To BGC (RFS) Community,
Welcome back to the school year. September will be a busy month at the BGC (RFS) and this email is being sent to inform you about planned or expected activities at or around the RFS. Included as an attachment to the email is a Department of Toxic Substances Control Work Notice regarding upcoming field environmental investigation activities being conducted under the DTSC site investigation Order.
Week of September 1, 2015
Marsh edge mowing and weed abatement. The "Bulb" at the edge of Western Stege Marsh will be mowed starting September 1 for continued weed control and in advance of a geophysical survey planned for the week of September 7 or 14. In addition, the RFS Facilities crew will begin removing invasive pampas grass- this work will continue into the fall.
September 3, 2015 (estimated) Helicopter fly-over for DHS research. Researchers with the campus College of Engineering partnering with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will conduct field tests at the RFS as part of their research program. The work will involve the overhead presence of a helicopter for a half day, as well as use of a quadcopter (small drone). It is expected that the helicopter will be flying mostly in the North Meadow to the northeast of B167,
Environmental Sampling Weeks of September 7 and 14, 2015
Environmental consultants working with the campus Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) will complete miscellaneous sampling and geophysical surveys. A geophysical survey using magnetometers and other metal-detection equipment will take place at the marsh edge. Small soil sampling activities (< 1/2 day) will take place in the field directly north of the EPA Laboratory, to the east of B163, and in Western Stege Marsh.
September 15, 2015 (Tuesday)- Town Hall meeting
RFS Town Hall Meeting. Please hold 11:00 am - noon Tuesday September 15, 2015 for the first RFS Town Hall meeting of the school year which will be held at the B445 conference center. Updates will be provided on upcoming maintenance projects, Berkeley Global Campus development, and the ongoing environmental site investigation and remediation activities.
September 19, 2015 Coastal Cleanup Day (Saturday)
The annual Coastal Cleanup Day is Saturday September 19, 2015. The local cleanup in the Richmond southeast shoreline watersheds coordinated by Supervisor John Gioia will take place from 9 a.m. to noon starting at Shimada Friendship Park at Marina Bay to the west of the RFS. For more information go to The Watershed Project's website at: http://www.thewatershedproject.org/home.php
CRT Soil Pile Removal- Throughout September
Clean soil that originated from the LBNL Computation Research and Theory Facility (CRT) construction site that was stockpiled in three locations (B280, B277, and B128) in 2012 and 2013 is expected to be removed from site in fall 2015 for use at the Presidio in San Francisco, including the Doyle Drive project. Soil loading and off-haul will be coordinated by Cal Trans with work overseen by EH&S to insure proper dust control and prevention of tracking mud onto local roadways. Cal Trans expects that over 1,000 truckloads will be removed.
For updates and additional information, be go to the RFS Environmental Website at http://rfs-env.berkeley.edu.
Scott Shackleton
Assistant Dean, College of Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
Phone: (510) 643-2314
Fax: (510) 642-7654