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2010-02-03 ARRA PacketAGENDA Regular Meeting of the Governing Body of the Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority * * * * * * ** Alameda City Hall Council Chamber, Room 390 2263 Santa Clara Avenue Alameda, CA 94501 1. ROLL CALL -ARRA 2. CONSENT CALENDAR Wednesday, February 3, 2010 Meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted, approved or adopted by one motion unless a request for removal for discussion or explanation is received from the Board or a member of the public. 2 -A. Approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 6, 2010. 3. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS None 4. ORAL REPORTS 4 -A. Oral report from Member Matarrese, Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) representative - Highlights of January 7 Alameda Point RAB Meeting 5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON - AGENDA (PUBLIC COMMENT) (Any person may address the governing body in regard to any matter over which the governing body has jurisdiction that is not on the agenda.) 6 COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE GOVERNING BODY 7. ADJOURNMENT - ARRA This meeting will be cablecast live on channel 15. Notes: • Sign language interpreters will be available on request. Please contact the ARRA Secretary at 747 -4800 at least 72 hours before the meeting to request an interpreter. • Accessible seating for persons with disabilities (including those using wheelchairs) is available. • Minutes of the meeting are available in enlarged print. • Audio tapes of the meeting are available for review at the ARRA offices upon request. APPROVED MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ALAMEDA REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Wednesday, January 6, 2010 The meeting convened at 12:54 a.m. (117/10) with Chair Johnson presiding. 1. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Beverly Johnson Boardmember Lena Tam Boardmember Frank Matarrese Boardmember Marie Gilmore Vice Chair Doug deHaan 2. CONSENT CALENDAR 2 -A. Approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 2, 2009. The Consent Calendar was motioned for approval by Member Tam, seconded by Member Matarrese and passed by the following voice votes: Ayes: 5, Noes: 0, Abstentions: 0 3. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS None. 4. ORAL REPORTS 4 -A. Oral report from Member Matarrese, Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) representative - Highlights of December 3 Alameda Point RAB Meeting. Member Matarrese discussed the highlights of the December 7 RAB meeting, including that he received a preliminary report from Derek Robinson of the Navy stating that the large object in the Sea Plane Lagoon is a concrete block with pier material, not hazardous waste. Member Matarrese requested that the ARRA write a letter to the Navy to remove the concrete block. Member deHaan asked if radiation was found on that piece. Member Matarrese replied that it is unknown and a primary reason why it should be removed. Member Matarrese also discussed that the Navy wants to leave the radium contaminated sewer line in place under building 400, stating that removing it would cause the structure to be unsound. Member Matarrese, along with RAB members insist that the sewer line has to be removed. Another important point discussed was that the University of Florida and Purdue University received a large DOD grant to conduct remediation development studies; this grant represents several hundreds of thousands of dollars and put Alameda Point remediation on the map. Chair Johnson agreed that the ARRA send a letter to the Navy regarding the two key items: concrete block removal, and contaminated sewer line removal. Vice Chair deHaan discussed looking at the option of filling the area in order to bring back the shoreline. Chair Johnson and Member Matarrese agreed, stating that if the Seaplane Lagoon is eventually going to be a Marina, and boating activities will be taking place there, it needs to be cleared out. 5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA (PUBLIC COMMENT) There were no speakers. 6. