Pinocchio Chronicles #20, Where was the FAA? #309

The Palomar Pinocchio series reports McClellan-Palomar Airport (Palomar) environmental problems. Today, the latest repeat offender: Landfill methane gas releases into the air.

History

From about 1964 to 1976, county built garbage dumps near the Palomar runway for general municipal use. In about 1976, county closed the landfills after dumping nearly 1,000,000 cubic yards of garbage.

The garbage rotted. Rotting garbage breeds methane gas. Gases leak through soil into the air. Methane degrades into ozone, a primary greenhouse gas pollutant.

Air quality agencies in 2022 found that Carlsbad ozone levels were severe. (Best, worst cities for air quality: California ranks among worst, East Coast is cleaner, Jordan Mendoza, USA Today, April 22, 2022 (Air Quality).

County’s 1976 Solution

County knows all this. So county placed a vast methane gas collection piping system below the Palomar runway east end approach area. When working, the piping funnels gas to a tower that sends burnt methane gas residuals into the air from the tower flare.

Since 2000, Palomar has had at least 2 underground landfill fires, one fire lasting at least 6 months. Fires caused high heat. How much of the landfill methane gas collection system was affected? County didn’t say.

Halloween 2022 Surprise: New Methane Problems

In October 2022, a county inspection report noted:

“On Monday, October 17, 2022, the flare experienced an unscheduled shutdown event caused by high oxygen levels in the gas stream. Following the shutdown, further investigations of Sump 14 were conducted, including inspection of the sump casing using a submersible camera. Results indicated that the sump and pump were damaged by exposure to a heat source. Surface temperature scans were then conducted which indicated normal readings for that day.

DPW’s LFG consultant attempted to isolate this leg of the collection system by closing the main 8-inch valve to that leg and restarting the flare. Following the restart, oxygen levels at the flare remained high and vacuum remained at Sump-14, which indicated the main valve was not operating properly. Vacuum to Sump-14 was ultimately controlled by closing a larger valve nearby, indicating that a larger break in the collection system piping may exist. “

New County Solution

In January 2023, the county asked the Air Quality Agencies for a ONE year variance to avoid fines as uncontrolled methane releases pollute the air. How serious the problem is the county is not saying. Investigation underway.

The Kicker: The Absent FAA

When county accepted the 1959 federal grant FAAP 0801, county agreed not to use Palomar Airport land for non-airport purposes. County agreed not to use Palomar land for uses harmful to aviation.

So far, Palomar landfill problems include: landfill-attracted-feeding bird-strike risks to aircraft during the 14 years the landfills operated. Damage to airport buildings and the runway caused by landfill settlement. Continued violation of Regional Water Quality Control Board Permit 96-13 with county annually reporting landfill pollutant levels greatly exceeding water quality standards. Periodic air quality violations as methane escapes to the air. A 6-month of the year ugly Palomar slope in the middle of the Carlsbad scenic corridor that exists because county says it cannot permanently water the slopes above the landfill for fear of water intrusion into the landfill. Several tenant lease rent discounts due to methane gas intrusion and settlement.

What does the FAA say about all this? In a June 8, 2020 report to the Office of the Inspector General triggered by this author’s complaint, an FAA Director of Planning said: “There is no indication that the agency failed to enforce grant assurances regarding alleged practices that occurred over 45 years ago.” But in reply to a Freedom of Information Act request asking the FAA to provide the records it relied on, the FAA was not able to provide even 1 FAA-created record showing it ever enforced the FAA 0801 grant conditions.

What happens if a Palomar aircraft crashes near a methane gas control pipe with “high oxygen levels in the gas stream.” Just ask the ???

5 Pinocchio noses for the FAA report?