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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 06231998 - SD3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS . CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FROM: Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema District Il DATE: June 17, 1998 SUBJECT: Closure of the United States Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION Recommendation: OPPOSE the proposed closure of the United States Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord, and write to the County's Congressional delegation urging that they support funding for the Detachment in the 1998-99 federal budget. Background: The Marine Safety Detachment has for years served as emergency responders for spills of oil and other hazardous materials into the Carquinez Strait and Delta waters, as well as the bays of West County, In the last year members of the Detachment have helped clean a number of spills from overturned barges and other causes. They arrive on scene by boat,assess the situation and, in most incidents, put out booms and other materials to absorb the spill. Since they are located at the Straits,the Detachment's response time is extremely quick, according to the County's Hazardous Materials Division, whose staff also responds but with different skills and legal authority. In 1997,the Detachment responded to a crude oil pipeline leak into a delicate wetland near Pacheco Creek,occupying important Unified Command positions and helping ensure that minimal,damage resulted. These examples reflect the Detachment's unique ability to be on the spot in the event of more major incidents, especially along the coastline in north, central, and east countywhere numerous petrochemical facilities are located,each of which have very large volumes of hazardous materials. In addition,nearly 390,000 long tons of hazardous material are shipped annually through the Strait and Delta,and oil pipelines run under these waterways. An immediate USCG presence can be even more important during a large spill when the responsible party is in dispute, as the Coast Guard alone can verbally authorize use of the federal Oil Spill.Fund so that clean-up can proceed without delay. Unfortunately, the federal budget currently before Congress does not include funding for the Detachment. In the future, a USCG response would come from the Marine Safety Office in Alameda, over land,with the same staff they have currently serving a wide region. About 8 people in the Detachment work in safety, and some two dozen reserves; about 40 people work in safety in the Alameda office. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: yes SIGNATURE RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE O.T�IER �0 SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED y OTHER X SEE ADDENDUM FOR BOARD ACTION VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT } AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD AYES: NOES: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN, ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Contact Person: ATTESTED CC: Supervisor Gayle B.Uilkema P ATCHELOR,CLERKOF THE BOARD OF Hazardous Materials Commission(via HSD) ERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Captain Harlan Henderson},CO Marine Safety Office,San Francisco Bay 16� Building 14,Coast Guard Island,Alameda,CA 9:4501 BY: lG?,r~�---.DEPUTY Board of Supervisors Page 2 Closure of the USCG Marine Safety Detachment Concord, CA Date:June 17, 1998 A rationale for the budget cut has been that the amount and nature of shipping of explosives through the Naval Weapons Station has changed and no longer requires the presence of the Detachment,even with the spent nuclear fuel rod transport. Yet the group's work has long gone beyond overseeing this kind of activity. Detachment staff have also been members of numerous interagency and industry working groups, including the Hazardous Materials Interagency Task Force chaired by the County, and have led numerous oil spill exercises. Their participation has been consistently helpful: they bring a perspective and knowledge that is not otherwise available. Even were the Alameda office to designate new people for this task,they would not have the same familiarity with our local situation. These facts raise the serious question of whether in deciding to close this office, adequate consideration has been given to the emergency response and planning needs of the Carquinez-Delta area, with its large population,commercial and recreation uses, and environmental sensitivity. Fiscal Impact: None ADDENDUM ITEM SD.3 JUNE 23, 1998 On this date, the Beard of Supervisors considered the proposed closure of the United States Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord. Supervisor Uilkema presented background on this item, and suggested that a letter be sent to the County's Congressional delegation urging that they support funding for the Detachment in the 1.998-99 federal budget. IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the Chair, Board of Supervisors is AUTHORIZED to sign a letter to this County's Congressional delegation asking that the Detachment be funded in the 1999 Federal Budget; DIRECTED that the letter be forwarded to the Bay Conservation Development Commission, requesting their support; and FURTHER DIRECTED that a letter be sent to the President and the appropriate officials of the Coast Guard and Department of Defense. &D. 3 The Board of Supervisors �� r�i r,�ao�S, CU*Of 0*wood County AdrnWA#mtktn