Contractors Sued for Blasting Natural Asbestos

November 7, 2006 - The Sacramento Bee reports that prosecutors have reached a $350,000 settlement with two El Dorado Hills developers and a contractor accused of blasting on a hillside known to be filled with naturally-occurring amphibole asbestos.

The newspaper report states that Angelo K. Tsakopoulos and Larry Gualco, whose companies form West Valley LLC, and DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin were accused of but not formally charged with 47 violations of air and water pollution laws based on documented observations by local environmental enforcers, according to Deputy District Attorney Gloria Mas.

The allegations that most concerned Air Quality Management personnel were connected with the blasting done in areas designated as “known or likely to contain” naturally occurring asbestos.  Blasting here caused thick clouds of white dust – dangerous airborne particles from a particularly toxic form of asbestos found underground in this region.

Throughout the investigation, air district officials photographed the explosions and issued warnings to the developers and contractor.  In several instances, the thick dust clouds drifted far beyond the job site, "vastly" exceeding the permitted limit, according to the air district.

One explosion, notes that newspaper account, occurred just 2 days after geologists announced the asbestos find.  It involved the use of “27,245 pounds of explosives, dislodging 28,000-plus cubic yards of shattered rock and dirt.”

Spokespersons for the housing development, known as Valley View, maintain that the companies went to “extraordinary lengths” to reduce clouds and mud and protect those nearby.

"These and other measures being implemented will ensure not only that there will be no future violations, but that the ... project is constructed so as to minimize the impacts on the project's neighbors and the El Dorado community," said John Poulos, a Sacramento attorney for West Valley.

“While many areas of California contain asbestos, none poses as great a potential hazard as the fast-growing Sierra foothills near the El Dorado-Sacramento county line, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has conducted asbestos tests in the region and elsewhere in the state,” noted Chris Bowman of the Sacramento Bee.

“El Dorado Hills' dense residential development and its many young families increase the potential health risk, EPA scientists say. Children are especially at risk because of their long life expectancy.”