59th Street Corporation Yard Demolition and Remediation Project

The 59^th Street Corporation Yard Demolition and Remediation Project includes:

• Demolishing the site’s buildings (Complete)
• Excavating and disposing contaminated soil (Complete)
• Conducting soil gas testing at the site to verify that all volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remain in soil gas are below the human health screening levels established by the Department of Toxic Substances Control
• Potentially installing a full-scale soil vapor extraction (SVE) system to remediate VOC-impacted soil gas 

SMUD demolished the site’s buildings in October of 2024 and remediated contaminated soil in July of 2025. SMUD is now monitoring the soil gas concentrations over a period of several years to determine if further remediation is needed. 

We don’t anticipate any elevated traffic, noise, or vibration while the soil gas is monitored.

For questions related to the remediation work, please contact Keegan George at either 916-732-5548 or Keegan.George@smud.org.

Project benefits

Remediating the site helps ensure human health and the environment are protected. All remediation activities will require approval from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) prior to implementation and adhere to acceptable risk and exposure levels as determined by DTSC.

Environmental impacts

The Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (Draft IS/MND) and Addendum analyzes the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In compliance with the CEQA Guidelines, we’ve prepared this Notice of Intent (NOI) to provide responsible agencies and other interested parties with written notice of the availability of the Final IS/MND.

• View CEQA Addendum Final
• View CEQA Addendum Findings
• View Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration
• View Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration Appendix A: Draft Changes
• View Notice of Intent
• View Draft Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration
• Appendix A: Air Quality
• Appendix B: Health Risk Assessment
• Appendix C: Cultural Resources

Timing and location

Work began in 2022 with the building demolition concluding in October 2024 and soil remediation concluding in July 2025. However, long-term monitoring and testing may be required after the demolition and soil removal effort, which could extend to 2030.

We're working with the Department of Toxic Substances Control to perform environmental cleanup of our former 59^th Street Corporation Yard. In doing so, all of the buildings needed to be demolished.

• Phase I of the environmental cleanup work began after the phase I demolition, but has encountered more contamination than originally expected, causing the work to extend into December of 2023.
• Phase II of demolition started in early 2024 and concluded in October 2024. 
• Phase II of the soil removal activities start in October 2024 and concluded in July of 2025. 
• Soil gas testing and additional soil gas remediation (if necessary) will continue for several years, possibly extending until 2030.

The 59^th Street Corporation Yard Demolition and Remediation Project is in East Sacramento, at 1708 59^th Street. It’s bordered by residential development to the west, commercial development to the north, a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) laboratory to the east across 59^th Street and U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) to the south. The site is bisected by a Sacramento Regional Transit District light rail line.

Information repository

The Information Repository includes copies for Final Interim Removal Action Workplan and related key technical and public outreach documents.

• Final Interim Removal Action Workplan, September 2022
• Interim Removal Action Workplan – Approval for Implementation
• Fully Executed First Amendment to Enforceable Corrective Action Consent Agreement, Docket Number HWCA P1-13/14/007, dated October 11, 2018
  
• Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Report, dated February 25, 2016
  
• Site Characterization Report, dated December 2019
  
• Site Characterization Report Addendum (draft form), dated May 2021
• Site Characterization Report Addendum No. 2 (draft form), dated November 2021
• Site Characterization Report Addendum No. 2, Part 2
• Site Characterization Report Addendum No. 2, Part 3
• Site Characterization Report Addendum No. 2, Part 4
• Revised Interim Removal Action Workplan, dated July 2022
• Admin Record Index
• DTSC Public Notice
• DTSC Approval of IRAW for Public Comment

Frequently asked questions

Are any of the surrounding residences and businesses at risk from the contaminants at 59^th Street? 

No, SMUD conducted real-time monitoring at the property line during demolition and remediation work to ensure dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) did not leave the property at concentrations that exceed human health screening limits. No exceedances of the California Ambient Air Quality Standard for dust of PM10 (particles 10 micrometers and smaller) at 50 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) averaged over 24 hours occurred during the demolition and soil remediation work. SMUD also monitored the property line with a Photoionization Detector (PID) that is capable of detecting VOCs in the parts per billion range. No VOCs were detected in any of the air monitoring results from the property line.

What are SMUD's plans for the property?

SMUD is performing the environmental cleanup on the property so that it can be redeveloped in the future. Based on input from the community, SMUD’s goals for redevelopment include a high-quality, state-of-the-art, sustainable, transit-oriented, mixed-use development. However, the redevelopment of the site is a few years out. The current project only focuses on the environmental cleanup. 

What agency oversees SMUD’s remediation project?

SMUD is working closely with the Department of Toxic Substances Control to clean up the site so that it is ready for redevelopment. Also, the City of Sacramento issued the permit for the demolition portion of the project.

What’s involved in the 59th Street Corporation Yard Demolition and Remediation Project?

The project includes the demolition of all buildings at the 59th Street Corporation Yard, so the removal of contaminated soil can occur. Following soil removal, SMUD will conduct soil gas testing at the site to verify that all volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remaining in soil gas are below the human health screening levels established by the Department of Toxic Substances Control. If necessary, SMUD will work with the Department of Toxic Substances Control to develop and implement land use controls to ensure the protection of human health and the environment during the future development.

When will the project start and how long will it last?

The project started in 2022 and will continue for several years, possibly extending until 2030 or beyond. 

What construction impacts does SMUD anticipate?

For the remaining work associated with the environmental cleanup, SMUD does not anticipate any increases in traffic, noise, or vibration. SMUD will continue to do everything possible to minimize these concerns for surrounding residences and businesses. Weekend work is not anticipated but may be required under certain circumstances.