Updated Project Description Commercial Oyster Shell Mining ... · Oyster shell was harvested as...

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

UpdatedProjectDescriptionCommercialOysterShellMiningbyLindTugandBarge,Inc.within

SouthSanFranciscoBay

August2020

1. PROJECTDESCRIPTION

1.1. BackgroundandHistoryLindTugandBarge,Inc.(LTB),formerlyMorrisTugandBarge,commerciallymineshistoricoystershelldepositsfromsubtidalareaslocatedwithinSouthSanFranciscoBay.Oystershellwasharvestedasearlyas1891foruseingardenwalksandotherpurposesandhasbeencommerciallyminedfromtheSouthBaysince1924(Hart1978).LTBhasbeenminingoystershellfromtheSouthBayforabout40years,butthesamebasiccompanyhasbeeninbusinessforover90years,harvestingoystershellsandprocessingthematthePetalumaplant.Fromthemid-1920'sthroughthe1980'sthelargestquantitiesofoystershellwereminedfromthebayforuseasarawmaterialinthemanufactureofcement(bycompaniesotherthanLTB,whichneverminedshellforcementuse;theseoperationsnolongerexist).Morerecentlytheoystershellhasbeenprimarilyprocessedandusedasahigh-grademineralandnutrientsupplementinpoultrydiets,asasoilamendment,forpharmaceuticals,andasanamendmenttoneutralizelivestockwaste.Thelocationofminingandminingmethodshasremainedvirtuallyunchangedoverthisperiod.Thecurrentminingmethodsandlocationsareproposedtoremainthesameinthefuture.OystershellminingoccursonlywithintheCaliforniaStateLandsCommission(CSLC)designatedleaseareaPRC5534.1,locatedinSouthSanFranciscoBayadjacenttotheSanMateoBridge(Figure1-1).Theleaseareaisapproximately1,560acresinsize(Figure1-2)withinashallow(waterdepthsaretypically15feetorless),openwatersubtidalareaofthebay.ThehistoricoystershelldepositoriginatedintheLateQuaternary(Holocene)period,approximately2,300to2,500yearsago,whenthenativeoyster(Ostrealurida)populationflourishedwithinthebay(thenativeoysterwassmall,notmuchlargerthanahumanfingernail).Morerecently,pollutionvirtuallyeliminatedoystersfromthebay(Skinner1962).Thehistoricoystershelldepositsoccurprimarilyintheupper30feetofyoungbaymuddepositsandaretypicallyoverlaidandintermixedwithdepositsoffinesediment.Althoughthereisinterestinreestablishingoysterpopulationswithinthebay,primarilyinCentralBay,thefinegrainedmudsubstrateandhighambientturbidityandsuspendedsedimentconcentrationsthatoccurintheSouthBaycontributetounsuitablehabitatconditionsforoysterswithintheareaoftherelichistoricoystershelldeposits,andthereforemakereestablishingoystersintheareawhereminingoccursundercurrentenvironmentalconditionsunlikely.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBayHarvestofrelicoystershellfromtheSouthBayleaseareaallowsLTB,aspartofactivitiesthathavebeenongoingfordecades,tocontinuetoprovideoystershellproductsforcommercialsaleasagriculturalsoilamendment,calciumfoodsupplementforpoultryandlivestockandothercommercialbeneficialuses.

