Glossary & Abbreviations

Berms: A berm is an embankment or ridge, often made of earth, used to slow down and divert water. While effective for runoff, permanent berms for coastal protection are usually built to be robust and high enough to withstand waves.

Bioremediation is the use of microbes to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater. https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/sites/static/files/2015-04/documents/a_citizens_guide_to_bioremediation.pdf     Bioremediation is a process that uses natural biological systems like microorganisms and plants to clean up environmental pollutants in soil, water, and air. It works by using organisms to breakdown contaminants, converting them into less harmful substances like carbon dioxide and water.

Brownfields,The term brownfield typically refers to land that is abandoned or underused, in part, because of concerns about contamination. The federal government defines brownfields as “abandoned, idled or underused industrial and commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.”

Brownfields could be:

Many of these brownfields could be turned from possible liabilities into successful developments.  https://www.eli.org/brownfields-program/brownfields-basics

Clean-up is commonly used to indicate one or more of the following:

Remediation - the removal/reduction of hazardous chemicals (contaminants) from soil, surface water, sediments,and/or groundwater by taking action to remove the contaminated soil or sediment, treat the soil, water, or groundwater or otherwise alter the hazard potential down to what is considered a safe level.

Containment – preventing the spread of contaminants or ‍

Mitigation – preventing the exposure to contaminants by restricting access or limiting the source of contamination.

Remediation and restoration describe actions that return natural areas to healthy communities for fish, wildlife, and people.Remediation is the process of stopping or reducing pollution that is threatening the health of people or wildlife. Once the harmful contamination causing pollutants are removed or contained, the next step is to restore the habitat. Restoration is the enhancement, creation, or re-creation of habitats, those places where fish and wildlife live. https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/remediation-vs-restoration-tale-two-terms

Covenants, conditions, and restrictions - commonly called “CC&Rs” are a set of rules governing the use of a certain piece of real estate in a given community.  (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/covenants_conditions_and_restrictions). Covenants and restrictions (commonly referred to as Covenants, Conditions,and Restrictions, or CC&Rs) are a set of private, legally binding rules that govern how a specific parcel of city land or real estate within a development may be used, maintained, and modified.

Land Use Covenants (LUCs) are a tool that the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) utilizes when exposure to contamination can be controlled through specifically defined restrictions. LUCs are used when DTSC has determined that it is safe to leave specific types of contamination at a property as long as defined restrictions are adhered to. DTSC and the property owner(s) enter a LUC that allows ongoing use of the property within the limits defined in the decision document. Common LUC provisions include stating that a remedial system should not be disturbed, limiting soil disturbance, or disallowing sensitive uses like schools or hospitals. Restrictions identified in LUCs apply to affected areas only and are not more restrictive than is needed to protect human health and the environment. They are attached to the property title and cannot be removed by sale or other transfer.

Department of Toxic Substances Control: (DTSC) The Department of Toxic Substances Control’s mission is to protect California's people and environment from harmful effects of toxic substances by restoring contaminated resources, enforcing hazardous waste laws, reducing hazardous waste generation, and encouraging the manufacture of chemically safer products. (https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/04/Glossary-of-Terms-English.pdf)

Disadvantaged Communities: Disadvantaged communities are identified as the highest 25 percent of census tracts based on CalEnviroScreen 3.0 (CES) scores. The CalEnviroScreen 3.0 score indicate criteria for a community’s geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard conditions.

Dioxin: Dioxins refers to a group of toxic chemical compounds that share certain chemical structures and biological characteristics (see figure 1). Several hundred of these chemicals exist and are members of three closely related families:

The most studied and most toxic of all dioxins is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8 TCDD).

Environmental Justice: Environmental Justice is the fair treatment of people of all races and incomes with respect to development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws,regulations, and policies (DTSC Definition).

Environmental justice essentially means that everyone—regardless of race, color, national origin, or income—has the right to the same environmental protections and benefits, as well as meaningful involvement in the policies that shape their communities. Environmental justice is an important part of the struggle to improve and maintain a clean and healthful environment, especially for communities of color who have been forced to live, work, and play closest to sources of pollution. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/environmental-justice-movement

Feasibility Study: (FS) An evaluation of the alternatives for remediating any identified soil or groundwater contamination. (FS Addendum- a supplemental document to address shortfalls in the Feasibility Study)

Headland: also known as a head, is a coastal land form, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water.

Land Relations: Land relations describe the complex social, economic, cultural, and spiritual connections between people and the land. These relations can include the social and economic interactions between landowners,tenants, and laborers, as well as the deep cultural and spiritual ties Indigenous peoples and others have with their ancestral territories. It also refers to how human activity modifies land systems and the relationship between the economy and the Earth's resources.

Mill Site/Georgia Pacific Mill Site:  The area within Fort Bragg which was previously occupied by Georgia Pacific-Koch Industries milling and power generation operations that occupies the Noyo Headlands between the Noyo River on the South to Glass Beach and Pudding Creek on the North.

