2002 CPEO Military List Archive

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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