Building r am 651 Pine Street Room 106 t� COW*} -INo Martinez.C 00mia "M-1203 ou my an ftqwc i'm uftw, Donm 13txN►8.tiiHnln�►,2nd Diwirku �r Gotw.3W Dh7t11V[ f - IAwtk D*8w*d w,4tb C3W#tt dot Com,bth Dieuk t ,.: �•'- June 17, 1998 The Honorable Ellen Tauscher U.S. House of Representatives Longworth Building#1440 Washington,DC 20515 Dear Ms. Tauscher: On behalf of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors,I am writing to ask that you support continued funding for the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord. In the federal budget now before you, funding for the Detachment has been eliminated. We believe that closing this office will weaken the local emergency response to oil and ether hazardous materials spills along our bays and the Carquinez Strait and Delta area. Members of the Marine Safety Detachment have for years served as emergency responders for spills of oil and other hazardous materials into the Carquinez Strait and Delta waters, as well as the bays of West County. In the last year alone,the Detachment has helped clean a number of spills from overturned barges and other causes. They arrive on scene by beat, assess the situation and, in most incidents, put out booms and other materials to absorb the spill. Since they are located at the Strait, the Detachment's response time is extremely quid.. In 1997,the Detachment responded to a crude oil pipeline leak into a delicate wetland near Pacheco Creek, occupying important positions in the multi-agency response structure to ensure that minimal damage resulted. These few examples reflect the Detachment's unique ability to be on the spat in the event of more major incidents, especially along the coastline in north,central, and east county where numerous petrochemical facilities are located. Each of those facilities have very large volumes of hazardous materials. In addition,nearly 394,400 long tons of hazardous material are shipped annually through the Strait and Delta, and oil pipelines run under these waterways. An immediate Coast Guard presence can be particularly important during a large spill when the identity of the responsible party is in dispute,as occurred last year in a San Francisco spill. The Coast Guard alone can verbally authorize use of the federal Oil Spill Fund so that clean-up can proceed without delay. The Honorable Ellen Tauscher Paget U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord June 17, 1998 Without the detachement, future Coast Guard response would come from the Marine Safety Office in Alameda—over land,with the same staff they have currently to servea wide region. About 8 people in the Concord Detachment work in safety,and some two dozen reserves; about 40 people work in safety in the Alameda office, so the total staff reduction would be significant, as well as the increased distance to our shoreline. A rationale for the budget cut has been that the amount and nature of shipping of explosives through the Naval Weapons Station has changed and no longer requires the presence of the Detachment, even with the spent nuclear fuel rod transport. Yet the group's work has long gone beyond overseeing this kind of activity. Detachment staff are members of numerous interagency and industry working groups, including the Hazardous Materials Interagency Task Force chaired by the County. They have also led numerous oil spill exercises. Their participation has been consistently helpful they bring a perspective and knowledge that is not otherwise available. Even were the Alameda office to designate new people for this task,they would not have the same familiarity with our complex local situation. These facts raise the serious question of whether in deciding to close this Coast Guard office, adequate consideration has been given to the emergency response and planning needs of the Carquinez-Delta area,with its large population,heavy commercial and recreation uses, environmental sensitivity, and unusual concentration of hazardous materials. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Sincerely, /.fr.,4.d... Jim y Rogers Board of Supervisors Chair s Z.3 The Board of Supervisors Contra County Afthistration ftilding �►.✓ C*Wty AdMInWtakw 851 Pine Street,Room 106 (510)335-1900 Martinez,Caiitomia 84553-1263 County An Ropm,lat District Gay%8.Lgft ra,2nd Mutt _ Donm Qwba,Std DbWd r� ' MWk D*9VA rB W,4th DWriet droe CwwAwWUa,5th Dlstrtct June 17, 1998 The Honorable George Miller U.S. House of Representatives Rayburn Building#2205 Washington,DC 20515 Dear Mr. Miller: On behalf of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to ask that you support continued funding for the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord. In the federal budget now before you, funding for the Detachment has been eliminated. We believe that closing this office will weaken the local emergency response to oil and other hazardous materials spills along our bays and the Carquinez Strait and Delta area. Members of the Marine Safety Detachment have for years served as emergency responders for spills of oil and other hazardous materials into the Carquinez Strait and Delta waters, as well as the bays of West County. In the last year alone,the Detachment has helped clean a number of spills from overturned barges and other causes. They arrive on scene by boat, assess the situation and, in most incidents, put out booms and other materials to absorb the spill. Since they are located at the Strait, the Detachment's response time is extremely quick. In 1997,the Detachment responded to a crude oil pipeline