Agenda

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TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	08/09/2021
Subject: UPDATE on Hazardous Materials Commission letter encouraging TWIC to take action to address the potential impacts of Sea Level Rise.
Submitted For:	Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Department:	Health Services
Referral No.:	5
Referral Name:	Review projects, plans and legislative matters that may affect the health of the SF Bay and Delta, including flood control and climate change, consistent with the Board of Supervisors adopted Delta Water Platform.
Presenter:	Michael Kent, Executive Assistant to the Hazardous Materials Commission	Contact:	Michael Kent (925)250-3227

Information

Referral History:

The Hazardous Materials Commission previously wrote a letter to the Board of Supervisors on January 26, 2017, encouraging them to take action in response to the recommendations of the Adapting to Rising Tides study that was completed for most of the Contra Costa County shoreline by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission in 2016.

Subsequent to that report, another Adapting to Rising Tides study was completed by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission in 2019 for the Eastern-most shoreline area of the County not addressed in the first study. Also in 2019, a Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Study was completed for the Contra Costa Hazardous Materials Programs. These studies laid out potential health and environmental impacts from Sea Level Rise to Contra Costa County, and potential adaptation measures that could be taken to address these potential impacts.

The Hazardous Materials Commission received a presentation on the Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Study completed for the Contra Costa Hazardous Materials Programs in 2019. This study was also presented to TWIC in December, 2020.

In response to the findings of this study, the Hazardous Materials Commission wrote a letter to TWIC on February 26, 2021 encouraging them to take further action to address the potential impacts of Sea Level Rise. The Commission’s letter was discussed at the April 12, 2021, TWIC meeting. TWIC directed the Hazardous Materials Commission to return with next steps on how to proceed.

Referral Update:

On June 8, 2021, Supervisor Burgis and County Administrator Monica Nino wrote a letter to County Departmental Directors requesting them to work with the Hazardous Materials Commission in providing data and any preliminary reports related to sea level rise. Since that time, Michael Kent, Executive Assistant to the Hazardous Materials Commission, has been interviewing staff in the Public Works, Conservation and Development, and Health Departments about how they address sea level rise in their planning and policies. He has also interviewed staff in other agencies such as the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. The Hazardous Materials Commission is also preparing to conduct a survey of businesses that handle hazardous materials that will potentially be impacted by sea level rise as to their planning and actions concerning sea level rise.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

ACCEPT the update from the Hazardous Materials Commission concerning actions they have taken to respond to the direction given them at the April 12, 2021, TWIC meeting concerning sea level rise, and DIRECT staff as appropriate.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

Unknown. This would depend on the next steps the Hazardous Materials Commission eventually recommends.

Attachments
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