Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. ran a electronics manufacturing plant in South San Jose, California from 1977 to 1983. A failed underground storage tank in 1981 released waste solvents into the ground, reaching a public drinking water well about 1,800 feet away. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. The plant has since been redeveloped into a shopping center with grocery, retail, and restaurant tenants.
Soil and groundwater beneath the site contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, Freon 113, acetone, xylenes, and related solvents. Groundwater also contains 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride. EPA identified 13 contaminants of concern across soil and groundwater in the single operable unit covering the overall site.
Past cleanup actions removed the storage tank and contaminated soil, installed a soil vapor extraction system, built a slurry wall around the property, decommissioned downgradient private wells, and ran a groundwater pump-and-treat system. From 1982 to 1998, roughly 147,000 pounds of VOCs were removed. Construction was completed in March 1992. The groundwater treatment system was shut down in 1998 on an interim basis, ready to restart if contamination migrates off-property. The site reached "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status in 2011.
The September 2024 five-year review rated the remedy "short-term protective" only. Several contaminants, including 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride, exceed California drinking water standards but were not part of the original cleanup plan. The pump-and-treat system has not operated since 1993, and some contaminant levels inside the slurry wall remain above cleanup standards without declining trends. The review recommended updating the cleanup plan and selecting a new remedial action. The area's public drinking water supply comes from the Santa Clara Valley Groundwater Basin, is regularly tested, and meets all state and federal standards. Deed restrictions bar the use of on-site groundwater for drinking and limit activities that could disturb cleanup systems. Zoning prevents residential development on the property.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator. Site documents are available through California's GeoTracker website under "Fairchild - San Jose" and in person at the Santa Teresa Library in San Jose.
