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    6.    
TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: 09/13/2021  
Subject:    Hazardous Materials Commission recommendations to the TWIC to address the potential impacts of Sea Level Rise
Department: Health Services  
Referral No.: 5  
Referral Name: Review projects, plans and legislative matters that may affect the health of the San Francisco Bay and Delta, including but not limited to conveyance, flood control, dredging, climate change, habitat conservation, governance, water storage...
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 interviewed staff in the Sheriff’s Office and 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.

Michael Kent gave an update to TWIC on the progress of the Hazardous Materials Commission efforts to respond to TWIC’s directions on August 9, 2021. The Hazardous Materials Commission met on August 26, 2021 and unanimously approved the recommendations contained in the attached letter to the members of TWIC.

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. The survey results will be shared with TWIC.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT the recommendations from the Hazardous Materials Commission to address the potential impacts of sea level rise, and DIRECT staff as appropriate.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
Unknown. This would depend on the direction TWIC gives to County staff.
Attachments
Letter from HMC RE: Sea Level Rise
Summary of Sea Level Rise Interviews with County Departments and Others

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