1.2. Purpose,ProposedActionandOysterShellMiningLocationsThepurposeofoystershellminingistoharvestrelichistoricoystershelldepositsfromSouthSanFranciscoBayforprocessingandcommercialsaleasasoilamendmenttoneutralizeacidicsoilsandasacalciumandnutrientsource,foodsupplementforpoultrydiets,asabarnlimesourcetoneutralizelivestockwaste.Crushedshellisusedasadecorativestone,andoystershelltabletsarewidelyusedasahigh-qualitydietarysupplementandsourceofcalciumandnutrients(suchasiron,copper,iodine,magnesium,etc.)byhumans,andothercommercialbeneficialuses.Pharmaceuticaluseofoystershellcalciumhasalonghistoryofacceptabilityandbenefittohumansasadietarysupplementandnutrientsourceduetoitstexture,digestibility,andsolubility.Calciumasadietarysupplementisanessentialmineralformaintainingteeth,bonedensity(osteoporosis),andproperenzymeactivity.Asaresultoftheseuniquephysicalandchemicalcharacteristicsofoystershellcalciumisalsousedextensivelyasadietarysupplementandcalciumsourceforlivestockandpoultry.AlthoughoystershellminedfromSanFranciscoBayhasbeenusedinthepastforavarietyofpurposes,includingthemanufactureofcement,oystershellminedbyLTBiscurrentlyusedprimarilyasasoilamendmentandasahigh-gradenutrientadditiveforpoultrydiets.Theuniquephysicalpropertiesofoystershellandthemineralcompositionhavebeenfoundtobeespeciallybeneficialasacalciumsourceinpoultrydietstoaidineggshellformation.Theuseofoystershellasacalciumsourceandrationsupplementtoaideggshellqualityandreduceshellbreakagehasbeentestedincomparisontoconventionallimestoneasadietarysupplement(B.Spiller,CaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity).Theuseofoystershellasthesourceofdietarycalciumandothernutrientswasfoundtoincreaseeggproduction,extendtheegglayingduration,increaseeggshelldurabilityandreduceshellbreakage,andincreaseeggsizeandqualitywhencomparedtolimestonesupplements.Calciumderivedfromoystershellhasbeenfoundtobeasuperiornutrientandmineralsourcewhencomparedtoinorganiclimestoneandothersources.SanFranciscoBayistheonlyhistoricdepositofoystershellthatiscurrently(since1962)minedcommerciallyinCalifornia.LTBhasinvestigatedthepotentialtouseoystershellfromcommercialoysterproducerswithinthePacificNorthwestandelsewhereasanalternativesourceofoystershelltominingwithinthebay.Resultsoftheseinvestigationshaveshownthatthequantitiesofoystershellavailablefromcommercialoysterproducersarenotadequatetomeettheexistingorfuturemarketdemand.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBayTherefore,therearenoalternativecurrentorhistoricoystershellsourceswithinCaliforniatomeetmarketdemand.Asdescribedpreviously,oystershellminingoccurswithintheCaliforniaStateLandsCommission(CSLC)designatedleaseareaPRC5534.1,locatedinSouthSanFranciscoBayadjacenttotheSanMateoBridge(Figure1-1).Theleaseareaisapproximately1,560acresinsize(Figure1-2)withinashallow(waterdepthsaretypically15feetorless),openwatersubtidalareaofthebay.TheprojectwasanalyzedunderCEQAandaMitigatedNegativeDeclaration(MND)preparedandcertifiedbyCSLCinDecember2018(LindTugandBarge,Inc.OysterShellMiningProject,CSLCMND#795,StateClearinghouseNumber#2018062075).LTBiscurrentlylimitedbytheCSLCleaseandotherregulatorypermitstoannualharvestvolumesof80,000cubicyards.LTBproposestocontinueharvestofoystershellsatorbelowthislimitfortheremainderofthetermoftheCSLClease(through2028),thenplansrenewaloftheleaseatthattime.

Figure1-1–OysterShellMiningVicinityMap

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

Figure1-2–OysterShellCSLCLeaseDetails

1.3. OysterShellMiningMethodsandEquipment

1.3.1. OysterShellMiningMethodsandEquipmentLTBminesoystershelldepositsusingahydraulicsuctiondredge,whichminesandwashestheshell,thenplacestheshellintoanadjacenthopperbarge.Historically,theTug/OysterShellDredge"SOUTHBAY"anditsoystershellbarge(Figure1-3)wereused.TheSOUTHBAY,originallycalleda"BSP"(bargeselfpropelled),wasconstructedforserviceintheAleutianIslandsinthe1940's,thenmodifiedinthe1960'sforserviceasanoystershelldredge.Thiswoodenvesselwasrecentlyretiredattheendof2013,andanewshelldredge,customdesignedexclusivelytoharvestoystershellsfromSouthSanFranciscoBay,wasplacedintoservice(Figure1-4).ThisnewshelldredgeemploysthesameminingandwashingmethodsastheSOUTHBAY,butwithnewerandmoreefficientequipment.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

Figure1-3:HistoricShellTug/Dredge“SOUTHBAY”

Figure1-4:NewShellDredgeEngagedinDredging

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBayTheshelldredgeharvestsoystershellusingthe"trailingsuctionmethodoftrolling"(Figure1-5).Atugboatisusedtopushtheshelldredgeandshellhopperbargetotheleasearea,andtopropelthebargesasminingoccurs.Shelldepositsareminedfromnearthesubstratesurface(typicallywithinapproximately2-3feetofthesurface)byslowingtrollingoverthedepositswithintheleaseareabetween1-2nauticalmilesperhour(knots).