Mitigation: Mitigation measures are actions that the facilities can develop to reduce exposure to contaminants and prevent health conditions from developing. These may include restricting access to the hazardous area and/or taking action to prevent the spread or migration of the contamination to other areas or media (air, water, soil - For instance,preventing contaminated sediments and fresh water from migrating into the marine environment).

Monitoring: Monitoring means a taking measurements of pollutants in environmental media to which air, water, or soil environmental protection standard apply. Monitoring is often done to track the level of contamination when the contaminant of interest has not been removed or treated to a level that is considered nonhazardous. (e.g., the ground water on the Mill Site, particularly where there are known plumes and/or Land Use Covenants as part of an O&M Program)

Operable Unit: The Mill Site was divided up into several Operable Units to address specific areas more effectively. Operable Unit A is the Coastal Trail and now belongs to the City, Operable Unit B was offsite, Operable Unit C is the Northern area between OU-E, Glass Beach to the North, the Coastal Trail to the West, and the Commercial District of Fort Bragg to the East. Operable Unit D is the Southern portion bounded by OU-E to the North, the Coastal Trail to the West, the Noyo Center for Marine Sciences, the City Treatment Plant and the Pomo Lands to the South. OU-E is area including the Ponds, wetlands and upland area between OU-C and OU-D and is the area with the greatest remaining contamination currently under orders by DTSC to develop plans for Remediation. See Operable Units Location Map

Plume: A body of contaminated groundwater flowing from a specific source. The movement of the groundwater is influenced by such factors as local groundwater flow patterns, the character of the aquifer in which the groundwater is contained, and the density of contaminants.A plume may also be a cloud of smoke or vapor. It defines the area where exposure would be dangerous.

The Pomo: The Pomo are a group of Native American peoples originally from northern California, with a rich history centered on hunting, gathering, and skilled basketry. Their history includes pre-contact existence for over 11,800 years, with a diverse culture across many independent communities before the arrival of Europeans.     The Pomo are not one tribe, but approximately 21independent communities speaking seven different language dialects. All groups have ties to Northern California and primarily reside in Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties.

Public Participation Plan: A document approved by DTSC that is designed to determine a community’s informational needs and to provide a program for public involvement during facility permitting, site investigation and cleanup, or other similar activities.

Residual: In environmental justice, "residual" can refer to the lasting health and environmental impacts on marginalized communities after harmful exposures and policies have occurred, or it can refer to the remaining risks that require further regulatory action after initial pollution standards are set. Both concepts highlight the need to address cumulative burdens, systemic racism, and pre-existing conditions that fall disproportionately on low-income communities and communities of color.  

Site characterization is the process of gathering detailed information about a site's geological, hydrological, and environmental conditions to understand its properties and potential risks, such as contamination from hazardous substances or the feasibility of construction projects. (gAI).     Site characterization is gathering detailed info about a specific location to understand contamination, guide cleanup efforts, and ensure compliance. (civil engineering explained)

Toxic:   Having to do with poison or something harmful to the body. Toxic substances usually cause unwanted side effects.  NCI: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/toxic

Zoning is a legislative act dividing a jurisdiction's land into sections and regulating different land uses in each section in accordance with a zoning ordinance (a municipal law that outlines permitted uses for various sections of land). https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/zoning

ACRONYMS

AOC: Area of Concern

CCC:  California Coastal Commission: The Commission is committed to protecting and enhancing California’s coast and ocean for present and future generations. https://www.coastal.ca.gov/

COC: Contaminant of Concern

DTSC: Department of Toxic Substances Control - a department within the California Environmental Protection Agency charged with the regulation of hazardous waste from generation to final disposal, and for overseeing the investigation and clean-up of hazardous waste sites. https://dtsc.ca.gov

LUC: Land Use Covenant

NFA: A certification of No Further Action, issued by the DTSC when a specific area of ​​concern has met the cleanup goals for the contaminants of concern or the hazard has been reduced to the point that a Land Use Covenant is implemented, restricting certain uses to prevent exposure to sensitive populations or limit exposure to what is considered a safe level.  This typically requires a monitoring program to ensure the hazard remains contained and/or that access or use restrictions are enforced.

OU-E: Operable Unit E (See Operable Units above)

PCBs: Polychlorinated biphenyls are a group of toxic chemicals used for a variety of purposes including electrical applications, carbon less copy paper, adhesives, hydraulic fluids, and caulking compounds. PCBs do not breakdown easily and are listed as cancer-causing agents under Proposition 65.

RAP: Remedial Action Plan the plan accepted by DTSC that the Landowner and responsible parties will follow to remediate, mitigate, and/or contain the hazards to ensure the safety of people and the environment

TA: Technical Assistance – Project-HERE is funded by a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) from DTSC to:

Hire a Technical Assistance Consultant to interpret hazard data and the regulatory framework for the general public

To provide Environmental Remediation Education to the Fort Bragg Community through public presentations, Citizen Science, website and social media, etc.

To enable the citizens to participate in the significant decisions of how the site is remediated.

VOC: Volatile Organic Compounds

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HERE is a project of a subcommittee of the Noyo Headlands Working Group of the Grassroots Institute.