| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | ||
| UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station Remediation and Restoration Frequently Asked Questions |
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| SITE BACKGROUND | ||
| Q. What is the Richmond Field Station (RFS)? | ||
| The RFS is an ~ 150 acre parcel owned by the University
of California (UC) located in Richmond, about five miles from the
central UC Berkeley campus. It was purchased in 1950 and is used primarily
for College of Engineering academic teaching and research activities,
but also houses some non-UC tenants. Current uses include the Northern
Regional Library Facility, laboratories for other campus departments,
including Art Practice, and EPA’s Region 9 Laboratory. The RFS
also contains unique natural resources, including a remnant coastal
terrace prairie and tidal marsh that is home the endangered California
Clapper Rail. Additional background material about the RFS is available
at http://rfs.berkeley.edu/about.html. |
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| Q. Why is remediation needed at the RFS? | ||
| Industrial activities that occurred prior to UC ownership led to the majority of contamination found at the RFS. | ||
| The three main pollutant sources were: | ||
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| Q: Is the neighboring “Campus Bay” site owned by or connected to UC Berkeley? | ||
| No. “Campus Bay” is the name Cherokee-Simeon Ventures, or "CSV," has given to the site formerly owned by Stauffer/Zeneca, which is adjacent to RFS. It is a private development unaffiliated with UC Berkeley. | ||
| Q: What are the contaminants found on the UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station (RFS) site? | ||
| The main contaminants are the metals mercury, lead and
copper from the California Cap Company operations. |
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| Pyrite cinder waste (waste from sulfuric acid production) that includes an assortment of metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium and zinc) and creates low pH (acid) conditions, was deposited by Stauffer Chemical Company in the early 1900s. | ||
| An isolated spot of PCB contamination was found at the
outfall of the Western Storm Drain in Meeker Slough and was cleaned
up in 2003, although detectable PCBS remain in some other locations
at RFS. |
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| CLEANUP / RESTORATION ACTIVITIES | ||
| Q: What has UC Berkeley done about the contamination at RFS? | ||
| UC Berkeley has established a multi-year program to remove contaminants and dispose them off-site at approved treatment and disposal facilities. | ||
| Work began in 2002 with removal of the largest areas of contaminated soils, which were excavated, treated, and transported off-site. Excavated areas are replaced with clean bay mud or clean dirt for re-planting with native marsh and coastal prairie plants. | ||
| The project has been divided into multi-year phases to protect the endangered California Clapper Rail. Work in the marsh is prohibited by the US Fish and Wildlife Service from February 1 through August 31, the breeding season for this very rare bird. | ||
| Q: If UC Berkeley is not the source
of the contamination at RFS, why is it paying for the site cleanup
and marsh restoration? |
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| UC assumed the liability for materials left by the previous
landowner, the California Cap Company, when the property was purchased
in 1950. Because the California Cap Company went out of business around
the time of purchase, there are no assets that UC can attempt to recover
for payment toward the cleanup. However, UC is paying for only a portion
of the RFS cleanup. UC is working with agencies to identify any responsible
parties who should pay to remove contamination on the site that resulted
from their activities. |
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| Q: How will the contaminated areas at the RFS be cleaned up? | ||
| The contaminated soil on UCB property is being excavated,
treated and sent for off-site disposal at permitted landfills. Hazardous
waste is being sent to the Kettleman City Class 1 Hazardous Waste
Landfill. Other non-hazardous wastes are being sent to the Keller
Canyon landfill. Clean soil is being reused on-site. Any soil left
in the remediation areas or brought in to use as clean fill has been
tested extensively and approved for use by applicable government agencies. |
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| Pyrite cinders that were deposited in the 1940s by Staffer/
Zeneca on what is now UC property were removed to the Zeneca site
for management by Zeneca. |
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| Q: How long will the construction work
at the RFS continue? When will the cleanup work be completed? |
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| Active remediation is scheduled for completion in 2007.
