100% Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund with potential for cost recovery from the responsible party.
In late April, it came to light that potentially radioactive material from the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco may have been improperly delivered to several landfills around California, including Keller Canyon in Pittsburg. Contra Costa County and numerous other public agencies have been investigating to
determine what happened, and if there is any potential health impact to surrounding communities (see newspaper article attached as Exhibit A).
Contra Costa Environmental Health (CCEH) is providing this update to supplement the May 1, 2018 report provided to the Board of Supervisors (Board). Since that date, CCEH staff have led a number of activities intended to address the Board’s recommendations from that meeting. Staff continues to investigate these allegations and assess any potential threats to public health and safety. Additional details regarding what has occurred since May 1, 2018 can be found in the Staff Report attached as Exhibit B. The staff report discusses steps already underway with hire a consultant to assist the county in identifying and taking next steps, as directed by the Board on May 1, 2018.
On May 1, the Board of Supervisors directed, in part, that the County 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, and directed staff to 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.
In 1990, the Board approved the Keller Canyon Landfill land use permit and franchise agreement which included the establishment of three mitigation fees to mitigate general impacts of the landfill- generated traffic on the County's road system, the impacts of the landfill on open space, existing and proposed recreation facilities, and agricultural land, and to mitigate any general impacts of the landfill upon the surrounding community. The Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund process was established in August of 1992, and the first allocation occurred in November, 1992.
On May 24, 2011, the Board of Supervisors adopted policies governing the allocation of Keller Canyon Mitigation Funds, requiring that proposals are to target specific geographical areas and be solicited through a formal process and reviewed and recommended to the Board of Supervisors by a four-member Review Committee representing Bay Point stakeholders.
To facilitate the surface survey at Keller Canyon Landfill, it is proposed to allocate an amount yet to be determined from the Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund to underwrite the cost of engaging a consultant with expertise in radiologic health to assist in the county in identifying and taking next steps to investigate allegations that potentially radioactive soil was dumped there until such time as funds can be recovered from the responsible party. To make the Mitigation Funds available for this emergency purpose, the Board is asked to waive the policies governing allocations from the Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund.
Speakers: Lisa Della Rocc, resident of Pittsburg (handout attached); Laura Wright, City of Pittsburg