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Environmental Monitoring at Juan Lagunas Soria Elementary School

Former Pneumo Abex Aerospace Facility

Juan Lagunas Soria Elementary School is located near the former Pneumo Abex Aerospace Facility in Oxnard. Environmental investigation and monitoring in this area has been ongoing for many years under the oversight of California environmental regulatory agencies, including the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC).

Why Monitoring Is Conducted at Soria School

The former Pneumo Abex facility operated from 1960 to 1993 and used industrial solvents containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chemicals impacted soil and groundwater beneath the former facility and later migrated off site.

As part of a state-issued Cleanup and Abatement Order, the responsible party is required to conduct ongoing, semiannual (twice-per-year) soil vapor monitoring at off-site locations, including Juan Lagunas Soria Elementary School. This monitoring is required by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and is intended to evaluate whether VOCs in underground soil vapor could pose a potential vapor intrusion risk into buildings.

History of School Safety Review

Before Juan Lagunas Soria Elementary School was constructed in 2009, extensive environmental investigations were completed under DTSC oversight to confirm the site was safe for school use. Those investigations included testing of soil vapor and groundwater and determined that concentrations were below regulatory thresholds designed to protect human health.

Since that time, additional soil vapor sampling events have been conducted at the school as part of ongoing regulatory oversight. This continued monitoring does not indicate a new condition; rather, it reflects the State’s precautionary approach to protecting sensitive locations.

Upcoming Soil Vapor Sampling at the School

Under the direction and oversight of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, environmental contractors will conduct routine soil vapor sampling at the Soria school campus.

What Will Occur

  • Soil vapor samples will be collected from six existing monitoring probes
  • Samples are taken from underground depths of approximately 5 and 15 feet
  • Samples are analyzed at an off-site laboratory for VOCs

Next Sampling

The latest letter sent by the waterboard (January 2026) to the community provided the wrong dates for the testing. Testing will be done over the holiday weekend, when no students are on campus, on February 13 or 16.

  • When: February 13, 2026
    Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • When: February 16, 2026
    Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sampling will take place when students and staff are not on campus, and limited areas of the school grounds will be temporarily restricted during the work.

Oversight and Evaluation of Results

Soil vapor data collected at the school are reviewed by the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board and evaluated using school-specific screening levels developed to protect children and adult staff. Results are also reviewed in coordination with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to determine whether any additional actions are necessary.

Monitoring in the Surrounding Community

In addition to sampling at the school, routine environmental monitoring continues in the surrounding Sea View Estates neighborhood, including soil vapor testing and groundwater monitoring.

  • There are no drinking water wells in the affected area
  • Drinking water is supplied by the City of Oxnard and must meet all state and federal drinking water standards.

Commitment to Transparency

The Oxnard School District has shared information about this investigation with Soria families in the past and will continue to do so as required by regulatory agencies. The District will update this site as new information is received from the Water Board. This monitoring is preventive and precautionary and reflects long-term state oversight of the former Pneumo Abex site.

Documents for Community Reference

The following documents are provided for transparency and additional detail:Documents and GeoTracker Access (English and Spanish)

Please find attached notifications of work (in both English and Spanish) for upcoming offsite soil gas and groundwater monitoring activities related to the Former Pneumo Abex Aerospace Facility located at 3151 W. Fifth Street in the City of Oxnard (Site). Also attached are notifications of work (in both English and Spanish) for the upcoming soil gas sampling activities related to the Site at the Juan Lagunas Soria Elementary School.

The attached notifications are also available on the State Water Resources Control Board’s GeoTracker website: SL204301548

Questions?

For questions about the environmental investigation, community members may contact: