MCP and its environmental consultant, SCS Engineers, are conducting two investigations at the Market Creek Plaza Shopping Center. This work is approved and being overseen by DTSC.
Environmental Work
Food 4 Less Grocery Store Indoor Air Investigation
Samples of indoor air collected in June 2024 within the Food 4 Less found levels of TCE that required a prompt response to improve air quality. MCP installed air treatment units, sealed cracks and holes in the building’s floor, and made improvements/upgrades to the HVAC system to increase air flow.
Indoor air testing results from August and October 2024 and January 2025 show a substantial decrease in TCE from the June 2024 results, which means actions taken to improve air quality are working. We are now focusing our efforts on designing a treatment system that will permanently remove TCE from soil and anticipate that will be built and operating in 2025. We will test indoor air within the grocery store approximately every three months and share the results with DTSC and the community.
Picture of an indoor air sampling canister.
Sitewide Soil Vapor and Indoor Air Investigation
A sitewide soil vapor investigation was conducted in December 2024 to determine how far TCE vapors have moved in soil (this includes how far out and how far down). Samples were collected at 5 and 15 feet below the ground surface throughout the shopping center. The results show a source of TCE contamination in soil near the Food 4 Less building and elevated levels of contamination in soil vapor along the northern, southern and eastern sides of the shopping center property.
Under some conditions, TCE vapors in soil can move up through cracks or holes in a building’s foundation, potentially impacting the quality of indoor air. This process – when pollution moves from air spaces in soil to indoor air – is called vapor intrusion. Because TCE is in soil vapor at the property, we will be testing indoor air within all buildings at the shopping center on March 20, 2025. Results will be shared with tenants and the community.
Workers collecting soil vapor samples for analysis.
Permanent Removal of TCE
This summer, MCP and its environmental consultant will be conducting one or more pilot studies to determine what technologies will work the best to permanently remove TCE from soil and/or prevent vapor intrusion. Once this is determined, a full-scale system will be built and operated.
Off-site Investigations
MCP will be conducting investigation work to the southeast of the shopping center to determine if TCE has moved in this direction. This work will include taking samples of soil vapor to fully understand the extent of TCE impacts. It is anticipated that off-site investigation work will be conducted in late 2025