Redevelopment of a Former Industrial Area along the City of Oakland’s Waterfront

EKI is currently assisting a developer with the acquisition, remediation, and redevelopment of Brooklyn Basin on 65-acres of former industrial properties along the Oakland waterfront.

The project is under the oversight of the Department of Toxic and Substances Control (DTSC) through the California Land Reuse and Revitalization Act (CLRRA). Former land uses range from lumberyards, food warehouses, bulk cargo handling, chemical mixing and storage areas, petroleum product bulk storage to marine vessel repair, compressed gas manufacturing, sand and gravel operations, and trucking operations. Because of these uses, chemicals of concern at the Site include metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, VOCs and free-product petroleum hydrocarbons.

Remediation of the Site includes soil excavation and offsite disposal, creation of a cap that consists of the redevelopment, and installation and operation of soil vapor controls on all buildings and facilities.

EKI performed the following services:

• Assisted with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) litigation.
• Assessed potential exposure pathways based on proposed site reuse.
• Developed soil and groundwater remediation goals and plan of action to address environmental issues.
• Prepared DTSC-approved Implementation Plans that include: Sampling and Analysis Plan; Dust, Vapor, and Odor Control Plan; Perimeter Air Monitoring Plan; Post-Remediation Soil Vapor Sampling Plan; Quality Assurance Project Plan; Decontamination Plan; and Traffic Control and Waste Transportation Plan.
• Screened and sampled excavated and in-place soil during remediation activities to identify whether additional excavation was necessary.
• Performed perimeter air monitoring and post-remediation soil gas sampling.

Outcome

EKI continues to work with civil and geotechnical engineers on integration remediation with the development of the site including capping materials, storm water systems and pile supported structures. Total project environmental costs are expected to exceed $25 million. Total development costs are estimated at $1.5 billion. Site redevelopment is anticipated to revitalize the waterfront as a residential area with a neighborhood-serving retail component surrounded by interconnecting open space.