Environmental checklist form

Particulate Matter Fugitive Dust Emissions

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  Ground-disturbing activities will be suspended when sustained winds exceed 25 mph, instantaneous gusts exceed 35 mph, or dust from construction might obscure driver visibility on public roads.
  

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  Disturbed areas of the site will be watered as necessary depending on the conditions, using water trucks and/or sprinkler systems, to prevent airborne dust from leaving the site.
  
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  If available, reclaimed (non-potable) water will be used.
  

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  All dirt stockpiles would be covered (tarped) or watered daily, as necessary to prevent dispersion of windblown dust
  

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  All trucks hauling dirt, sand, soil, or other loose materials would be covered or would maintain at least two feet of freeboard (minimum vertical distance between top of load and top of trailer), in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 23114.
  

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  All disturbed areas in inactive portions of the site would be covered, seeded, and/or watered until a suitable cover is established or construction activities are resumed. Nontoxic soil stabilizers could be used in accordance with county, Regional Water Quality Project Requirements Project Requirement Description Control Board (RWQCB), (CRWQCB) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards.
  

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  Permanent dust control measures would be implemented as soon as possible following completion of any soil disturbing activities.
  

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  Project requirements would also be implemented during holidays, weekend periods, or times when work is temporarily suspended, as necessary to control site conditions generating fugitive dust. Contact information for the project manager as well as the Mendocino County Air Quality District would be made available to the public to ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
  

VII. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
Environmental Setting

The haul road was originally part of a rail line constructed in 1916 by Union Lumber Company to carry timber from the Ten Mile River drainage to the mill site in Fort Bragg. Tracks were removed and the rail alignment was converted to a road for use by logging trucks in 1949. Portions of this paved "Haul Road" are now part of the MacKerricher Coastal Trail, open to foot traffic and in some areas bicycles and equestrian use. The southern portion of this trail currently starts at the northern abutment of the Pudding Creek Trestle. The northern portion runs beyond the Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve boundary and continues east below the Ten Mile River bridge onto private property. Between Ward Avenue and the Ten Mile River the haul road has been severely eroded, washed away or covered by drifting sand over large sections of the roadway, and is no longer contiguous with the road within the park. Winter storm events, erosion and exposure to harsh coastal conditions continue to cause deterioration. There is no known hazardous contamination of the area where the haul road is located, and there is no indication that the project area contains any hazardous waste, debris, or soils. It’s possible that wooden structural elements or ties from the original rail line remain within the historic road alignment and make up parts of the road base and creek crossings. These materials may consist of pressure-treated wood, which contains several potentially hazardous materials (e.g., arsenic), or weatherproofed in some manner possibly with creosote, a human carcinogen.

There are eleven schools and one district school office located within a two and a half-mile radius of the project site. None of the schools are within a quarter-mile of the project area.
The Fort Bragg Airport is located approximately 4 to 7 miles south of the project area. There are approximately 12 single engine aircraft based at this privately owned airport. Operations average 64 flights per month. Another small private airstrip is located approximately 10 miles southwest of the Preserve. Activity at this location is unknown, and there is no published approach for this airstrip. Air traffic from both airstrips would only overfly the project area.
State Route (Highway) 1 is a designated truck route occasionally used by trucks transporting Level I, II, and III hazardous materials. The project location is approximately 500 feet from the closest approach of the southbound lane of Highway 1 as it passes over the Ten Mile River bridge.
Maintenance yards for MacKerricher SP are several miles south of the proposed project area and none of the unit's facilities use or store substantial amounts of hazardous materials on-site.
The project area is situated in coastal dunes, coastal strand and coastal scrub habitat. Vegetation consists mostly of non-native European beachgrass, coastal mat species and some wetland species in riparian areas. Fuel for wildfires is extremely limited.
LESS THAN

POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT LESS THAN

SIGNIFICANT WITH SIGNIFICANT NO

IMPACT MITIGATION IMPACT IMPACT

Would the project:

a) Create a significant hazard to the public or the    

environment through the routine transport, use, or

disposal of hazardous materials?

b) Create a significant hazard to the public or the    

environment through reasonably foreseeable upset

and/or accident conditions involving the release of

hazardous materials, substances, or waste into the

environment?

c) Emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous or    

acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste

within one-quarter mile of an existing or proposed

school?

d) Be located on a site which is included on a list of    

hazardous materials sites, compiled pursuant to

Government Code §65962.5, and, as a result, create

a significant hazard to the public or environment?

e) Be located within an airport land use plan or, where    

such a plan has not been adopted, within two miles

of a public airport or public use airport? If so, would

the project result in a safety hazard for people

residing or working in the project area?

f) Be located in the vicinity of a private airstrip? If so,    

would the project result in a safety hazard for people

residing or working in the project area? LESS THAN

g) Impair implementation of or physically interfere with    

an adopted emergency response plan or emergency

evacuation plan?

h) Expose people or structures to a significant risk of    

loss, injury, or death from wildland fires, including

areas where wildlands are adjacent to urbanized areas

or where residences are intermixed with wildlands?

Discussion

a-b) Project activities would require the use of potentially hazardous materials, such as fuels, oils, and solvents. Routine transportation of small amounts of diesel fuel to an appropriate staging area near the work site would likely occur. Fueling would only occur outside of sensitive areas and maintenance would occur off-site. Large quantities of fuel or hazardous materials would not be stored on-site. These materials are generally used for excavation equipment and other vehicles, and would be contained in vessels engineered for safe storage. Spills, upsets, or other work-related accidents could result in a release of fuels or other hazardous substances into the environment. Accidental spills or improper use of these materials could result in a significant impact to Inglenook Creek, Fen Creek, Ten Mile River and the Pacific Ocean. If it is determined that fueling is necessary on-site, then it shall only be on a limited basis to reduce additional impacts from repeated vehicle trips. Implementation of Mitigation Measures HAZMAT 1, which includes the development of a spill prevention and cleanup plan, would reduce the potential for adverse impacts from these incidents to a less than significant level.

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c) There are no schools or proposed schools within one-quarter mile of the Dune Rehabilitation Project. The nearest school (Three Rivers Learning Center) is located approximately 3 miles from the project site. No impact.
d) The Ten Mile Haul Road is not included on a list of hazardous materials sites (Cortese List) compiled by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, pursuant to Government Code §65962.5. No impact.
e-f) The proposed project site is not located within an airport land use plan, within two miles of a public airport, or in the vicinity of a private air strip. As noted in the Environmental Setting above, the privately owned Fort Bragg Airport is located approximately 4 to 7 miles south of the project area and there is a private air strip approximately 10 miles to the southwest. No work associated with the project would interfere with airport operations. No impact.
g) All proposed project activities would occur within the boundaries of MacKerricher SP and would not restrict access to or block any public road. All areas within the park would remain open to the public during the project, although access to the areas under active construction would be restricted to authorized personnel only. A general safety protocol for backcountry heavy equipment operations has been adopted by the North Coast Redwoods District, California State Parks (Merrill 2003) for use within state parks and will be implemented as part of this project. This protocol outlines broad safety issues common to all projects and presents guidelines on how to address those issues. The project will not impact emergency response or evacuation plans. Therefore, there will be no impact.
h) The Dune Rehabilitation Project area is located primarily in coastal dune habitat, with some areas of coastal scrub, coastal wetland and riparian habitat. This vegetation does not pose a high fire hazard, but equipment can get very hot with extended use and would sometimes be in close proximity to dry vegetation, especially dead European beachgrass. Improperly outfitted exhaust systems or friction between metal parts and/or rocks could generate sparks, resulting in a fire. Implementation of the mitigation measures listed below, along with HAZMAT-1 above, would reduce the potential for fire-related adverse impacts from this project to a less than significant level.

Mitigation Measure Hazmat 1 Spill Prevention

All equipment would be inspected for leaks immediately prior to the start of the project, and regularly inspected thereafter until equipment is removed from park premises. No maintenance or fueling activities will be allowed within 200 feet of a stream or the ocean. A Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC Plan) would be prepared prior to the start of the project and a spill kit maintained onsite throughout the duration of the project. This SPCC Plan would include a map delineating construction staging or storage areas and areas where refueling, lubrication, and maintenance of equipment may occur. In the event of a spill or release of any chemical on or adjacent to the project site, the contractor or equipment operator will immediately notify appropriate DRP staff. Appropriate agencies will be notified in the event of significant spillage. Equipment would be cleaned and repaired (other than emergency repairs) outside the Natural Preserve at designated authorized sites. All contaminated liquids and materials other hazardous compounds would be disposed of at a designated authorized site. Consultation with AFWS and the DFG (in conjunction with 1601 permit procedures) would be required. AFWS and DFG recommendations and requirements would be incorporated into the design and specifications, and implemented as part of the project scope, as necessary to avoid or mitigate potential natural resource impacts.

Mitigation Measure Hazmat 2 Fire management

A fire safety plan would be in place prior to the start of any construction, including identified fire suppression equipment and completion of any required employee training. Spark arrestors or turbo-charging (which eliminates sparks in exhaust) and fire extinguishers would be required for all heavy equipment.  Construction crews would be required to park vehicles away from flammable material, such as dry grass and brush. At the end of each workday, heavy equipment would be parked at a designated staging area located on asphalt or bare sand to reduce the chance of fire. A Hazardous Materials Abatement Plan and Specifications for the proper use, storage, and disposal of any flammable materials used during the project would be prepared, in conjunction with the HS plan indicated in HAZMAT-1 above, prior to start of work and implemented during all phases of the project. Park staff would be required to have a State Park radio on site, which would allow direct contact with Mendocino County Fire Department and centralized dispatch center, to facilitate the rapid dispatch of control crews and equipment in case of a fire. Fire suppression equipment would also be available within the park.