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE GOVERNING BODY Member Matarrese discussed the visit to El Toro and Hamilton bases, particularly that the City of Irvine established a local development corporation to develop the Great Park. Member Matarrese would like to put an item on a future ARRA agenda to evaluate that particular option to see if it has utility for the ARRA or successor to the ARRA. He stated that Hamilton is farther along than most other bases — there are lots of houses; 10 hangars in use, eight of which have been rehabbed for public and private, with two hangars remaining in the Coast Guard. Member Matarrese recommends looking for potential military use for the hangars at Alameda Point. He stated that the most important and striking feature of Hamilton was that they were taking the runways and returning them to wetlands. Member Matarrese discussed that a wetlands option for the west end of Alameda Point might be a superior option to bolster the shoreline with an engineering solution. The wetlands are a carbon sink, and there may be future carbon credits; it filters runoff, provide better habitat for the environment and is a superior buffer to storm or wave action because it doesn't require maintenance. Vice Chair deHaan discussed that some of the dredging from the Port of Oakland was used for establishing that wetlands. Member Matarrese added that levies were built as well. Vice Chair deHaan stated that getting 'tipping fees' is extremely important to jumpstart this type of operation. Chair Johnson liked the idea of wetland reStoration. Member Matarrese reiterated that the ARRA remain insistent that the Navy scoop and remove Sites 1 and 2. Member Matarrese stated that there was concern expressed by two members of the RAB (one representative from the EPA and one from the Audubon Society) of rumors that the Bay Trail was in jeopardy, either from the Wildlife or the VA. Member Matarrese would like to find the source to the rumor to see if it has any merit. 7. ADJOURNMENT Meeting was adjourned at 1:05 a.m. by Chair Johnson. Respectfully submitted, Irma Glidden ARRA Secretary Russell Resources, Inc. environmental management Alameda Point RAB Meeting on January 7, 2010 Highlights and Analysis RAB members present: Dale Smith (Community Co- chair), Fred Hoffman, George Humphreys, Joan Konrad, Jim Leach, Jean Sweeney, Jim Sweeney, and Michael John Torrey; Marsha Pendergrass facilitated the meeting, but did not act as chair. Remediation and other field work in progress: o The Navy is continuing to remove and replace radioactively contaminated storm drain lines arising at Buildings 5 and 400 that discharge into the Seaplane Lagoon. This work must be completed before cleanup of contaminated sediment in the Seaplane Lagoon begins. Cleanup of Seaplane Lagoon sediment is scheduled to begin in March 2010. o Subsurface groundwater treatment is underway at IR Sites 14 and 27, along the Oakland Inner Harbor in Northwest Territories and just north of Pier 1, respectively. o The air sparge /vapor extraction system to treat groundwater contaminated with benzene and naphthalene at Alameda Point OU -5 and FISCA IR Site 2 is operating. o Petroleum - contaminated groundwater treatment operation near the Atlantic Avenue entrance is continuing. The similar groundwater clean -up effort at the south end of the Western Hangar Row is completed, having removed virtually all of the contamination. o Contaminated soil associated with the former incinerator that was located where Building 459 is now (the Navy Exchange Service Station at the corner of Main Street and West Tower Avenue) has been excavated and disposed offsite. Additional contamination remains in one area of this site. The Navy will conduct further excavation there. OU -2C Feasibility Study The Navy updated the RAB on the status of the FS for OU -2C, which includes Buildings 5, 400, and their surrounds. Due to extensive comments on the draft FS, the Navy is preparing a revised draft FS for review and comment, rather than issuing a draft final FS as its next step in the CERCLA process. Regarding the TCRA (time- critical removal action) to remove radiologically contaminated storm drain lines serving OU -2C, the Navy explained its decision not to remove during the TCRA a contaminated drain line located beneath the floor slab of Building 400. The Navy cited the potential of compromising the structural integrity of Building 400 by doing so and noted the absence of current human and ecological exposures as the bases for this decision. The Navy will include remedial alternatives for this storm drain line in its revised draft FS for OU -2C. Related to this issue and as the ARRA Board directed at its January 6, 2010, meeting, staff sent a comment letter to the Navy on January 14, 2010, that clearly expresses the ARRA's conviction that this stoiui drain line be removed, if not during the TCRA, then as part of the remedial action that the Navy carries out pursuant to the CERCLA Record of Decision for OU -2C. The comment letter specifically asks the Navy to substantiate