DID YOU KNOW

Ascon is ready for the potential rainy or “wet” season, generally from October through April. When there is a rain event large enough to cause stormwater discharge from Ascon per State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) requirements, the stormwater is tested for pH and turbidity (clarity). Field samples are collected each day during qualifying discharge events. In accordance with a request from the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, samples for non-visible pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are collected once per day during qualifying discharge events, and sent to a state-certified laboratory for testing. The results are validated with quality control and assurance methods and then compared against SWRCB-established screening levels. Ascon’s monitoring results show that stormwater management is effective. Learn more in Ascon’s stormwater management explainer.

Ascon Stormwater Explainer

SITEWIDE ACTIVITIES

  • PROJECT STATUS: Throughout 2022, DTSC and the Ascon team have held ongoing technical meetings to plan for future pilot testing and final cleanup phases. DTSC provided direction on September 8 regarding technical documents the Ascon team submitted in early June and requested additional technical information to finalize work plans. The Ascon team is submitting workplans to DTSC this month for their technical review. DTSC’s review and final approval of these workplans will help DTSC determine when the pilot testing field activity phase will begin, following public notification and a community meeting.

    During this time, the Ascon Site regular maintenance activities and inspections remain ongoing, and onsite and offsite air monitoring continue 24/7. DTSC continues weekly onsite and offsite inspections and meetings with Ascon project managers. DTSC will announce when public meetings on pilot testing and final cleanup phases are scheduled.

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

  • 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. 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.
  • 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 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: 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 start 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 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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