DID YOU KNOW

Milestone documents have been submitted to DTSC as we continue to work towards the final cleanup phases of Ascon. The Ascon team submitted draft workplans to DTSC for their review and approval on October 12 and 14 in preparation for the onsite pilot testing phases, following the agency’s direction for workplans on September 8. The workplans consider the onsite investigations, analysis and technical discussions with DTSC throughout 2022. DTSC’s review of the workplans will help determine next steps conducting onsite pilot testing. It is anticipated the pilot testing phase will begin in early 2023—pending DTSC’s approval and other regulatory agency permitting—following public announcement and a DTSC-hosted community meeting. The onsite pilot testing phase data analysis and observations determine the direction by DTSC for the approach to the final cleanup phase.

SITEWIDE ACTIVITIES

  • MAINTENANCE: Regular maintenance is conducted at the Site and around the perimeter fence areas, including gate areas. This maintenance includes ongoing stormwater management. See our stormwater management explainer for more information.

  • INSPECTIONS:

    • DTSC is the lead regulatory agency for the Ascon project and conducts weekly inspections at Ascon and independent air monitoring checks in nearby neighborhoods. Their inspection reports can be found on the online DTSC database, Envirostor.
    • The City of Huntington Beach continues its regular stormwater inspections of Ascon. Ascon remains in compliance with stormwater pollution prevention requirements. The last inspection occurred on October 20. For more information, see the September 12 Site update with links to Ascon’s stormwater explainer and the 2021–2022 Annual Stormwater Report.
    • 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. The last Vector Control inspection was conducted on October 20.
  • 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.

    In an emergency: If you see or hear something that appears urgent, please call the Huntington Beach Police Department at 911 first, then the Ascon community information line, 714-388-1825. Calls to the Ascon information line are automatically logged and relayed by text and email to the Ascon team.

  • 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 continues 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 monitoring observations — 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: Drone flights over Ascon can create worker and Site safety issues. Ascon recently experienced a drone crash into a perimeter power line, flown by a private flyer. Please don’t fly drones over sensitive onsite equipment and the power lines along the perimeter of Ascon. We appreciate the community’s assistance.

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. Signage outside Ascon also provides reminders that there is periodic vehicle entry and exit in the gate areas.

PEDESTRIANS: Your safety is important! Pedestrians have been observed walking next to Ascon along Magnolia and Hamilton streets (adjacent to the concrete fence base where there currently is no sidewalk). With the resumption of in-person school, we ask families to talk about this with those who may walk these areas on their way to and from school. 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 continues to be conducted under Site safety protocols regarding COVID-19 and the current RSV (respiratory virus announced as a public health emergency in Orange County on November 1, 2022). These ongoing protocols and procedures maintain job safety for the Ascon team. 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 practices by maintaining physical distancing to allow these professionals to focus on their work and stay safe.

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