Restoration work and monitoring is expected to continue until at least
2013. |
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| Q: Which agency is overseeing the RFS remediation/restoration project? | ||
| The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board was the lead oversight agency from 2001 until May 2005, when the California Environmental Protection Agency announced that the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) would assume the role as lead regulatory oversight agency for RFS remediation and wetlands restoration work. The agencies are now in the process of transferring oversight in accordance with the Cal EPA decision. | ||
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| HEALTH AND SAFETY QUESTIONS | ||
| Q: Are any of the chemicals at RFS harmful to my health? | ||
| During normal activities — such as working in
offices and labs, walking and bicycling around the RFS, driving to
and from work — RFS occupants and visitors would not have contact
with the contaminants, most of which are in the marsh, to put them
at risk. If a person were exposed to sufficient amounts of heavy metals
and PCBs through ingestion (eating), inhalation (breathing) or skin
absorption, however, it could be harmful to his or her health. |
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| Anyone wishing to use the RFS for activities that could disturb soil or impact sensitive natural resources must obtain approval for that use by submitting a written proposal. Call RFS operations at (510) 665-3401 for a copy of the Facility Usage Guidelines. | ||
| In June 2005, officials from the California Department of Health Services and the Contra Costa County Health Services Department released a "Provisional Joint Health Statement Summary" concerning remediation activities at the RFS and adjacent Zeneca site (formerly Stauffer Chemical Company). This information is available online at: http://www.ehib.org/cma/index.jsp or by going to http://rfs.berkeley.edu. | ||
| Q: Is the air at RFS safe to breathe? | ||
| Yes, all air sampling performed to date has indicated that the air is safe. UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety and its consultants have conducted extensive air quality sampling during RFS cleanup activities. Air monitoring is performed for appropriate organic chemicals, metals and particulate matter. In addition, Zeneca performed sampling while work was occurring on their property adjacent to RFS. DTSC, the agency overseeing the Zeneca cleanup, also sampled the air during Zeneca's remediation activities. | ||
| RFS air monitoring data is available at http://rfs.berkeley.edu/air_monitoring.html. Data for the Zeneca site is available at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/SiteCleanup/Zeneca/index.html and http://www.campusbay.info. | ||
| Sampling will be performed per DTSC order when additional clean-up work is performed at either the RFS or Zeneca site. | ||
| Q: How can UC Berkeley be sure that the construction activities for the cleanup (digging and moving soil) aren't putting people’s health at risk? | ||
| All work has been done under permits issued by several government agencies and with oversight by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Regional Board has reviewed and approved plans for cleanup activities to date and the DTSC will do so in the future. During remediation work, UC's environmental consultants are on site providing assurance that the work is being performed in accordance with plans approved by the government oversight agency, and in such a manner that no one's health — including that of any remediation worker — is jeopardized. There have been several layers of oversight during remediation, including three consulting firms, the environmental contractor, and UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety. | ||
| In addition, as described previously, extensive air monitoring is performed during RFS remediation activities. | ||
| Q: What can RFS staff do if they have concerns about health problems and want to know if they are related to the remediation work? | ||
| There are several possible options if you feel you have symptoms related to your work environment, including: | ||
| Contact Your Personal Doctor/Health Plan. This may be preferable, especially for anyone with a prior history of potentially related medical conditions. Your doctor will be able to evaluate your current symptoms in the context of your medical history. |
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| If University Health Services (UHS) serves as your primary health
care provider, make an appointment for an evaluation: Students: Call (510) 642-2000 to schedule an appointment. UHS Health Net patients: Call (510) 642-1976 for an appointment. |
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| Contact the University Health Services (UHS) Occupational Health
Clinic UHS Occupational Health Providers are familiar with the campus and its field stations and can help answer questions, provide additional information and coordinate a medical evaluation as warranted. Call (510) 642-6891 to schedule an appointment. |
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| As always, if you experience symptoms of an acute medical emergency — such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting or severe dizziness — you should call 911. The responders will transport you to an appropriate facility. | ||
| Additional information on workplace health concerns is available online at http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/facstaff/occhealth/healthconcerns.shtml. For general information about health and safety conditions at the RFS, contact the campus Office of Environment, Health & Safety at (510) 642-3073. | ||
| Q: I'm concerned about workplace retaliation if I complain about health problems or ask about the remediation project. What should I do? | ||
| Staff members at the RFS are welcome to voice concerns or ask questions at any time regarding the remediation and restoration projects. Employees are encouraged to discuss matters of concern with their supervisors and managers or other University representatives. No employee will be subject to reprisals for doing so. If you are concerned about reprisals for expressing your concerns regarding these issues, you can contact the UC Berkeley Office of Human Resources at (510) 643-3577 or your union. | ||
| UC would like to remind its employees of their rights under the California Whistleblower Protection Act. More information regarding the protections afforded employees by this act can be found online at https://mossberg.berkeley.edu/CALmessages/display_message.asp?d=7/15/2005&s=100 | ||
| NEW Q: What is arsenic, and why would it be present at the RFS? | ||
| Arsenic is a naturally occurring element present in
Bay Area soils in concentrations of 5 to 20 mg/kg (parts per million).
As such, it is expected that soil and dust samples will contain some
background levels of arsenic. Ambient air is also expected to contain
arsenic in background concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 1.0 µg/m3.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and
Health Organization (OSHA), the permissible occupational exposure
limit to arsenic is 10 µg/m3.
Impacts on human health can be seen with exposure to (ingestion, inhalation and skin contact) elevated levels of arsenic, which can occur in areas with significant arsenic pollution or abnormally high natural soil or water concentrations of arsenic. Arsenic is also found as a naturally occurring constituent of iron
sulfide ore (pyrite), which was used for manufacturing sulfuric
acid at the former Stauffer Chemical Company, a property now owned
by Zeneca, a private development not associated with UC Berkeley.
Arsenic is thus present in the pyrite cinder manufacturing waste
product, which was discarded in Stege Marsh. |
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| NEW Q: Were hazardous levels of arsenic found in RFS air samples? | ||
| No. As part of the recently established Supplemental
Air Monitoring Program , the campus Office of Environment, Health
& Safety (EH&S) completed air monitoring for arsenic at various
locations at the RFS. In sampling taken to date, air concentrations
of arsenic are at or below naturally occurring background levels.
