Frequently Asked Questions (LOP)

Frequently Asked Questions (LOP)

FAQs

How Do I Find and Select a Consultant?

  • Conduct an internet search and seek recommendations (e.g., word of mouth).
  • Review publicly available lists of environmental consultants (e.g., San Mateo County List of Consultants)
  • Verify the license status of Professional Engineers
  • Verify the license status of Professional Geologists
  • Inquire about the consultant’s experience performing applicable work, including UST removal, soil and groundwater investigation, remediation, and electronic data submittals.

Consultant websites may refer to prior projects—these can often be reviewed on Lead agency databases in California:

You may alsoreview the Better Business Bureau  for complaint history

How Can I Review Case Files?

Alameda County Environmental Health Department (ACEHD) maintains all case files in electronic format; paper files are not available. Electronic case files can be accessed through the State Water Resources Control Board GeoTracker  website or through the ACEHD website. Users may search by site address or case identification number. ACEHD case files may include documents submitted prior to 2001.

How Can I Claim a Site in Geotracker?

To claim a site in GeoTracker, visit the GeoTracker Electronic Submittal page, review the information or contact GeoTracker support using the phone number in the upper right corner of the webpage.

What are the Document Submittal Requirements? How Do I Submit Documents to ACEHD and to GeoTracker?

Documents must be submitted to the State Water Board’s GeoTracker website. All documents must be submitted electronically in PDF format through the GeoTracker website. To submit documents to GeoTracker, you must first claim the site in GeoTracker. GeoTracker can be accessed here. ACEHD reviews all documents submitted through GeoTracker.

What Are the Requirements for Uploading Reports and/or Correspondences Electronically?

Reports submitted as attachments to electronic mail will not be accepted.

  • The entire report, including the cover letter, must be submitted to the GeoTracker website as a single portable document format (PDF)
  • Reports should be converted to PDF format from their original format (e.g., Microsoft Word) rather than scanned
  • Signature pages and acknowledgment statements must be included and have either original or electronic signature
  • Each page in the PDF document should be properly oriented to easily read on a computer monitor
  • Reports must be named and saved using the following naming convention: RO#_Report Name_Year-Month-Date (e.g., RO#5555_WorkPlan_2005-06-14)
  • A PDF copy of these requirements can be downloaded here
  • Suggested File Naming Conventions are available here

Where Do I Get Soil Boring, Well Installation, or Well Destruction Drilling Permits?

There are four agencies that issue subsurface drilling permits in Alameda County. Alameda County Water District (ACWD) issues drilling permits for subsurface drilling in Fremont, Newark, and Union City. Zone 7 Water Agency (Zone 7) issues permits for areas east of the East Bay Hills including the cities of Pleasanton, Dublin, Sunol, and Livermore. The City of Berkeley issues drilling permits in their jurisdiction, and Alameda County Public Works Agency (ACPWA) issues subsurface drilling permits in the remaining areas of Alameda County, including the cities of Alameda, Albany, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Hayward, Oakland, Piedmont, San Leandro, and San Lorenzo.

When Can I Reuse Soil at a Site?

In general, ACEHD follows the October 20, 2006 San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Draft Technical Reference Document Characterization and Reuse of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Impacted Soil as Inert Waste (pdf) and ACEHD’s Soil Import/Export Characterization Requirements document. Site-specific conditions may vary; however, the documents provide a general framework for evaluating soil reuse.

What Does a Tank Closure Mean?

An underground storage tank (UST) closure occurs when a UST is permanently taken out of service and will not be used again. Typical closure activities include obtaining a UST removal permit, removal of the contents of the UST, triple rinsing, inerting the UST, excavating and removing the UST system (including product piping and other appurtenances), collection of soil and groundwater confirmation samples, transporting the UST for proper disposal or recycling, and backfilling the excavation with clean material. These activities are conducted under permit and under regulatory oversight by the local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). Be sure to consult the CUPA in your jurisdiction for permitting requirements. Under certain limited conditions (structural threat, limited clearance, overlying utility lines, etc.), a UST may also be closed in place.

Upon receipt of final analytical results demonstrating no detectable concentrations of contaminants, the CUPA may issue a tank closure letter. Tank closure does not constitute site closure if contamination is identified.  If contamination is detected, an Unauthorized Release Form (URF) must be completed  and submitted to the CUPA. The CUPA will transfer oversight to the environmental contamination oversight program, at which point the site is managed as an environmental contamination case. In most of Alameda County, oversight is provided by Alameda County Environmental Health Department’s Local Oversight Program (LOP) for Hazardous Materials Releases. For additional information on tank closure requirements, contact the local CUPA Program. The Alameda County CUPA program can be accessed here.

What Does a Site or Case Closure Mean?

Site or case closure of an environmental cleanup case is issued upon the completion of site investigations and any appropriate remedial activities that demonstrate that the site does not pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.