

1/15/20 presentation slide 10)

iv. Documents regarding why USBR believes “[a]ny expenses for

treatment of the landfill are appropriately operation and maintenance

(O&M) costs, absent a specific appropriation.” (USBR’s 10/23/19

presentation slide 13)

We thank you for your attention to these requests. Responses should be directed to the EOC representatives, who will in turn distribute to the Contractor Group. If you have any questions, please contact Craig Pyper at cpyper@crc.nv.gov Sincerely, COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION OF NEVADA Gail Bates Assistant Director, Hydropower

THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Shawn Bailey Manager, Power Operations

ARIZONA POWER AUTHORITY Ed Gerak Executive Director

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY Scott Wiedermann Energy Contracts Manager

LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER Eric J. Hill Mechanical Engineering Associate

Engineering & Operating Committee (E&OC) Primary / Alternate List

Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians Hooks, Todd thooks@aguacaliente-nsn.gov Anaheim Public Utilities Department Krause, Elden ekrause@anaheim.net Valero, Linda lvalero@anaheim.net Anza Electric Cooperative, Inc. Baharie, Brian brianb@anzaelectric.org Short, Kevin, kevins@anzaelectric.org Arizona Power Authority Gerak, Ed ed@powerauthority.org Sullivan, Linda linda@powerauthority.org Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians Saline, Ken krs@krsaline.com Delaney, Dennis dld@krsaline.com Finley, Ann atf@krsaline.com Azusa Light and Water Department Ellis, Katherine kellis@scppa.org Robledo, Manny mrobledo@azusaca.gov Torres, Richard rtorres@azusaca.gov Bishop Paiute Tribe Summers, Allen allen.summers@bishoppaiute.org Bailey, Gloriana gloriana.bailey@bishoppaiute.org Spoonhunter, Valeria valerie.spoonhunter@bishoppaiute.org Cabazon Band Mission Indians Acuna, Joey joeyacunajr@aol.com Barnum, Jacquelyn

jbarnum@cabazonindians-nsn.gov Hitchcock, Ralph rehitchcock@verizon.net California Department of Water Resources Brown, David david.brown@water.ca.gov Burk, Deane dburk@water.ca.gov Chemehuevi Indian Tribe Koscielak, Lex ast.dir.epa@cit-nsn.gov Urbine, Kelly kelly.urbine@currentinsightinc.com Urbine, Terry terry.urbine@currentinsightinc.com Wood, Charles chairman@cit-nsn.gov City of Banning Steffens, Jim jsteffens@ci.banning.ca.us

City of Boulder City Pelletier, Diane dpelletier@bcnv.org Porter, Dennis dporter@bcnv.org City of Burbank Bleveans, Lincoln lbleveans@burbankca.gov Hammond, Tim thammond@burbankca.gov Himanshu, Pandey hpandey@ci.burbank.ca.us City of Cerritos Raufdeen, Ramz rraufdeen@cerritos.us Vancheswaran, Kanna kvancheswaran@cerritos.us City of Colton Gallegos, Rebecca rgallegos@coltonca.gov Kolk, David dkolk@coltonca.gov City of Corona Moody, Tom Tom.Moody@ci.corona.ca.us City of Glendale Valdez, Mindalyn Chie cvaldez@glendaleca.gov City of Pasadena D'Aquila, Anthony tdaquila@cityofpasadena.net Johnson, Erik ejohnson@cityofpasadena.net Nguyen, Kelly kellynguyen@cityofpasadena.net Samra, Mandip msamra@cityofpasadena.net Zhang , Ren rzhang@cityofpasadena.net City of Rancho Cucamonga Lyn, Fred fred.lyn@cityofrc.us City of Riverside Mayne, Jarod jmayne@riversideca.gov Park, Andrew apark@riversideca.gov City of Vernon Alemu, Abraham aalemu@ci.vernon.ca.us Fandino, Carlos cfandino@ci.vernon.ca.us City of Victorville Hampton, Brenda bhampton@victorvilleca.gov Harris II, George gharris@victorvilleca.gov Metzler, Keith kmetzler@victorvilleca.gov

