Below is a recorded presentation about the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA)/Ninigret mitigation response plan for the North Temple Landfill. SITLA purchased the landfill from the Suburban Land Reserve (LDS Church properties) with the intent to mitigate the contaminated landscape, develop it, and use the revenue for Utah schools. SITLA and their brownfield consultant Ninigret are in the process of developing a Mitigation Action Plan with the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation (DERR) to achieve brownfield status. The degree of mitigation or clean up would depend upon what the future land use of this site would be.
SITLA is now looking at Phase I remediation for the SE corner of the site (approximately 100-150 acres) because this area has the least contamination impact. Two characterization reports are forthcoming. One is nearly final. The other in draft. Once the remedial action plan is reviewed and discussed between DERR and SITLA, the plan will go out for a 30-day public comment period.
It’s logical for SITLA to begin with Phase I in the SE corner of the property, so that they can begin generating revenue to cover the costs of the subsequent phases of remediation required by DERR. Although the proposed mitigation would not be suitable for residential development, it would work for large warehouses.
Presentation Recording from 12/6/21 Westpointe Community Council Meeting:
Ninigret Group Project Description
"The North Temple Landfill is a closed municipal landfill occupying 770 acres within Salt Lake’s Northwest Quadrant that was operated by the Salt Lake City Corporation between 1959 and 1979, accepting waste from Salt Lake City and other local entities. The Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) selected Ninigret to assist the agency with the remediation and subsequent development of the property.
SITLA, which is an independent agency managing the state’s 4.5 million acres of surface and mineral estate on behalf of the public education system and other state institutions, acquired the property in 2018. After acquiring the property, SITLA entered into Utah’s Voluntary Clean Up Program intent on remediating the landfill, redeveloping the property and returning the parcel back into productive use. The parcel occupies a strategic market position within Salt Lake’s Northwest Quadrant, an area earmarked for significant development. With rail and interstate highway access already in-place, the property meets the needs of many companies looking to locate in this growing region."
Presentation Recording from 6/9/21 Westpointe Community Council Meeting
Presentation Notes and Q&A from Meeting Minutes:
MAJOR PRESENTATION FROM SITLA (STATE INSTITUTION TRUST LAND ADM)
This presentation was recorded, and a copy can be found on the Westpointe website with the Council
minutes of this meeting. Attendees were told to enter any questions in the online feature and that
Allison and Lynn would monitor the chat for questions to discuss with the presenters. The two
presenters were Robert Behunin and Gary McEntee, both with the Ninegret Group, which has a
contract with SITLA. Mr. Behunin lives in Utah and handles community engagement and
government relations. Mr. McEntee now lives in New York and is an environmental consultant on
mediation and future development. He indicated that when he lived in Utah, he ran an environmental
consulting firm, the Brownfield Group, which handled the remediation of 400 acres of land in near
Bangerter and California.
The North Temple landfill (north of 7200 W) was operation from 1958 to 1979. In 2018 Suburban
Land Reserve donated the land to SITLA. The area is intended for manufacturing and UDOT felt
rail service to the area would be appropriate. SITLA did not feel it was advisable to remove the
hazardous waste from the area because of the high cost. However, there is a layer of clay in this land
from 5 feet to 12 feet which keeps the waste from seeping into the ground water. The plan is to
remediate the land in sections moving the waste to an onsite location.
After the presentation the following questions were asked:
• Is any of the landfill lined? – Answer: No
• What toxins exist on SW corner of property? – Answer: Dioxins and arsenic.
• Who owned the property before SITLA? – Answer: Suburban Land Reserve (LDS Church)
• Have you tested the soil near the prison? – Answer: No.
• How will we know the Remedial Action Plan has been filed? (Victoria Petro-Eschler) – Answer: DEQ is keeping everything up to date. No plans until late fall, probably November. We need to do more tests on the property.
• How much will remediation cost and who is paying for it? – Answer: Cost is estimated at $135 million. Who will pay has not been determined.
• What about liquidation or earthquakes? – Answer: Not seen that, there are not fault lines on the property.
• Senator Luz Escamilla commented that SITLA has no interest in having a rail yard but rather having rail service. She also indicated that SITLA had the ability to do what they wanted. to with the land. – Response: Presenters indicated that SITLA believes in always coming through the front door. That's why they are working with Mayor Erin Mendenhall and the Legislature. That process will frame and shape the decision. Much coordination still needs to go on.
• Please define “rail service – Answer: Bringing in rail products.
• What is the E.P.A. involvement in the remediation or is it being handled by State DEQ under their clean-up program? – Answer: SITLA will decide the best way to get rid of it. The D.E.Q. will review it no more action required.
• What rail and traffic impact studies have been done? – Response: Access to it is off 7200 South. It will be a 5-lane highway. Two lanes going both ways and median for turns.
• What monitoring has been done of air over the site for methane to see if anything is dispersing. – Answer: Yes, we do have monitoring, there is very little methane, but we will set up monitoring stations throughout this section of land.