DID YOU KNOW

The Ascon project often gets questions about air monitoring, groundwater monitoring, and how we work to protect the public and environment. You can find the answers to these questions and other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) throughout the different webpages of the Ascon project website, including a comprehensive list of FAQs on the Safety Commitment webpage. If you have a question about the Ascon project we have not answered on the website, please contact us at [email protected].

Safety Commitment

SITEWIDE ACTIVITIES

  • WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT:

    The Ascon team shares the community’s concern about coyote activity in Huntington Beach. We are actively managing coyotes seen at the site as part of the project’s coyote management plan. We have consulted with Orange County Animal Care, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the City of Huntington Beach, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), which is overseeing the remediation activities at Ascon. CDFW has been on-site to provide our team with guidance.

    The current guidance from CDFW is:

    • Active hazing of coyotes by onsite workers (workers are trained on this practice)
    • Identify and remove outdoor food sources on the property, which is a longstanding practice at Ascon
    • Inspect the fence line for evidence of coyotes burrowing into the Site and close those entrances when found

    Per California state law and per guidance from CDFW, Ascon is prohibited from:

    • Using poison to kill coyotes
    • Trapping and relocating coyotes
    • Collapsing or filling in coyote dens before September

    The Ascon Site is adjacent to habitat areas, such as the wetlands, flood control channels, parks, neighborhoods, undeveloped open land, and greenbelts where food sources may be available. Our coyote management actions can only be conducted on Ascon property.

    The Ascon team will continue to perform the actions recommended by CDFW and will continue to consult, work with, and comply with any new directives from local and state agencies in the interest of ensuring the safety of the community and our workers.

  • PROJECT STATUS: The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) continues to review the technical documents regarding sitewide field investigations, analysis of potential technologies, and the proposed plan for restart of the final phase of the Ascon cleanup. DTSC will announce when they have concluded their review and when a public meeting is scheduled.

  • MAINTENANCE: Regular maintenance will be conducted within the Site and around the perimeter fence areas, including gate areas. Weed abatement around the Ascon Site to prepare for summer was conducted and inspected by the City of Huntington Beach Fire Department.

  • INSPECTIONS:

    • City of Huntington Beach continues its regular stormwater inspections of Ascon. Ascon remains in compliance with stormwater pollution prevention requirements.
    • 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.
  • 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.

  • NEARBY ACTIVITIES: 

    • Bonfires in beach fire pits at Huntington State Beach 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, and the Talbert Channel, east of Ascon, which is expected to be an intermittent activity over the next two years.

AIR MONITORING

Air monitoring continues 24/7 both on the Ascon Site and at community locations, which includes dust data at upwind and downwind stations on the Ascon Site documenting effective dust control measures.

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. Analytical data are first analyzed by a certified outside laboratory, then validated, and then submitted to DTSC and shared on their online document database, Envirostor. To view archived air monitoring results posted by DTSC on Envirostor — including weekly field inspections by DTSC that include air quality checks — 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: Your safety is important! 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 observe public pathway signage and use the sidewalks on the east side of Magnolia and the north side of Hamilton.

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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