Colorado River Commission of Nevada Bates, Gail gbates@crc.nv.gov Pyper, Craig cpyper@crc.nv.gov Witkoski, Eric ewitkoski@crc.nv.gov Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Benally, Diandra dbenally@fmyn.org Dorchester, Phil pdorchester@fmyn.org Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority Galloway, Kathy kgalloway@gricua.net Gold, Leonard manager@gricua.net Mejia, Arnold amejia@gricua.net Hualapai Nation Clarke, Damon damon.clarke@hualapai-nsn.gov Vaughn, Charles chasvaughn@live.com Imperial Irrigation District Asbury, Jamie jlasbury@iid.com Escalera, Mario mescalera@iid.com Harding, Scott sdharding@iid.com Printy, R. Marc rmprinty@iid.com Stewart, Bryan bpstewart@iid.com Valenzuela, Belen bvalenzuela@iid.com Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians Las Vegas Paiute Tribe Spotted Eagle, Chris cspottedeagle@lvpaiute.com Tso, Benny btso@lvpaiute.com Los Angeles Department of Water & Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Alba, David david.alba@ladwp.com Hill, Eric eric.hill@ladwp.com Schultz, Paul paul.schultz@ladwp.com Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Bailey, Shawn sbailey@mwdh2o.com Cherry, Tim TCherry@mwdh2o.com Morongo Band of Mission Indians Asghar, Titu tasghar@morongo-nsn.gov Helms, Shane shelms@morongo-nsn.gov

Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Haase, Walter walterh@ntua.com Steiger, Glenn glenns@ntua.com Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe Valencia, Robert Robert.Valencia@pascuayaqui-nsn.gov Yucupicio, Peter peter.yucupicio@pascuayaqui-nsn.gov Pechanga Band Of Luiseño Mission Indians Nu'uhiwa, Breann bnuuhiwa@pechanga-nsn.gov Pitt, Pi-Ta ppitt@pechanga-nsn.gov Schaff, Margaret margieschaff@comcast.net Taylor, Dan dtaylor@pechanga-nsn.gov Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Finley, Ann atf@krsaline.com Jack, Jennifer jennifer.jack@srpmic-nsn.gov San Diego County Water Authority Fountain, Brent bfountain@sdcwa.org Meda, Jesus jmeda@sdcwa.org San Luis Rey River Indian Water San Luis Rey River Indian Water Authority San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Batten, Clifford cbatten@sanmanuel-nsn.gov Dupont, Patrick pdupont@sanmanuel-nsn.gov Southern California Edison Irwin, Mark mark.irwin@sce.com Litos, Maria maria.litos@sce.com Wiedermann, Scott scott.wiedermann@sce.com Southern California Public Power Authority (Member) Ellis, Katherine kellis@scppa.org Timbisha Shoshone Tribe Gholson, George george@timbisha.com

Tohono O'odham Utility Authority Bethurem, Mike mike.bethurem@hq.toua.net Hobbs, Darrold darrold.hobbs@hq.toua.net Tonto Apache Tribe Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Franco, Desiree tmdfranco@torresmartinez.org Powell, Robert rpowell@tmdci-nsn.gov Tortez, Thomas tmttortez@torresmartinez.org Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians Darrell, Mike 29chairman@29palmsbomi-nsn.gov Madrigal, Anthony amadrigal@29palmsbomi-nsn.gov U.S. Dept of the Interior - Bureau of Reclamation Gould, Jacqi jgould@usbr.gov Schilling, Len lschilling@usbr.gov Viejas Band Of Kumeyaay Indians Teran, Ray rteran@viejas-nsn.gov Tewanger, Darwin dtewanger@viejas-nsn.gov Western Area Power Administration Amaro, Teresita amaro@wapa.gov Kendrick, Jimmy kendrick@wapa.gov Moldanado, Christina maldonado@wapa.gov