Bay Planning Coalition’s August Newsletter

Reconstruction and modernization of the Port’s Wharves 1&2 reached a major milestone in July with the completion of the pouring of the new concrete deck. The large wharf deck, 426 ft. by 58 ft., required two day-long pours of concrete which were about two weeks apart.  The large concrete deck of the wharf is supported by 115 concrete pilings that were driven in November/December 2012 by the project contractor, Manson Construction Company (also a BPC member). The wharf will be used to dock dry bulk ships of a size known as “Panamax,” the largest ships currently able to pass though the Panama Canal. From the deck of the new wharf, mobile cranes and large hoppers will be able to load/unload ships. Thirty-foot wide concrete ramps will connect the wharf to shore and will be completed in August.
 
Construction started in September 2012 with the demolition of the over 60 year old wooden Wharves 1 & 2 and the adjacent warehouse built by the U.S. Navy during World War II. A 920-foot long seawall designed to meet storm surges and predicted sea level rise has been built along the shore of the Port adjacent to the new wharf. Additional improvements at the Port that are part of the Wharves 1&2 project include: a new 800 sq. ft. longshoreman’s building (to be constructed by a Redwood City firm, Beals Martin, Inc.) upgraded water/electric utilities, new roads, exterior lighting, and parking area. Project completion is on schedule for late 2013.
 
Reflecting a significant increase in construction in the Bay Area and the high quality of building materials from British Columbia, the Port experienced a 13 percent increase in cargo movement across its docks for the fiscal year 2012/2013 that ended June 30.
 
 The 12-month figure was 1,493,190 metric tons (mt), up from 1,319,198 metric tons from the previous fiscal year and the highest at the Port since 2006. Imports of sand and aggregates totaled 1,047,805 mt, a 24 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.
 
 “The high quality of sand and gravel aggregates from British Columbia combined with the dwindling supply of these materials in Northern California because quarries are unable to expand, triggered a strong demand from which the Port benefitted,” said Executive Director Michael J. Giari.
           
The building aggregates arrive at the Port in modern, self-unloading ships operated by Canadian Steamship Lines.  Eagle Rock Aggregates (also a BPC member) is the supplier of these high quality building materials from their Orca Quarry, located on Vancouver Island, BC.
 
The Port was pleased to recently announce that Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF) will be a new co-host of PortFest, scheduled Saturday, October 5, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Port’s Marina and public waterfront area.  See www.rwcportfest.org for full details.  PortFest is an annual showcase of the working and recreational Port of Redwood City waterfront. The all-day festival features boat rides, working waterfront tours, live music, food and drink, arts and crafts, children’s activities, and much more. Admission and parking are free.

News of Interest from our Members and Partners:

Upcoming Event: Jobs and Housing Coalition will host its third annual Legacy Event at the Oakland Museum of California on the evening of September 12.
The 2013 Legacy Award Recipients are Phil Tagami, President & CEO of California Capital & Investment Group, and Nicole Taylor, Outgoing President & CEO of the East Bay Community Foundation.

Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Update

The San Francisco Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals, released in 1999 by a broad coalition of resource managers and scientists, was a foundational document for the region that set the first clear agenda for restoration throughout the Bay.  The project has since enhanced the quality of life in the Bay Area by spurring the restoration and enhancement of tens of thousands of acres of wetlands, providing cleaner water, flood protection, more wildlife, and an ability to experience the natural heart of our urban region. 
 
At the time the Goals were published, climate change was known to be a threat, but scientific knowledge was missing for how that threat would manifest itself, and what we could do to reduce the impacts.  Today a similarly ambitious group is updating the report to address these effects, led by a 21 member steering committee with funding through the Coastal Conservancy and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  The effort has engaged over 100 regional scientists in exploring our likely climate future, in concert with changes in areas such as freshwater inputs and reduced sediment supply.  
 
The work is coalescing into a report centered around a number of key themes.  First, the report will consider the geomorphology of the estuary in the context of climate, exploring the factors that fundamentally drive change.  Secondly the report will look at likely challenges for baylands habitats and wildlife, outlining threats and potential strategies for each.  Thirdly the report will connect these dots with the changes likely to occur around the baylands, both in the bay and upland. 
 
While we cannot say for certain exactly when climate change will reach certain thresholds, we do know that sea level is rising, the air and water are getting warmer, and extreme weather is becoming more frequent.  These changes will require different approaches to management, project design, permitting, and a broader set of partners and alliances than we currently have in place.
 
Work is continuing throughout the fall and the report is expected next spring. Information on the Update is also available at http://www.baeccc.org/projects.php.

–Thank you to the California Coastal Conservancy for this information

Coming up in October:

A BPC Workshop on October 11, 2013, at the Bay Theater, Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39, San Francisco

Ocean Planning is vitally important to protecting the health of our oceans and the viability of industries that depend on ocean resources. It can also mean increased restrictions and regulations, with potential impacts on maritime trade and the wider economy. This workshop will examine the planning currently taking place, and develop awareness of possible impacts to maritime trade, what we need to do to protect the maritime industry, and how the maritime industry can contribute to the ocean planning process.

BPC is partnering with member company Kearns & West to convene the West Coast’s first Ocean Planning forum. In President Obama’s 2010 Executive Order on the Stewardship of our Oceans, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes, a National Ocean Council was established, and the recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force were adopted. Ocean Planning will continue to be a priority, and Bay Planning Coalition and Kearns & West are taking the lead in hosting this important workshop.

Watch the BPC Workshop Series website for developing information.

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BPC 2013 EVENTS CALENDAR

September 11, 2013 – BPC Board of Directors Meeting, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

     Chevron Richmond Refinery

September 12, 2013 –  Workshop #2: Energy and Water Nexus Summit II
     Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco
September 23, 2013 –  Expert Briefing: The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
     Port of Oakland
October 11, 2013 – Workshop #3: Ocean Planning: How Will it Affect the Maritime  Industry?
     Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco
October 23, 2013 – Expert Briefing: Storm Water Permitting and Regulation
     Wendel Rosen Black & Dean, Oakland
October 31, 2013 – Expert Briefing: Update on the California Environmental Quality Act
     Port of Oakland
November 15, 2013 – Workshop #4: Dredging and the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project: Who Pays for Beneficial Reuse?
     URS, Oakland
December 13, 2013 – BPC Board of Directors Meeting, 8:30am – 11:30am
     St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco
December 13, 2013 – Annual Membership Meeting & Luncheon, 12:00pm – 2:00pm
     St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco