HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-21; Orange County Pipeline Oil Spill Incident, Report 3 (Districts - All); Harrison, DavidTo the members of the :
Cl1Y COUNCIL
Date" CA /cc ✓
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Oct. 21, 2021
Council Memorandum
To:
From:
Via:
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
David Harrison, Assistant Direc~f Emergency Services
Scott Chadwick, City Manager ~
Re: Orange County Pipeline Oil Spill Incident, Report 3 (Districts -All)
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID #2021197
This memorandum provides information related to the Orange County pipeline oil spill. It focuses
on information and actions that are new since the last update.
Background
The Unified Command and San Diego County Office of Emergency Services have scaled back the
work launched in response to the oil spill along with briefings and some staffing. The Cooperators
Briefing and call with elected officials will be held on Monday and Thursdays. A liaison report is
being prepared on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. According to the Unified Command,
there is a high degree of confidence that the amount of oil spilled is approximately 24,696
gallons; this number may potentially adjust slightly. For perspective, the average backyard
swimming pool holds about 18,000-20,000 gallons.
Shoreline cleanup and assessment technique, or SCAT, teams are continuing to conduct surveys
to assess shoreline impacts, task forces and hot shot teams are continuing cleanup work, and
sign off teams are conducting initial inspection and sign-off surveys. As the emergency has
subsided, the Unified Command Volunteer Unit has demobilized.
All of the booms deployed in Orange and San Diego Counties have been removed. Agua
Hedionda Lagoon and Batiquitos Lagoon booms were removed on Oct. 17, 2021. Poseidon
Water, the operator of the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, reports no change in oil test levels since
the Agua Hedionda Lagoon booms were removed.
Oil spill water and soil sample results
The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services forwarded an advance copy of the Unified
Command water and oil sample results on Oct. 19, 2021. Laboratory analysis of water and
sediment samples collected from 44 San Diego sites have been completed. The Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, part of the California Department of Public Health,
reports no public health concerns for short-term exposures from the use of beaches in San Diego
County. The responsibility for long-term testing of local shoreline and beach water falls under the
jurisdiction of the California State Water Resources Control Board.
Carlsbad Fire Department
2560 Orion Way I Carlsbad, CA 92010 I 760-931-2141
Council Memo -Orange County Pipeline Oil Spill Incident, Report 3 (Districts -All)
Oct. 21, 2021
Page 2
Tar cleanup
The public will likely continue to encounter tar balls on San Diego County beaches, including
Carlsbad, in coming weeks and months. Dr. Cameron Kaiser, San Diego County's Deputy Public
Health Officer, announced that there are no public health concerns over tar balls. However, as
oil contains hazardous chemicals, community members should not attempt to touch or pick up
any tar balls or oil.
Oil and/or debris removed:
Oct. 14: 23 bags {1200 tar balls) from North Jetty Batiquitos Lagoon south into Encinitas
Oct. 15: 24 bags from North Jetty Agua Hedionda Lagoon south through Terramar
Oct. 17: 36 bags (seagrass/tar mix) from North Ponto Beach
Oct. 18: More than 34 bags (tar mixed in pebbles) cleaned from South Carlsbad State Beach
Clean beach determination
The oil spill response has moved into a shoreline cleanup sign-off phase. Once assessed by SCAT
teams, and cleaned by either task forces or hotshot teams, cleaned shoreline segments will be
placed under a review process. A sign-off team will conduct an initial shoreline inspection. If
additional cleaning is required, cleanup crews will return to the site, and a sign-off team will
return for an additional cleanup inspection.
The Unified Command established criteria for when the clean-up of a given area will end. Once a
shoreline segment meets these criteria, that segment is reviewed and signed off on by the
Unified Command. These segments are then no longer regularly surveyed or cleaned as part of
the response and transitioned to ongoing monitoring. The Unified Command is also developing a
post sign-off response plan.
As of Oct. 21, 2021, the SCAT process of assessment and cleaning continues. Sign-off teams have
started inspections in San Diego County, but none have yet visited Carlsbad.
Long-term beach monitoring
The Unified Command has yet to distribute the federal plan for long-term monitoring and
maintenance.
Continuing actions
• Extended tar ball monitoring and reporting -{To report tar and/or oil contamination
people can email: tarballreports@wildlife.ca.gov )
• Continuing coordination with the Unified Command and San Diego County Office of
Emergency Services
• Public information sharing
• Anticipate cleanup's end point; Unified Command's approval of sign-off teams'
inspections
Council Memo -Orange County Pipeline Oil Spill Incident, Report 3 (Districts -All)
Oct. 21, 2021
Page 3
Potential community interests or concerns
• Continuing occurrence of tar balls
• Financial impacts and recovery -(Community members impacted by the oil spill who need
to file a claim can call 866-985-8366)
• Environmental impact
• Future of offshore oil operations
Unless noteworthy issues arise, this will be our last report on this incident.
cc: Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services
Michael Calderwood, Fire Chief
Mickey Williams, Police Chief
David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer
Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Director
Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director