Figure1-5: Schematicdiagramof“trailingsuctiontrolling”methodusedbyLindTugandBargewhileshelldredging.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

Figure1-6:OysterShellMiningEquipmentSource:LTB/CSLCMitigatedNegativeDeclaration

2.0 Project Description

June 2018 2-3 Lind Tug and Barge, Inc. Oyster Shell Mining Project MND

Figure 2-3. Equipment Used in Oyster Shell Mining

[A] Current Dredge Suction Pipe, Drag Head

(Left) and

Washed Oyster Shell Conveyor

(Right)

[B] Rotating

Trommel Screen for Washing and

Screening Oyster Shell

[C] Fish Screen Mounted on Suction Pipe

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

Figure1-6(cont):OysterShellMiningEquipmentSource:LTB/CSLCMitigatedNegativeDeclaration

2.0 Project Description

Lind Tug and Barge, Inc. Oyster Shell Mining 2-4 June 2018 Project MND

Figure 2-3. Equipment Used in Oyster Shell Mining

[D] Dual Fish Screen Assembly Used for Rinse Water

[E] Conceptual Fish Screen Design

with Diesel Engine, Electric

Motor, Centrifugal

Pump, and Rinse Water Intake

Hose

(Side and Front Views)

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBayDuringmining,a12”diametersuctionpipeequippedwitha24-inchx32-inchdraghead(Figure1-6ALeft)isloweredtothebottom(waterdepthsintheminingareatypicallyrangefrom8-15feetdeep)andintothesubstrateapproximately2-3feetbelowthesurface(reducingpotentialentrainmentofspecies).Thesuctionpipeismountedonthesideofthebargeandraisedandloweredbyanelectricwinch.Thesuctionisconnectedtotheshellpump(12inchdiameterpumpingapproximately6,000gpm),whichtransportsashell,water,andsiltslurryfromthebaybottomuptothebarge.Theslurrycontainsapproximately50percentshell,45percentwater,and5percentsilt;theratiosvarydependingoncharacteristicsofthelocalizedshell-sedimentdeposits.Mostofthewaterusedtomaketheslurryisdrawnthroughtheintersticesoftheshellsubstrateitself;however,asmall4-inchdiameterlineontopofthedragheadenableswaterfromabovethesubstratetoenterthedragheadtofacilitateformationoftheslurry.Toprotectagainstentraininganyadultorjuvenilefishorotherorganismsintothedragheadthroughthisline,asinglestationarypositivebarriercylindricalfishscreenismountedonthesuctionpipe(Figure1-6C).Theslurryispumpedtotheraisedrearofalargerotatingtrommelscreenforwashingandscreening(Figure1-6B).Inthetrommelscreen,additionalwaterisaddedthroughspraybars.Theadditionalwashwaterissuppliedfromawashpump(12inchdiameterpumpingapproximately3,700gpm)throughanintakehosethroughthesideofthebarge.Thisintakeisequippedwithapairofstationarypositivebarriercylindricalfishscreens(Figure1-6D&E).Asthetrommelrotates,siltfallsfromtheshells,andthewaterandsiltreleasebacktotheBaythroughapipeextendingthroughthebottomoftheshelldredge(approximately5feetunderwater).Excesswaterandsiltreleasedinthismannerresultsinalocalizedsuspendedsedimentplumeduringmining.Thesuspendedsedimentconcentrationsandaerialextentoftheplumevarybasedonanumberoffactorsincludingthequantityofsiltandmudassociatedwithaspecificshelldeposit,tidalcurrents,andnaturallyoccurringambientsuspendedsedimentconcentrationwithintheSouthBayintheareawhereminingoccurs.Thewashedshellisthenconveyedtoahopperbargefromthetrommelusinga24”conveyorbelt(Figure1-6ARight).Thebargeiskept"trim"(level)atalltimesbymovingtheconveyorfromsidetoside,andbyre-positioningthebargenexttotheshelldredge.Oncethehopperbargeisloaded,thetugboatpushestheloadedbargeandshelldredgetoMareIslandinVallejo,wherethedredgeismooredbetweenminingevents.TheloadedhopperbargeistransportedbytugtooneoftwoshellprocessingsitesinPetalumaonthePetalumaRiverorCollinsville(alongMontezumaSloughupstreamofSuisunBay),operatedbyanaffiliateofLTB,LindMarineIncorporated(LMI).Attheoffloadsite,ahydraulicexcavatorisusedtoscooptheshellfromthehopperbargetoaconveyorsystemthatstockpiletheshellforprocessingattheprocessingfacility(seeFigures1-7,1-8).TheprocessedshellisbaggedorloadedintobulktrucksfordistributiontoaccommodatemarketdemandfortheshellproductinCaliforniaandthewesternU.S.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

Figure1-7.Shorestockpileofoystershells.