leak into a delicate wetland near Pacheco Creek, occupying important positions in the multi-agency response structure to ensure that minimal damage resulted. These few examples reflect the Detachment's unique ability to be on the spot in the event of more major incidents,especially along the coastline in north,central, and east county where numerous petrochemical facilities are located. Each of those facilities have very large volumes of hazardous materials. In addition,nearly 390,000 long tons of hazardous material are shipped annually through the Strait and Delta, and oil pipelines run under these waterways. An immediate Coast Guard presence can be particularly important during a large spill when the identity of the responsible party is in,dispute, as occurred last year in a San Francisco spill. The Coast Guard alone can verbally authorize use of the federal Oil Spill Fund so that clean-up can proceed without delay. SID. 3 The Honorable George Miller Paget U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord June 17, 1998 Without the detachement, future Coast Guard response would carne from the Marine Safety Office in Alameda.-- over land,with the same staff they have currently to serve a wide region. About 8 people in the Concord Detachment work in safety, and some two dozen reserves; about 40 people work in safety in the Alameda office, so the total staff reduction would be significant,, as well as the increased distance to our shoreline. A rationale for the budget cut has been that the amount and nature of shipping of explosives through the Naval Weapons Station has changed and no longer requires the presence of the Detachment,even with the spent nuclear fuel rod transport. Yet the group's work has long gone beyond overseeing this kind of activity. Detachment staff are members of numerous interagency and industry working groups, including the Hazardous Materials Interagency Task Force chaired by the County. They have also led numerous oil spill exercises. Their participation has been consistently helpful: they bring a perspective and knowledge that isnot otherwise available. Even were the Alameda office to designate new people for this task., they would not have the same familiarity with our complex local situation. These facts raise the serious question of whether in deciding to close this Coast Guard office, adequate consideration has been given to the emergency response and planning needs of the Carquinez-Delta area, with its large population,heavy commercial and recreation uses, environmental sensitivity, and unusual concentration of hazardous materials. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Sincerely, r Jim Rogers Board of Supervisors Chair .......................................................................................................................................................................... . . .............................................................................. PN Befthe The Board of Supervisors Contra W 06*of V*Sowd C�oumy Administration SuAdIng "A&mn*b*W 851 PW*Street,Rom 106 Costa C*i Martinez,Uffomla 84563-1293 County An Ropm,lot ftbid Gft%B.UftwW 2nd MW Donfw Qwbw.3rd DlWict Mwk DeftulWw,4th DWW Joe Cwwkwaft,5th Mott June 17, 1998 The Honorable Barbara Boxer U.S. Senate Hart Building#112 Washington,DC 20510 Dear Ms.Boxer: On behalf of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to ask that you support continued funding for the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord. In the federal budget now before you, funding for the Detachment has been eliminated. We believe that closing this office will weaken the local emergency response to oil and other hazardous materials spills along our bays and the Carquinez Strait and Delta area. Members of the Marine Safety Detachment have for years served as emergency responders for spills of oil and other hazardous materials into the Carquinez Strait and Delta waters, as well as the bays of West County. In the last year alone, the Detachment has helped clean a number of spills from overturned barges and other causes. They arrive on scene by boat,assess the situation and, in most incidents, put out booms and other materials to absorb the spill. Since they are located at the Strait, the Detachment's response time is extremely quick. In 1997,the Detachment responded to a crude oil pipeline leak into a delicate wetland near Pacheco Creek,occupying important positions in the multi-agency response structure to ensure that minimal damage resulted. These few examples reflect the Detachment's unique ability to be on t4lp spot in the event of more major incidents,especially along the coastline in north,central, and east county where numerous petrochemical facilities are located. Each of those facilities have very large volumes of hazardous materials. In addition,nearly 390,000 long tons of hazardous material are shipped annually through the Strait and Delta, and oil pipelines run under these waterways. An immediate Coast Guard presence can be particularly important during a large spill when the identity of the responsible party is in dispute, as occurred last year in a San Francisco spill. The Coast Guard alone can verbally authorize use of the federal Oil Spill Fund so that clean-up can proceed without delay. 