From: | CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org> |
Date: | 27 Nov 2002 15:46:30 -0000 |
Reply: | cpeo-military |
Subject: | [CPEO-MEF] Camp Beale Letter |
The following letter was sent to Peter Calarco at the Yuba County Planning Department in California. ________________________________________________________ Department of Toxic Substances Control Edwin F. Lowry, Director 8800 Cal Center Drive Sacramento, California 95826-3200 Winston H. Hickox Agency Secretary California Environmental Protection Agency November 13, 2002 Mr. Peter Calarco Principal Planner Yuba County Planning Department 938 14th Street Marysville, California 95901 SCOPING FOR THE YUBA HIGHLANDS SPECIFIC PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND THE POTENTIAL FOR UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE RISK TO THE PUBLIC Dear Mr. Calarco: The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) would like to take this opportunity to express our concerns pertaining to scoping for the Yuba Highlands Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report. We are providing the following comments to you as the Responsible Agency as defined under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)(*) and accompanying Guidelines.(**) The majority of the River Highlands Community is situated on a Formally Used Defense Site (FUDS) known as "Camp Beale". The Yuba Highlands Specific Plan, part of the River Highlands Community Plan is situated in the northwest corner of the Former Camp Beale. This area is known to have live fire ranges and bombing targets. The attached map (Yuba Highlands Specific Plan Range and Target Overlay) identifies the Yuba Highlands Specific Plan in relationship to range and target areas. As you can see Yuba Highlands Specific Plan is almost completely situated within known former range areas at the former Camp Beale. Former Camp Beale was established in 1942 and was used extensively for the training of troops for World War II. During this training artillery, mortar and small arms ranges, arial and toss bombing targets and tank maneuver areas were established and used. The Department of Defense performed several ordnance and explosives (OE) clearances at Camp Beale prior to selling the property. The past clearances removed tons of scrap and a substantial number of unexploded ordnance items. The last clearance was completed in 1962. In general cleanup of sites with OE contamination in the past and through the present have yielded significantly less than 100% recovery of all live OE or energetic items. There is a high likelihood OE are present within the Yuba Highlands Specific Plan Area. DTSC believes this area if used in its present state for sensitive land uses including, but not limited to, residences, schools, day care facilities, hospitals and hospices poses a significant potential risk to the public. Only after an appropriate cleanup is completed and residual risk determined can the necessary safe guards be identified and put in place so planning for the appropriate future land uses can be undertaken. If OE is mishandled or if appropriate safe guards are not in place, there is a potential for tragic results to occur. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is planning to start evaluating the extent of OE in 2003 for a portion of this area. Over the next several years the work, at a minimum, will identify the extent of OE remaining to be addressed within the River Highlands Community starting in those areas with a documented history or evidence of military OE activities. The investigation will be evaluating areas for evidence of OE with geophysical equipment and excavating to determine OE type, distribution and density. Until the cleanup is complete it can not be determine whether or not development in the River Highlands Community for sensitive use is appropriate. An early partnership between USACE, DTSC, Yuba County, project proponents and the public is necessary to insure the cleanup and any future development limitations are understood by all. I look forward to working with you to determine the appropriate remediation needs in the Highlands Community before development occurs. If you have any questions please contact me at (...). Sincerely Ed Walker Project Manager Office of Military Facilities Attachment cc: Jerry Vincent (CESPK-ED-ED) 1325 J Street Sacramento, California 95814-2992 Karole Ward (CESPK-ED-ED) 1325 J Street Sacramento, California 95814-2992 Yuba County Board of Supervisors 215 5th Street Marysville, California 95901 _________________________________________________ *California Public Resources Code Section 25000 et seq. **California Code of Regulations 15000 et seq. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | |
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