"Illegal-dumping search targets airport business"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Illegal-dumping search targets airport business
By Jason Pesick
The San Bernardino County (CA) Sun


RIALTO - State environmental investigators recently searched an
aircraft-restoration business at Rialto Municipal Airport for possible
illegal dumping of toxic chemicals, according to the airport's director. 

A few days before Christmas, officials from the California Environmental
Protection Agency and other agencies served a search warrant at Westpac
Restorations, said Airport Director Rich Scanlan. 

For roughly six hours, the officials interviewed Westpac employees, examined
products used at the business, reviewed documents to see how waste is
disposed, and dug through trash receptacles, according to Scanlan. 

Scanlan said he learned about the search from Westpac owner Bill Klaers. 

According to Scanlan, Klaers told him a disgruntled former employee
complained to the Department of Toxic Substances Control, a division of the
state EPA, that Westpac's employees were dumping toxic chemicals into the
ground. 

Scanlan, who said Klaers did not dispose of chemicals improperly, said a
report about what was found will not be completed until March. 

Klaers and state officials did not return calls seeking comment. 

No arrests were made when the warrant was served, said Police Chief Mark
Kling. 

The department was present when the warrant was served. 

A San Bernardino County Fire Department hazardous-materials team also was
present, said spokeswoman Tracey Martinez. 

Klaers has about 20,000 square feet of space at the airport. However,
Westpac plans to relocate to Colorado Springs after this summer so the city
can develop the airport into Renaissance Rialto - a commercial, industrial
and residential project. 

Robb Steel, Rialto's economic development director, said he forwarded
information about the incident to the airport's developers, the Lewis Group
and Hillwood, because they are responsible for relocating airport tenants
and preparing the land for development. 

"We're going to try to see what it means," said Randall Lewis, executive
vice president of the Lewis Group, which hasn't yet acquired the airport
property.


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