The first meeting of this committee was held on August 6, 1998. In attendance were: Steven John (USEPA), Jim Raives (CCC), Tom Johnson (POLB), Michael Lyons (RWQCB), Larry Smith (POLA), Dean Smith (LA County, Beaches and Harbors), Andrew Kadib, Russ Kaiser, Mo Chang, Doland Cheung (Corps).
The committee discussed the concern that the goal identified in the workplan (Identify interim sediment criteria for disposal options and develop process for long-term criteria development) was very ambitious. Previous efforts undertaken by the State Water Quality Control Board (Bay Protection and Toxic Clean-up) and the Corps underscored the complexities of the goal and the significant resources that would be required to set sediment disposal criteria.
The committee also discussed that setting sediment standards for Confined Aquatic Disposal sites or Confined Disposal Facilities would be inextricably linked to the design of these facilities. Different levels of containment would be possible, based on such design parameters as thickness of the cap and buffer, inclusion of a rock armored barrier, etc. The committee questioned the usefulness of setting sediment standards without consideration of these design criteria (which will be addressed by the Aquatic Disposal Committee).
Based on these discussions, the committee recommended narrowing the scope of the goal to: Identify process for setting sediment criteria.
To launch this effort, the committee recommended several initial steps:
(1) Review previous efforts by SWQCB and the Corps, summarizing their findings and lessons learned regarding sediment criteria;
(2) Invite representatives from the State of Washington and EPA Region 10 (Seattle) to discuss PSDDA process, resources required, and lessons learned that would be valuable to making a decision on whether to proceed with a similar effort in Southern California;
(3) Invite Ed Long (NOAA) to discuss his work on determining ERL/ERMs, use of these values as screening thresholds, applicability of ERL/ERMs in Southern California;
(4) Identify other current efforts (local, regional or national) to set sediment screening criteria and how and/or whether the CSTF can become involved in those processes.
The intention of the committee is that these initial efforts will provide the information necessary for the Task Force to make an informed decision on the need for sediment screening criteria and the feasibility and practicability of setting such criteria.
In addition to these education efforts, the committee identified the need to establish an integrated database in evaluating dredged materials for aquatic and ocean disposal by standardizing the types of data and how data is collected. A standardized database would be necessary for any effort to set regional criteria for dredged material disposal as well as serving to promote a consistent program for assessing dredged material.
Assignments
EPA (John) will present recommendation for revising the committee’s goal to the CSTF Manangement Committee.
Corps (Kaiser) will prepare a summary of the information the Corps had gathered regarding the feasibility of establishing sediment screening criteria.
RWQCB (Lyons) will prepare summary of the SWQCB Bay Protection and Toxic Clean-up effort, focusing particularly on the program’s "lessons learned" relative to sediment screening criteria.
Corps (Dave Cannon, Moffatt and Nichol) will prepare summary of upland disposal criteria.
EPA (John) to arrange for Sediment Quality Criteria seminars.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the committee was tentatively set for September 10. Due to schedule conflicts of key committee members this meeting has been postponed and will be rescheduled for October.
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