The following are results of the recent arsenic monitoring by EH&S: • Aug. 16, 2005, Building 163: Arsenic concentration of 0.098µg/m3,
about a hundred times less than the level considered safe by OSHA
and in the range of expected background concentrations. |
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| NEW Q: Are there harmful levels of solvent vapors in Building 478? | ||
| No. On Dec. 6, 2005, the campus Office of Environment,
Health & Safety (EH&S) sampled the air in Building 478, the
largely vacant former Forest Products Laboratory building. Monitoring
was conducted for perchloroethylene (PCE or perc), trichloroethylene,
vinyl chloride and arsenic. None of these chemicals was detected.
Recent plans to reoccupy Building 478, have led to concerns being expressed about residual PCE contamination in soil and groundwater from an area known as Lot 1 located on the neighboring Zeneca site. Lot 1 was an area of historic industrial operations of the Stauffer Chemical Company and Zeneca. Cleanup actions were completed by Zeneca in 2001. In November 2001, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the regulatory agency overseeing the cleanup of Lot 1, approved the cleanup and issued a No Further Action letter. The Department of Toxics Substances Control, the state agency currently
overseeing cleanup of the Zeneca site, has required additional soil
and groundwater sampling. This website will be updated with new
information as it becomes available from DTSC. |
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| NEW Q: Are children being exposed to toxic mud in the marsh? | ||
| No. The activities of children and adult volunteers
assisting in plant restoration – including transplanting sprouts
and weeding – at Stege Marsh are closely monitored by the campus
Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) to ensure a
safe and productive educational experience.
In 2003, the University entered into a collaborative effort with The Watershed Project, an independent, local nonprofit educational organization focused on the San Francisco Bay estuary, to provide high quality, field-based education and research programs for UC Berkeley students, K-12 students from traditionally under-served segments of the local community, and community partners (such as Kids for the Bay, Earth Team, Save the Bay, Friends of the Estuary and the East Bay Regional Park District). While working in Western Stege Marsh, children have been restricted to working in imported clean soils and Bay mud in an area known as the ecotone (the transitional zone between the marsh and upland grasslands) or in upland grasslands. All imported soils were sampled extensively to ensure they were free of toxic contaminants. By agreement with the Department of Toxics Substances Control, the University restricts the work of children to clean, non-tidally influenced areas of the marsh and uplands. Adult volunteers can work unrestricted in tidally influenced portions of the marsh that can contain pollutants such as bacteria and urban runoff. The University requires use of gloves and boots for work in these areas. Risk to an adult or youth working in the marsh was addressed by
the California Department of Health Services (DHS) and Contra Costa
County Health Services Department (CCCHSD) in their June 2005 Provisional
Joint Health Statement Summary for the Zeneca and UC Richmond Field
Station sites. At the June 22, 2005 hearing on the Provisional Health
Statement held at the Richmond Field Station, Dr. Wendell Brunner,
Public Health Director for CCCHSD, stated that the CCCHSD and DHS
were "confident" that the chemical concentrations in the
remediated portion of the marsh do not pose a current public health
hazard and that it was "not inappropriate for adults or kids
to be working there". |
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| FUTURE PLANS | ||
| Q: What are the university's plans for the site after cleanup is finished? | ||
| Restoration of the wildlife habitat and marshland is very important, so the University plans include work and monitoring to return the area to one that is friendly to migratory birds and other flora and fauna. Future plans would maintain the environmental integrity of native grasslands and wetlands. | ||
| In addition, the University is interested in making greater use of the RFS to further the teaching and research programs of the Berkeley campus. The proposal is to use part of the RFS for a multi-building scientific research campus, while encouraging and enhancing selected existing scientific research activities located on the property. There had been previous, informal discussions between the University and developer Simeon Properties exploring a possible joint venture to redevelop a section of the RFS. | ||
| However, there are currently no discussions between the University and any developer as plans for the future remediation of RFS become settled. | ||
| STAYING IN THE LOOP | ||
| Q: How is UC Berkeley communicating with the public? | ||
| The RFS project management team has been giving presentations to the RFS staff, the Marina Bay Homeowners Association, local businesses, and other interested parties since remediation began in 2002. The Bay Trail was posted with a descriptive sign in 2002, and an updated sign was installed in 2004. Written materials are also distributed to interested parties, and a website is maintained to provide project information and updates. | ||
| The project team is available to meet with groups upon request. During remediation at the RFS, weekly construction updates are emailed and posted to the web. If you would like to receive those updates via email, please send your address to Christine Shaff in Capital Projects at cshaff@cp.berkeley.edu. | ||
| Q: How can I keep up to date on what UC Berkeley is doing? | ||
| Keep checking back with this website http://rfs.berkeley.edu, or contact Christine Shaff in Capital Projects at cshaff@cp.berkeley.edu, to add your name to the email group list for regular updates about RFS remediation. | ||
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