BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
Staff work to investigate these allegations and assess any threats to public health and safety is ongoing and will continue past the publishing deadline for the May 1, 2018 Board agenda. Staff from the two Departments will provide a verbal report to the Board on May 1 with addition detail on the status of the investigation as of that time.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If recommendation is not approved, this report regarding recent media assertions would not be accepted.
CLERK'S ADDENDUM
Speakers: Laura Wright, Environmental Affairs Manager, City of Pittsburg; Joe Sbranti, Pittsburg City Manager; Wolfgang Roskey, resident of Pittsburg; Nancy Parent, resident of Pittsburg; Lisa Della Rocca, resident of Pittsburg; Hope Johnson, City of Concord, Frank Aiello, Citizen United; Luis Arroyo, Citizens United; Jesus Hernandez; Citizens United; A.J. Fardella, Oak Hills Community Group; Russel Row, resident of Pittsburg, Rosa Fallon, resident of Pittsburg.
The following did not wish to speak but left written comments for the Board's consideration (attached): Isvan G. Tolnay, resident of Pittsburg; Rosa Fallon, resident of Pittsburg; Jen Borcic, resident of Pittsburg.
Rick King, General Manager of Keller Canyon Landfill provided a powerpoint presentation (attached).
Dr. Marilyn C. Underwood, Director of Environmental Health, presented an oral report. She said that regulatory agencies have found that a contractor hired by the U.S. Navy to clean up Hunter’s Point shipyard in San Francisco misrepresented radiologic sampling data that was taken from soil at the shipyard. To date, these misrepresentations are tied to potentially contaminated soil and material being left on the site instead of being removed. The studies that have so far been published (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency) reveal that data were falsified to allow potentially contaminated soil to remain in place at Hunter’s Point shipyard.
Dr. Underwood said that at this point there is no evidence that radiological material was sent to Keller Canyon Landfill. She noted the investigation is ongoing.
Dr. Underwood made the following recommendations: 1) Formally request the Department of the Navy to make itself available for meetings with the community and all stakeholders as soon as possible to provide information on the soil date falsification incident and what further investigation(s) are ongoing; 2) Formally request the Navy to investigate whether the soil data falsification incident affected Keller Canyon Landfill, including whether any contaminated soil was transported from Hunter’s Point shipyard to Keller Canyon Landfill; 3) Formally request the Navy to conduct a surface survey of Keller Canyon Landfill to determine if is there is any radiological hazard at the landfill.
Rick King, General Manager of Keller Canyon Landfill, provided the Board with a detailed explanation of how material was received from the site, the reporting responsibility of the source of the material, and procedures in place to inspect incoming material. He noted that immediately upon hearing of the false data issue, he suspended receipt of any material from Hunter’s Point shipyard. He provided a PowerPoint presentation for reference (attached).
Having discussed the matter at length, and receiving public comment, the Board gave the following direction:
1. Implement all the recommendations put forth by Dr. Underwood;
2. Dr. Underwood will return to the Board in 30 days with a written report and any updated information;
3. Staff will seek answers on the notification process from the state and federal agencies to find out why the County, the City of Pittsburg, and Keller Canyon Landfill were not notified of the investigation into the soil data falsification;
4. Staff will examine its notification protocols and work with Keller Canyon landfill to ensure timely communication with the District Supervisor and the Board;
5. Staff will compose letters for the Chair of the Board to sign that will the assistance of state and federal legislative representatives in obtaining swift and appropriate help from the Navy and other applicable agencies with expertise in radiological matters;
6. Staff will seek information from consultant TetraTech regarding the incident;
7. Staff will research what, if any, mechanism is in place to hold the contractor hired by the Navy financially responsible for any third-party investigative and/or testing to be conducted at Keller Canyon Landfill;
8. Staff will provide further information for the Board on the history of alerts from the radiologic sensors located at Keller Canyon Landfill, and how those incidents are documented;
9. Staff will immediately look into the hiring of an expert consultant to assist the County on next steps and appropriate actions to be taken going forward with respect to this incident;
10. Staff will prepare a report addressing the effects of designating the City of Pittsburg as the Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) for the Keller Canyon Landfill site.
Dr. Underwood and John Kopchik will be in attendance at an emergency meeting of the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Committee at 7 p.m. this evening. Supervisor Glover said more community meetings will be arranged and the public notified as soon as is possible.