Rhodia (NYSE:RHA)
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After two years of heavy construction, a new phase of
environmental restoration and monitoring has begun at the landmark
Peyton Slough remediation and re-alignment project in Martinez.
Project leaders from Rhodia Inc. (NYSE:RHA) today outlined details
of the planned environmental monitoring and remaining restoration work
for representatives of government agencies and community leaders who
also toured the construction site. Construction activities had little
impact on marine and wildlife in the marshland.
The Peyton Slough drains a marsh system and watershed surrounded
by refineries, industrial terminals and a Rhodia manufacturing plant.
Two years of construction at the site have resulted in re-aligning the
Slough to the east, and capping old slough sediments containing copper
and zinc to prevent them from impacting water qualify and aquatic life
in the Carquinez Straits that drains to San Francisco Bay.
As a result of the slough re-alignment, one of the Bay Area's
longstanding toxic "hot spots" from a bygone industrial era was
eliminated.
The new environmental monitoring phase includes a 10-year program
to inspect and gather field data about wetland re-vegetation, animal
habitats, marine life, tidal flows and other environmental priorities
targeted by the overall Peyton Slough restoration plan. Water quality
data will also be gathered.
The restoration plan has been the subject of years of regulatory
proceedings and facilitated dialogue led by the San Francisco Bay
Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Water Board led discussions
among scores of government agencies, interested organizations,
individuals, and Rhodia Inc., a specialty chemical producer.
Rhodia operates a sulfuric acid regeneration plant adjacent to the
Peyton Slough. The present-day Rhodia operations are unrelated to the
historic industrial activities conducted by other parties at the site,
which contributed to the old slough's copper and zinc content.
"Rhodia has made a significant investment in restoring and
improving the sensitive marshland environment adjacent to our plant,"
said James Harton, president of Rhodia Inc. and its Eco Service
enterprise which operates the plant.
"Through the years of regulatory and permitting processes, and
more than two years of construction, this day sometimes appeared
really distant, almost as if we would never reach the goal. Along the
way, we were encouraged at many points by the shared resolve and
practical approach taken by the Water Board."
The other participating agencies included the San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission, the California State Lands
Commission, the California Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other local, regional and
statewide agencies.
Harton continued, "The technical issues alone were daunting and
could not have been resolved without the Water Board's leadership.
When you consider the scheduling issues, nearby infrastructure, and
the intricacies of nature's life cycles, it's truly amazing that so
much could be accomplished.
"In the end, this project's success is a tribute to diverse
interests working together toward a common environmental goal that
Rhodia shares. The nearby ecosystem is better off today because of it,
and will be still better off as it flourishes over the next decade."
Pete Jurichko, Rhodia's Martinez plant manager, observed, "The
success of the Peyton Slough project also proves that a sensitive
ecosystem can be preserved, protected and enhanced in the midst of a
major petrochemical industrial complex."
Rhodia is a global specialty chemicals company recognized for its
strong technology positions in Performance Materials, Functional
Chemicals and the Organics and Services clusters. Partnering with
major players in the refining, automotive, electronics,
pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, consumer care, tires, and paints and
coatings markets, Rhodia offers tailor-made solutions combining
original molecules and technologies to respond to customers' needs.
Rhodia subscribes to the principles of Sustainable Development
communicating its commitments and performance openly with
stakeholders. Rhodia generated sales of 5 billion euros in 2005 and
employs 20,000 people worldwide. Rhodia is listed on the Paris and New
York stock exchanges.