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Home My WebLink AboutEmail from Kathy Brazil – Opposition to Oroville Site Proposed for Fire Debris Sorting Schuman, Amy From: Menchaca, Clarissa Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 4:22 PM To: Schuman,Amy Subject: FW: BOS Correspondence Attachments: Fw: Oroville site proposed for fire debris sorting Correspondence. Clcwisicv Mem Associate Clerk of the Board Butte County Administration 25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965 T: 530.552.33081 F: 530.538.7120 Twitter I Facebook I YouTube I Pinterest From: Bennett, Robin Sent:Wednesday, December 26, 2018 3:59 PM To:Snyder,Ashley<ansnyder@buttecounty.net> Cc: Menchaca,Clarissa<cmenchaca@buttecounty.net> Subject: BOS Correspondence Please find the attached email letter from Kathy Brazil, for your records. Thanks, Rode Fe/agar, Executive Assistant (530)552-5000 Email: rbennettnbuttecounty.net Butte County Supervisor's Office Supervisor Doug Teeter, Email:dteeter@buttecounty.net Board of Supervisors, District 5 Paradise, CA 95969 1 Schuman, Amy From: Kathy Brazil <fewzil@att.net> Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2018 1:09 AM To: Connelly, Bill;Teeter, Doug; BOS District 4; Kirk, Maureen;Wahl, Larry Subject: Fw: Oroville site proposed for fire debris sorting Forwarded Message From: Kathy Brazil To: TDHF@usace.army.mil Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2018, 1:05:01 AM PST Subject: Oroville site proposed for fire debris sorting Hello, I am writing to say that 1 am opposed to the proposed Oroville location to receive and process the Camp Fire debris. Oroville is the seat of Butte County, it is vital that the debris not come to Oroville as the impact on the roadways will be a detriment to already congested roads. As the county seat, it is important that all road access remain free of impact. The proposal of 200-500 trucks hauling debris will not benefit the Oroville community. Many Camp Fire survivors have relocated to Oroville and the roadways are currently heavily impacted by traumatized citizens. The Army Corp of Engineers EA report states; "Although it is expected increased traffic could be a nuisance to the community, every effort will be made to mitigate the impacts to traffic." https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Portals/12/documents/emergencv ops/wildfires/Camp%20Fire/4407dr EA 20 DEC 18. pdf?ver=2018-12-20-173031-290 I read an article saying that the debris will contain non-hazardous materials...this statement is not true,just one of the debris materials listed in the proposal: burned cars, contain hazardous materials, not to mention all the other debris,that has been contaminated by the firestorm. Accordingly here is a statement from: https://buttecountyrecovers.org/re-entry Health Officer Issued Hazard Advisory Warning Against Habitation of Destroyed Property . There is evidence from recent fires in California that homes and property destroyed by fire contain high and concerning levels of heavy metals, lead, mercury, dioxin, arsenic, and other carcinogens. Some property may have the presence of radio-active materials. Exposure to hazardous substances may lead to acute and chronic health effects, and may cause long-term public health and environmental impacts. The people of Oroville, have already dealt with road issues and pollution from the Oroville Dam Spillway incident, Oroville has not healed from that crisis yet. The families and children* of Oroville do not need to be subjected to air pollution **, and new ground waste pollution which will be created by the processing of the Camp Fire debris. Accordingly here is a statement from: https://oehha.ca.gov/risk-assessment/childrens-health *Children can be more affected by environmental chemicals than adults. They eat, drink, and breathe more per pound of body weight than adults. Thus, children's exposures to contaminants in our air, water, and food are higher than an adult in the same setting. Because children are still growing and developing, they can be more sensitive to the adverse health effects of chemicals than an adult. In some cases, the effects are irreversible. It is increasingly recognized that exposures early in life affect adult health. Thus, the work of the CaIEPA Boards, Departments and Offices(BDOs) reducing children's exposures to environmental chemicals benefits Californians throughout their lifetime. **https://oehha.ca.gov/air/toxic-air-contaminantsToxic Air Contaminants According to section 39655 of the California Health and Safety Code(link is external), a toxic air contaminant (TAC) is "an air pollutant which may cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious illness, or which may pose 1 a present or potential hazard to human health." In addition, substances which have been listed as federal hazardous air pollutants. