1) Welcome/Introductions
Tami Grove, California Coastal Commission and Catherine Tyrrell, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, welcomed the participants to the meeting and thanked them for attending.
2) Status of Action Plan/Update
Jim Raives, Coastal Commission, described the changes to the Draft Action Plan to reflect both written comments received and discussions from the last Task Force meeting (copies were available at the meeting). There was no discussion about these changes. Task Force agreed to allow one more week for comments. Final comments must be received by 5/15/98.
3) Draft Work Plan and Schedule
Jim Raives, Coastal Commission, presented that draft work plan and schedule that Coastal Commission and Regional Board staffs developed (copies were available at the meeting). After Jim Raives described all the elements of the Work Plan, the Task Force raised two issues of concern. First, the Task Force discussed the need for a separate funding strategy. Second, the Task Force discussed the need for the work plan to clearly identify the data gathering process. Specifically, the work plan should incorporate the need to assess existing data, identify data gaps, and develop studies to fill gaps. The Task Force agreed to have a more detailed discussion at the next Task Force meeting.
4) Strategy Development Committees
Michael Lyons, Regional Water Quality Control Board, described the five Strategy Development Committees and discussed plans for establishing the Committees. The Task Force discussed changing the mission of the Sediment Criteria Committee to identifying sediment contamination thresholds for each disposal alternative and remove that task from the other committees as appropriate. The Task Force agreed to that change and to change the name of this sub-committee to the Sediment Screening Thresholds Committee. The Task Force identified the Chairs for all of these committees and circulated sign-up sheets for each committee (copies enclosed).
5) Status of Interim Strategy
Ralph Appy, Port of Los Angeles, described the changes made to the interim process to reflect concerns identified at the last Task Force meeting. No comments were received at this meeting. Final Comments must be received before 5/15/98.
6) Advisory Committee Meeting
Jim Raives, Coastal Commission, summarized the last advisory committee meeting. Two projects were discussed at that meeting. For the Port of Los Angeles’s West Basin project, the committee reviewed and commented on the Port’s sediment sampling and analysis plan. For the Corps’ potential dredging of the Los Angeles River estuary, the committee discussed disposal options, testing needs, and funding issues. Tony Risko, Corps of Engineers, discussed a confined aquatic disposal demonstration project using material dredged from Marina del Rey and Los Angeles River estuary with disposal at the North Island borrow pit. Based on Task Force concerns, the Corps agreed to consider alternative management and disposal techniques. The Task Force agreed to write a letter supporting the demonstration projects. Dean Smith, Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors, agreed to draft the letter.
7) Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
Tony Risko, Corps of Engineers, described a TAC meeting that the Corps sponsored with its Waterways Experiment Station, professional dredgers, and other interested parties to discuss issues related to CAD design.
8) MOU Amendment
Michael Lyons, Regional Board, discussed status of MOU amendment. The Corps of Engineers expected to complete its review by May 13, 1998. The Task Force agreed to wait to distribute the MOU amendment until the Corps finishes its review.
9) Public Outreach
Jim Raives, Commission, discussed plans for the annual public workshop to be held at the Coastal Commission’s November meeting in Agoura Hills. The Commission will be briefed on May 5, 1998, on the status of the Task Force. Finally, the Commission will design and operate a Web page to support the Task Force.
10) Next Meeting
The next task force meeting will be held on Thursday, June 4, 1998, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Port of Long Beach Administrative Offices, 925 Harbor Plaza, Long Beach. An agenda will be mailed prior to the meeting.
11) Public Comments
Jim Raives, Commission, requests ideas for a Task Force Logo
Catherine Tyrrell, Regional Board, described the Department of Transportation Marine Transportation and Port Study
Michael Lyons, Regional Board, described Sea Grant’s request for study proposals, which made provide source of funding. Initial proposals are June 1, 1998.
Dean Smith, Beaches and Harbors, identified a meeting to identify Sediment Criteria based on Risk Assessment
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