that its concern for potential structural hazards to the building is based on sound structural engineering judgment. At the RAB meeting, the Navy suggested that it would do such a detailed structural evaluation. RRI, 440 Nova Albion Way, Suite 1, San Rafael, California 94903 415.902.3123 fax 815.572.8600 Agenda Item #4-A ARRA 02 -03 -2010 Page 2 of 2 February 3, 2010 Alameda Point RAB Meeting, January 7, 2010 Highlights and Analysis Basewide Update The Navy updated the RAB on the status of active remediation projects at Alameda Point. Several RAB members questioned Mr. Robinson closely on the details of the remedial actions at IR Site 7 (the former base service station at the comer of Main Street and West Tower Avenue) and IR Site 26 (solvent contaminated groundwater at the north end of Western Hangar Row). Although cleanup of these two sites is still in progress, active remediation of CAA -C (the underground aviation gas pipeline leak at the southern end of the Western Hangar Row), which was also discussed, has been very successful. At the Petroleum Program meeting subsequent to the RAB meeting, the Water Board agreed that CAA -C is ready for consideration of site closure. Concrete Block in Seaplane Lagoon The Navy reported on its diver's investigation of the submerged block near Ramp 2 along the northern bulkhead of Seaplane Lagoon. The object appears to be roughly rectangular —about 20 feet in length by six to seven feet in width. Its eastern edge is about four feet thick, but the thickness of the other edges could not be measured due to safety concerns. The object seems to consist of concrete -like material. Timber debris (one bolted to the exterior and others cast or embedded into the concrete -like material) and severely corroded fasteners and metallic items are present, either embedded into the object or located around it. Needle -thin exposed metal protruding from the object may indicate the presence of reinforcing bar or mat. No information was forthcoming as to the origin of the object, its former use, or whether it is hollow. At its January 6, 2010, board meeting, the ARRA directed staff to send a letter to the Navy explaining that the Navy must remove the block, because it is a hazard to navigation. The Navy will include a more formal, and hopefully more detailed, account of its investigation of the block as part of the Navy's completion report for its TCRA to remove the debris piles along the north shore of Seaplane Lagoon. Accordingly, the ARRA's letter will be drafted after that report is released that the comments can be as specific and persuasive as possible. 440 Nova Albion Way, Suite 1, San Rafael, California 94903 415.902.3123 fax 815.572.8600 TO: Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority DATE: February 3, 2010 ITEM: q A FEB -32009 Secretary of the ARRA SUBJECT: Public forum on environmental cleanup status at Alameda Point ' SUBMITTED BY: Richard Bangert, Alameda resident Comment: I urge the ARRA to place an item on its next agenda to consider sponsorship of a televised presentation on the environmental cleanup activities at Alameda Point. Despite almost a decade of environmental evaluation and environmental cleanup activities at Alameda Point, the public is ill-informed about the breadth of cleanup activity. Misleading public statements continue to appear in print that suggest that only when a redevelopment plan is signed by the ARRA will cleanup finally get the jumpstart we have been waiting for. Much of the remediation underway is state-of-the-art technology. For the most part, the underground remediation goes unnoticed by the public when visiting Alameda Point. Two other points are worth noting: 1) even though there remains significant remediation work to be undertaken, a massive amount of data and analysis has been accumulated and evaluated, which in many cases is just now advancing the process to actual remediation; and 2) many of the sites that were designated for cleanup to the level of commercial, as per the 2006 Preliminary Development Concept, have instead been cleaned up, or will be cleaned up, to residential cleanup standards. 1 propose a Special Forum on Cleanup at Alameda Point that would be jointly hosted by the ARRA and the Restoration Advisory Board and feature presentations by all of the regulatory agencies involved in overseeing the cleanup. The efforts of the US Navy, the various regulatory agencies and the Restoration Advisory Board have been under-appreciated and poorly understood. Their efforts deserve to be recognized, and the public deserves to be better informed. Thank you, Richard Bangert