Environmental Assessment for the Cargill, Incorporated Solar Salt System Maintenance and Operations Activities Project
Cargill, Incorporated (“Cargill”) has applied for a new permit from BCDC for the continued authorization of maintenance and operation activities at Cargill’s solar salt system in Newark and Redwood City (the “Project”). For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), BCDC is the lead agency for the Project. Information regarding this Project is provided below, with the most recent information first . A location map for the Cargill salt pond facilities is also provided below.
Environmental Assessment
Under its regulatory program certified by the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency as meeting the requirements of Public Resources Code section 21080.5 (see 14 CCR section 15251(h)), BCDC drafted an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project in 2021. At that time, BCDC circulated the Draft EA for public comment for 30 days, receiving public comments. However, the Draft EA was not finalized at that time due to, among other reasons, changes to the scope of the project as described in the Draft EA. Public comments received at the time.
The Draft EA is currently in the process of being updated and is anticipated to be recirculated in mid-2024 for a new 30-day public comment period. Prior to circulating the updated Draft EA for public comments, BCDC will prepare a Notice of Intent to finalize the EA which informs potentially-interested persons of BCDC’s preparation of the Draft EA for the Project and describes public information sessions and the timeline for public comment. After the close of the public comment period, BCDC will finalize the EA, and the document and the permit application for the Project will be presented to the Commission for consideration at a public meeting in late 2024.
Read more about the 2021 Environmental Assessment documents.
Public Meetings
Two community meetings are scheduled during the Draft EA public comment period to explain what is in the EA and receive public input. Information on how to attend these meetings see below.
- September 4, 2024
- September 5, 2024
BCDC has previously hosted two information sessions for the community on the permit application for and CEQA review of the Cargill, Incorporated Solar Salt System Maintenance and Operations Activities Project.
The Engineering Criteria Review Board (ECRB) to date has held two meetings to review engineering issues regarding the stability of the berms that contain mixed sea salts (MSS) at the Cargill, Inc. salt ponds Newark Plant 2. A third meeting is expected to be scheduled for Summer 2024.