Public Comment Now Open: DTSC Seeking Community Input on Cleanup Proposal at Foothill & Grove

Attention: Upland residents living in District 2 who live around the proposed Foothill/Grove development project.

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has officially opened the public comment period for the proposed environmental cleanup at the former Nicolson Strawberry Farm property on Foothill Boulevard, just east of Grove Avenue. This cleanup proposal is a major step in addressing significant soil and vapor contamination identified on the site contamination that must be understood and safely resolved before any future development can be considered.

What the Project Is

The 9.86-acre property has been in agricultural use since the 1930s. From 1973 to 1992, three underground gasoline tanks operated on the site; they have since been removed. A private developer has proposed a mixed-use residential and commercial project, but before anything can move forward, the site must undergo a full cleanup under DTSC oversight.

What Contamination Has Been Found

DTSC’s investigation identified multiple contaminants above State health-protective standards:

Lead in Soil

• Up to 1,100 mg/kg

• Residential limit: 80 mg/kg
  More than 14 times the safe level for neighborhoods.

Arsenic

• Up to 24 mg/kg

• Local natural background: 12 mg/kg

PCE Vapors (Dry-Cleaning Solvent)

• Up to 71,300 µg/m³

• Residential limit: ~41 µg/m³
  Approximately 1,700 times above safe levels.
  The vapor is migrating from the off-site dry cleaner, and the source remains unresolved.

Benzene

Above DTSC vapor-screening limits; benzene is a known human carcinogen.

Chloroform

• Up to 24 µg/m³

• Residential limit: 4.1 µg/m³

Health Risks Residents Should Understand

These contaminants can affect:

• Neurological development

• Immune and respiratory health

• Long-term cancer risk

Seniors, children, pregnant individuals, and medically vulnerable neighbors, especially those living just north of Foothill would face the highest exposure during soil excavation, dust generation, and heavy truck activity.

DTSC’s Proposed Cleanup Plan

The draft cleanup proposal includes:

• Excavation and removal of contaminated soil

• Hazardous waste transport off-site

• Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Systems (VIMS) for future buildings

• Long-term vapor monitoring

• Land use restrictions to ensure safety over time

However, important questions remain, especially regarding whether the off-site PCE contamination plume has been fully defined and addressed.

Why Your Participation Matters

DTSC cannot finalize the cleanup plan until it reviews and responds to community comments. Your comments help ensure:

• Stronger protections for nearby residents

• Clearer requirements for dust, air, and traffic controls

• A deeper investigation into the dry cleaner contamination source

• More transparent public reporting and monitoring

• A cleanup plan that prioritizes health—not convenience

This is your opportunity to make sure your concerns are formally part of the public record before decisions are finalized.

A Community Workshop Is Needed

Given the complexity of this site and the seriousness of the contamination, I have included in my comment letter that DTSC host a public workshop in Upland. Residents deserve direct access to DTSC scientists to ask questions, understand health risks, and get clarity on the cleanup process.

This level of transparency is essential when hazardous materials are involved.

How to Submit Your Comments

Public comments are being accepted now through December 12, 2025.

Residents may comment on:

• Health impacts

• Dust, air quality, and truck routes

• Noise and construction duration

• Vapor intrusion risks

• Long-term monitoring

• Unresolved off-site contamination

• Any issue affecting your home, health, or neighborhood

Plain language is completely acceptable. Technical expertise is not required.

If you need help preparing a comment, I’m available.

I remain fully committed to ensuring that District 2 residents stay informed as this project moves forward. While the development itself is located in Rancho Cucamonga, many Upland residents will feel its effects, and their voices deserve to be heard. I strongly encourage you to submit public comments and questions to DTSC so the agency understands the real-world impacts on our neighborhoods.

Protecting our quality of life requires active engagement. By sharing your concerns now, we can work together to make sure appropriate safeguards are put in place for the long term.

Your participation today will help shape the protections our community relies on for years to come.

Councilman James Breitling