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Neighbors press state and city on PCE risks as Board of Appeals upholds site permit for 2550 Irving Street
Summary
A divided but procedurally final outcome: the Board of Appeals’ handling of a neighborhood appeal over PCE contamination and an SB 35 site permit for 2550 Irving highlighted deep disagreements. Appellants urged active soil vapor extraction and neighborhood remediation; DTSC and city agencies said tests show no on-site source and that a vapor-intrusion mitigation plan will protect future residents. The board failed to reach a majority to remand or condition the permit and the appeal was denied by operation of law.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals heard hours of technical testimony, public comment and legal briefing on Aug. 16 over whether the city should withhold a site permit for 2550 Irving Street — a proposed seven-story, 90-unit affordable housing project — until more aggressive remediation of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) soil vapor is performed.
Mid-Sunset Neighborhood Association (MSNA), represented by Enoch Wong, presented expert testimony from UCSF toxicologist Tamer Durani and remediation engineer Dan Grasmick. Dr. Durani emphasized the health risks associated with PCE, saying long-term exposure is "recognized to cause cancer" and noting children and people of child-bearing age are especially vulnerable. Grasmick testified active soil-vapor-extraction (SVE) could reduce subsurface vapor concentrations rapidly and that a short pilot would help design a system that minimizes off-site draw.
The permit holder and environmental consultants disputed the need for immediate SVE at the parcel. David Gruna, a licensed hydrogeologist working with the sponsor, described multiple rounds of subsurface investigation he said found no PCE source…
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