Portola Hills Soil Information

July 2021 Update

Baldwin & Sons notified the City that all the black soil causing the odor was removed. The builder will continue to excavate the area to determine whether other pockets exist.

The City will seek independent confirmation, as well.

Click here for more information.

The City received reports of odors in the Portola Hills area in late March 2021. When it was determined that the odor was coming from the Baldwin & Sons site, the City had Baldwin & Sons stop work in the area where the odor was and requested they come up with a plan to address the odors.

Baldwin & Sons sprayed the area's soil\ with water and a non-toxic chemical to reduce the odors while they developed a remediation plan. The spray did not sufficiently reduce the smell causing Baldwin & Sons to cover the area with 2 to 3 feet of non-odorous dirt.

The odorous soil was excavated and disposed of in Riverside County by Baldwin & Sons after it was sampled and determined safe to remove.

The City hired an expert to review the proposed solution and soil samples. The environmental consultant determined that while contaminants were detected in the soil, the levels in the soil and air do not appear to be hazardous to the surrounding community.

Baldwin & Sons expects to finish removing 20,000 cubic yards of soil by the week of June 21, 2021.