573 The Honorable Barbara Boxer Paget U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord June 17, 1993 Without the detachement, future Coast Guard response would came from the Marine Safety Office in Alameda--over land,with the same staff they have currently to serve a wide region. About 8 people in the Concord Detachment work in safety, and some two dozen reserves; about 40 people work in safety in the Alameda office, so the total staff reduction would be significant, as well as the increased distance to our shoreline. A rationale for the budget cut has been that the amount and nature of shipping of explosives through the Naval Weapons Station has changed and no longer requires the presence of the Detachment, even with the spent nuclear fuel rod transport. Yet the group's work has long gone beyond overseeing this kind of activity. Detachment staff are members of numerous interagency and industry working groups, including the Hazardous Materials Interagency Task Force chaired by the County. They have also led numerous oil spill exercises. Their participation has been consistently helpful: they bring a perspective and knowledge that is not otherwise available. Even were the Alameda office to designate new people for this task,they would not have the same familiarity with our complex local situation. These facts raise the serious question of whether in deciding to close this Coast,Guard office, adequate consideration has been given to the emergency response and planningneeds of the Carquinez-Delta area,with its large population,heavy commercial and recreation uses, environmental sensitivity, and unusual concentration of hazardous materials. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Sincerely, Jim Rogers Board of Supervisors Chair The Board of Supernr scars Contra MR B$WhWw of 0*ftwd county ftm3ftft*M 8UiWft Costa 651 Pine tryst,Room 106 n IOW Martimz. 945&13-1293 County c►r nn.G wbw.3rd 0*0*0 June 17, 1998 The Honorable Diane Feinstein U.S. Senate Hart Building##331 Washington,DC 20510 Dear Ms. Feinstein: On behalf of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors,I am writing to ask that you support continued funding for the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment at Concord. In the federal budget now before you, funding for the Detachment has been eliminated. We believe that closing this office will weaken the local emergency response to oil and other hazardous materials spills along our bays and the Carquinez Strait and Delta area. Members of the Marine Safety Detachment have for years served as emergency responders for spills of oil and other hazardous materials into the Carquinez Strait and Delta waters, as well as the bays of West County. In the last year alone,the Detachment has helped clean a number of spills from overturned barges and other causes. They arrive on scene by boat,assess the situation and, in most incidents, put out booms and other materials to absorb the spill. Since they are located at the Strait,the Detachment's response time is extremely quick. In 1997,the Detachment responded to a crude oil pipeline leak into a delicate wetland near Pacheco Creek,occupying important positions in the multi-agency response structure to ensure that minimal damage resulted. These few examples reflect the Detachment's unique ability to be on the spot in the event of more major incidents, especially along the coastline in north, central, and east;county where numerous petrochemical facilities are located. Each of those facilities have very large volumes of hazardous materials. In addition,nearly 390,000 long tons of hazardous material are shipped annually through the Strait and Delta, and oil pipelines run under these waterways. An immediate Coast Guard presence can be particularly important during a large spill when the identity of the responsible party is in dispute,as occurred last year in a San Francisco spill. The Coast Guard alone can verbally authorize use of the federal Oil Spill Fund so that clean-up can proceed without delay. The Honorable Diane Feinstein page 2 U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment of Concord .Tune 17, 1998 Without the detachement, future Coast Guard response would come from the Marine Safety Office in Alameda--over land,with the same staff they have currently to serve a wide region. About 8 people in the Concord Detachment work in safety,and some two dozen reserves; about 40 people work in safety in the Alameda office, so the total staff reduction would be significant, as well as the increased distance to our shoreline. A rationale for the budget cut has been that the amount and nature of shipping of explosives through the Naval Weapons Station has changed and no longer requires the presence of the Detachment,even with the spent nuclear fuel rad transport. Yet the group's work has long gone beyond overseeing this kind of activity. Detachment staff are members of numerous interagency and industry working groups,including the Hazardous Materials Interagency Task Force chaired by the County. They have also led numerous oil spill exercises. Their participation has been consistently helpful: they bring a perspective and knowledge that is-not otherwise available. Even were the Alameda office to designate new people for this task,they would not have the same familiarity with our complex local situation. These facts raise the serious question of whether in deciding to close this Coast Guard office, adequate consideration has been given to the emergency response and planning needs of the Carquinez-Delta area,with its large papulation,heavy commercial and recreation uses, environmental sensitivity, and unusual concentration of hazardous materials. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Sincerely, Jiro#Rogers Board of Supervisors Chair