DID YOU KNOW

Pit F telemetry air monitoring was turned off after the Pit F tent was dismantled and removed from the Site, and after the hardened slurry-sealed former pit and cleanup work zone were covered with Posi-Shell®. The Pit F webpage, including community resources on the Pit F cleanup and telemetry data during remediation and demobilization, can be found under the “Current Cleanup Status” section of the Cleanup Activities webpage.

SEE SOMETHING? Call our information line: 714-388-1825.

You can help us respond faster to your concerns with a call to the Ascon information line. An operator will ask for your name, contact information, and location (address or street). An Ascon team member will follow up quickly by phone. The Ascon team onsite and offsite receives alerts when there are calls to our information line. Notifications of calls are received at the same time by DTSC and SCAQMD. Calling at the time you have a concern helps us respond quickly during work activities.

 

Pit F tent dismantling

SITEWIDE ACTIVITIES

  • MAINTENANCE: Regular maintenance will be conducted within the Site and around the perimeter fence areas, including gate areas. Workers are applying soil sealant and a plant-based mulch in areas of the Site in preparation for the upcoming wet season and annual winterization.

  • PIT F EXCAVATION WORK:

    Current work: The Pit F active excavation phase was completed August 24, and all Pit F waste has been removed for disposal. Early during the week  of October 4, all Pit F demobilization work and removal of equipment from the Site will be complete.

  • 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.

    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 its ongoing weekly inspections of Ascon. DTSC plans to be present for key Pit F demobilization activities.
    • City of Huntington Beach continues its regular stormwater inspections of Ascon. The latest stormwater inspection occurred on September 22.
    • The Ascon team currently is conducting winterization of the Site, which includes additional stormwater management actions. This can include application of plant-based mulch, fence screen replacement, sandbags and soil sealant application. A hand-operated trencher will be used onsite this week to clear a small area along a fence to install stormwater screening at the foot of a fence line. Stormwater mitigation measures are included in stormwater inspections by the City of Huntington Beach.
    • Regular inspections and mitigation actions are conducted by Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District of the onsite detention basins and other areas of the Ascon Site where water may be detained.

  • NEARBY ACTIVITIES: Bonfires in fire pits at Huntington State Beach periodically can generate a noticeable fire or smoky odor at and around Ascon. Please note there currently is a large mural painting project at the AES power facility southwest of Ascon. 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 is continuing work on the Sheet Pile Repair Project on the Talbert Channel, south and southwest of Ascon.

AIR MONITORING

Air monitoring continues both on the Ascon Site and at community locations, which includes dust data at upwind (offsite sources) 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. 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

DRONES: The community is asked to not fly drones over the Ascon Site and over the Pit F tent during this work. This could create worker and Site safety issues. We appreciate the community’s assistance by preventing drone flights over the occupied tent structure, sensitive equipment onsite, tall equipment such as cranes, and moving vehicles and workers conducting work onsite, as well as the power lines along the perimeter of Ascon.

ENTRANCE AND EXIT GATES: 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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