DID YOU KNOW

Andrew Cherene, HDR Engineering, acts as a third-party technical advisor and informational  resource for the community about the Ascon project. He was hired and is managed by the City of Huntington Beach, and is independent of the Ascon project.

The Ascon project funded a third-party technical advisor for the community beginning in 2019, as an independent resource to help residents understand the science behind technical aspects of the cleanup. Andrew can help answer questions ranging from air and groundwater monitoring to the basic science behind the environmental cleanup.

Contact Andrew Cherene directly with questions about Ascon at [email protected] or via City staff liaison Tom Herbel at 714-375-5077.

Informational Resource

SITEWIDE ACTIVITIES

  • MAINTENANCE: Regular maintenance will be conducted within the Site and around the perimeter fence areas, including gate areas.

  • SECURITY: 24-hour onsite security continues. Security is not always visible at the entrance gates. In addition to 24/7 onsite security, there are regular visits by air quality technicians, Site inspectors, and Site maintenance personnel. Unannounced visitors without official business or agency oversight of Ascon are not permitted to enter the Site. Trespassers will be reported to the Huntington Beach Police Department and DTSC.

    You may see: You may see flashlights or headlights from a limited number of vehicles at night conducting inspections and providing security at the 38-acre Site.

  • INSPECTIONS:

    • DTSC continues weekly inspections of Ascon. Their reports can be found on the DTSC database Envirostor.
    • City of Huntington Beach continues its regular stormwater inspections of Ascon.
    • Regular inspections are conducted by Orange County Vector Control of the onsite detention basins and other areas of the Ascon site where water may be detained. Active mitigation measures by Vector Control are protective of the community, as well as onsite workers, to prevent mosquitoes and other pests.
  • NEARBY ACTIVITIES: 

    • Bonfires in beach fire pits continue during off season and during holidays at Huntington State Beach and can generate a smoky odor, sometimes noticeable in the Ascon neighborhood.
    • There are automobile storage activities that may generate noise or dust unrelated to Ascon at the former tank farm property, south of Ascon and adjacent to Magnolia Street.
    • Orange County Public Works has planned work on the Sheet Pile Repair Project in the Huntington Beach Channel, south and southwest of Ascon, which is expected to be an intermittent activity over the next two years.

AIR MONITORING

DTSC approved an air monitoring pause during the 2021 – 2022 holiday season to allow our air quality professionals to be home with their families. The air monitoring pause began 7 a.m. Thursday, December 23, and air monitoring will resume 7 a.m. Tuesday, January 4.

Where to find 24/7 air monitoring data and live stream weather: Sitewide and neighborhood air monitoring data and live streaming weather conditions from the Ascon site are found on the Actively Monitoring Air Quality page on asconhb.com. Data are submitted to DTSC and shared on their online document archive, Envirostor. To view archived air monitoring results posted by DTSC on Envirostor, click on “Community Involvement Documents” and scroll to “Updates and Information.”

SAFETY MESSAGE

SEE SOMETHING? HAVE A QUESTION? Call our information line: 714-388-1825 or email us at [email protected]

DRONES: The community is asked to not fly drones over the Ascon when there is active work. This could create worker and Site safety issues. We appreciate the community’s assistance by preventing drone flights over sensitive onsite equipment and the power lines along the perimeter of Ascon.

ENTRANCE AND EXIT GATES: Entering the Ascon site is prohibited to those who are not authorized. The community is asked to keep a safe distance from both entrance and exit gates at Ascon, and refrain from parking, walking, or standing in these areas. The gates on Magnolia Street and Hamilton Avenue may open unexpectedly for workers conducting air monitoring and site inspections, as well as supply delivery and removal.

PEDESTRIANS: Pedestrians have been observed walking next to Ascon along Magnolia and Hamilton streets next to the concrete fence base where there currently is no sidewalk. We encourage pedestrians to use the sidewalks on the east side of Magnolia and the north side of Hamilton to avoid walking near or in front of entrance and exit gates.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING: Work at Ascon is being conducted under Site safety protocols regarding COVID-19 and ongoing protocols and procedures to maintain job safety. These practices apply to air quality professionals and other team members who may be outside the fence conducting work. We ask for the community’s support of these safety practices by maintaining physical distancing to allow these professionals to focus on their work and stay safe.

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