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Oroville has been listed as a Disadvantaged Community and therefore all efforts to improve its living conditions need to be on the table.This proposal from the Army Corp of Engineers to use Oroville to process the Camp Fire debris does not follow the target investment to create improvement of public health in Oroville, it actually does the opposite. Accordingly here is a statement from: https:/loehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535 Disadvantaged Community Designation (Updated June 2017) Disadvantaged communities in California are specifically targeted for investment of proceeds from the State's cap-and- trade program. These investments are aimed at improving public health, quality of life and economic opportunity in California's most burdened communities at the same time reducing pollution that causes climate change. The community of Oroville is trying to recover from the toxins previously created at the Koppers site, now the Army Corp of Engineers proposes to introduce new contaminated debris. Please view the following map: http:/[www.becnet.org/sites/default/files/file-attachment/Final Eqg Test Map 8x11.pdf#overlay- context=dioxin-butte-county http://www.becnet.org/dioxin-butte-county The information I see listed on the City of Oroville/Public Works/Engineering Division lists the following information: so HOW is this Proposal to bring more waste into Oroville going to benefit our efforts to reduce waste. http://www.cityoforoville.org/services/public-works-departmentlengineeri ng-division Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Each year the City of Oroville is required to develop, adopt and submit to Caltrans an updated Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Overall Annual Participation Goal for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) assisted contracts, as a condition of federal financial assistance, pursuant to Title 49 CFR Part 26; Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in DOT Programs. In accordance with Federal and State regulations, the City of Oroville developed a proposed Overall Annual DBE Goal of 8%for Federal Fiscal Year 2004/2005. Public participation and adoption by the Oroville City Council is required to ensure full compliance with Federal Department of Transportation funding requirements, provisions and financial responsibilities. Solid Waste and Recycling In 1989, Assembly Bill 939, known as the Integrated Waste Management Act, was passed because of the increase in waste stream and the decrease in landfill capacity. As a result, the current California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)was established. A disposal reporting system with CIWMB oversight was established, and facility and program planning was required. AB 939 mandates a reduction of waste being disposed:jurisdictions were required to meet diversion goals of 25% by 1995 and 50% by the year 2000. AB 939 also established an integrated framework for program implementation, solid waste planning, and solid waste facility and landfill compliance. The Department is responsible for ensuring that the City meets the requirements of AB 939, and is responsible for annual reporting on the City's progress to the CIWMB. The Feather River and the Oroville Wildlife Area are not far from this proposed processing site of Camp Fire debris and it does not need any more negative environmental impacts from road pollution and air and ground waste. 2 The Army Corp EA states "The site is approximately 3,000 feet to the east of the Feather River and is located in the Feather River floodplain."" Therefore, the soil at the site would not be exposed to hazardous substances that could result in contamination. Storage, processing, and trans-loading would likely occur on hardened surfaces, which would further protect soils from incidental contamination or erosion. Further, best management practices (BMPs)would be implemented to protect soil from erosion and contamination." https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oroville,+CAI(c�39.4729597,- 121.6012956,12.92zldata=!4m5!3m4!1 s0x809cb6034a842e 11:0xb56919d60de28347!8m2!3d39.5137752!4d-121.556359 The Army Corp EA reports states: Cultural and Historic Resources 3.7.1 Alternative Under this alternative, the State of California will be required to establish and operate debris handling facilities and those sites are unknown. Those sites could have impacts to cultural and historic resources, but that determination is beyond the scope of this EA. In my opinion,to address the whole community of Oroville, nothing should be beyond the scope of their EA. In summary, I have a suggestion that Butte County partner with Tehama County and transport the Camp Fire debris up to Tehama County,there is a rail line there and there is less congested traffic and it is not the Seat of Butte County, which is responsible for the emergency operation and records facilities of all the county. Here is a link to the local rail lines: https:llwiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/CalifornialRailroads With great concern, Kathy Brazil Oroville,Ca 95965 3