Since 1998, Cordoba has worked on a number of phases of the dust mitigation program for the Owens Valley Dry Lake Bed, which is on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s list of Serious Non-Attainment for PM10 emissions. The lake bed area is approximately 100 square miles and has been divided into phases which include both remediation activities and infrastructure development and construction. The project is currently in what is called “Phase 7�. This phase alone has a construction value of $130 million. For Phase 7, Cordoba personnel are providing construction management services in the areas of environmental monitoring, CEQA compliance, concrete and pipeline inspections and infrastructure development efforts. Key elements of the project include the following:

• Environmental Monitoring - Cordoba’s Environmental Mitigation Monitor was responsible for nine areas of environmental requirements outlined for Phase 7. The specific tasks included: ensuring acquisition of required permits, monitoring of hazardous materials and dust control during construction, environmental mitigation oversight, monitoring of air quality, inspections and observations of contractor activities related to the biological resources abundant at Owens Lake, monitoring and reporting on water quality, provide cultural awareness training so that contractors know what constitutes cultural resources and how to respond appropriately, and the monitoring of nuisances and hazards. In addition, Cordoba’s personnel have worked with ESA pertaining to the resident Snowy Plover, Burrowing Owl and the Migratory Bird Act.
• Engineering and Planning - Initially, as a member of the design team, Cordoba provided an array of engineering and planning services as part of the Dust Control Measure. The first stage of the project involved a review of the draft State Implementation Plan to control air pollution as well as ground control and boundary surveying, sand sheet dust mitigation planning and design, environmental permitting, data collection and site management.
• Dust and Air Monitoring - During subsequent phases, Cordoba provided a variety of services in the construction and implementation of the required dust and air monitoring. Cordoba’s services included construction management and air and water monitoring. Cordoba personnel also oversaw data retrieval and first-level data management, assigning tasks to air and water technicians contracted for the project and seeing to the completion of all assigned tasks. Our technicians continue to provide maintenance, inspection and repair of equipment including pipelines, drains and machinery.
• Safety and Compliance - Cordoba’s Safety Manager provided Dust Awareness and Safety Training to all persons needing to access the Owens Lake Project including all contractors and specialized consultants such as archeologists, Native American observers, and paleontologists.
• Demonstration Projects - The project also included the reintroduction of approximately 26,000 acre-feet of water on the lake bed and the introduction of vegetation. Cordoba provided field supervision and labor during the installation of native grasses. Further, Cordoba Corporation participated in implementing the Moat and Row Demonstration Project.