June 29, 2002

HARMAN HOSTS GROUNDBREAKING OF
CLEANUP OF POINT VICENTE INTERPRETIVE CENTER

-- “The Pointe Vicente Interpretive Center is a precious resource to all of Southern California
and everyone wants to see it cleaned up, expanded and reopened as quickly as possible” --

RANCHO PALOS VERDES - Congresswoman Harman and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) hosted a groundbreaking for the federally funded cleanup of the Point Vicente Interpretive Center in RPV.

"The Pointe Vicente Interpretive Center is a precious resource to all of Southern California and everyone wants to see it cleaned up, expanded and reopened as quickly as possible. "This center exposes children to the wonders of the ocean. For some LA students this is their first experience seeing whales and other marine mammals," remarked Harman.

The Pointe Vicente Interpretive Center (PVIC) was closed in 1999 after lead contamination was discovered in the soil. From the 1950's to the 1970's, the US Army operated a firing range on the property, which was identified as the source of the contamination. Harman and her predecessor Steve Kuykendall both pressed for the cleanup to be categorized as a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS), which allows the federal government to assume responsibility for conducting a cleanup of unused military property. The estimated cost of the cleanup, which will be conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers, is $2,000,000. Work should be completed by Spring 2003.

"The designation of this site as a FUDS project was crucial to getting the work started as soon as possible and both Steve and I pressed hard for this outcome." Said Harman.

Following the cleanup, the City of RPV plans to proceed with a 7,000 square foot expansion of PVIC, and the site should be open to the public in the Spring 2004.

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