Figure1-8.Closeupofoystershells.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay1.4. CharacteristicsofOysterShellMiningEvents

1.4.1. SpatialDistribution/DepthofMiningEventsOystershellminingdoesnotoccuruniformlythroughouttheentireleasearea.Miningislimited,inpart,byshallowwaterdepthsoccurringwithinportionsoftheleasearea,whichprecludesignificantminingactivitiesunlesstimingoftheeventcoincideswithhightide.Therefore,miningactivitiesoccurmorefrequentlyinthedeeperwaterportionsoftheleasearealocatedalongthewesternborderoftheleasewherewaterdepthsatMLLWtypicallyrangefrom7to13feet.AsaresultofwindfetchoccurringwithinthesouthBay,shallowerareaswithintheleasearetypicallycharacterizedbyhigherwavesandmoredifficultconditionstoeffectivelyconductshellmining.Oystershellharvestisthereforefunctionallylimitedtothoseareasoftheleasewherewaterdepthsaregreaterandwaveactivityisreduced,therebyallowingmoreefficientharvest.Tohelpassesscurrentbathymetricconditionswithintheleaseareaandchangestobathymetricconditions,periodicbathymetrysurveyshavebeenconductedintheleasearea.AppendixAincludestheresultsofthesesurveys,whichincludetheresultsofasingle-beamsurveyoftheleaseconductedinearly2014byBayMarineServices.ThesurveyrepresentsdepthsrelativetoMLLWintheleasearea.AppendixAalsoincludesdatafroma2005single-beambathymetrysurveyconductedundercontractwiththeU.S.GeologicalSurvey(USGS),andplottedbyeTracEngineeringLLCwiththeleaseareaoverlaidin2007.Notethatthe2005surveyshowsdepthsinmeters,andthe2014surveyshowsdepthsinfeet.Comparisonbetweenthesesurveysshowsthatsomeportionsoftheleaseareaexperiencedonlyminorchangesinbathymetry.Thewesternareaoftheleasewhereminingmostlyoccursshowsaslightincreaseindepth(0-2feet);howeverareaswhereminingdoesnottypicallyoccurasloshowedslightchangesinbathymetry,soactualpotentialeffectsofminingarenotclearofconclusivebasedonthesesurveys.(CSCLMND,2018)Tocontinuetodevelopinformationonbathymetrictrends,LTBproposedtoconductongoingperiodicbathymetricsurveysbeginningin2019,thenin2022and2026tobetterevaluatebathymetrictrendsintheleasearea.AsurveywasconductedbyeTracEngineeringinOctober2019;theseresultsarealsoshowninAppendixA.Comparisonwiththislatestsurveyisbeingconductedcurrently,andwillbeprovidedwhenitiscomplete.

1.4.2. TemporalDistributionandDurationofMiningEpisodesShellminingactivitymayoccuratanytimeoftheday,dependingontides,currents,winds,weather,thesizeofthehopperbargebeingloaded,intermittentdelays/breakdowns,transittimestothelease,etc.Actualminingandpumpingdurationwiththecurrentdredgeconfigurationaveragesapproximately80percentofthetotaltimeofoperation.Transittimebetweentheleaseareaandoneofthetwo

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBayland-basedfacilities(PetalumaorCollinsville)isapproximately8hours(emptybarge)to12hours(loadedbarge)onewaydependingontheonshorefacilityused.Ittakes6hourstoover24hourstofillabargedependingonthesizeofthebarge,and6-8hourstooffloadatthedeliverysite.Productdemanddictatesthefrequencyandnumberofminingeventsthatoccur.Limitedland-basedstorageofminedshellproductanddemanddictatetheminingeventfrequency.Useofnew,moreefficientequipmentandlargervolumebargeshasresultedinfewerminingeventsneededtomeetdemand,eventhoughthedurationofindividualeventshasincreased.Forexample,theestimatednumberofminingeventsrequiredtomine80,000c.y.ofshellisasfollows:thehistoricaldredgeSouthBayoperationsrequiredapproximately91miningeventsover910hoursannually;newminingequipmentandbargeconfigurationsrequireonlyabout28miningeventsoveranestimated409hourstominethemaximumannualvolumes.Thesereductionsintimeandnumberofminingeventsresultinfewerlocaltemporaldisturbances,andsignificantlylowerfuelconsumptionandassociatedairemissionsassociatedwithvesseltransitandminingcomparedtothehistoricoperations.

1.4.3. MiningVolumesandSeasonalDistributionTheamountandseasonaltimingofminingvolumesarelargelydictatedbydemandforshellproduct;seasonalityhasverylittleinfluence,asthemajorityoftheproductisusedforagriculturalfeedsupplement.Miningvolumesmayalsobeindirectlylimitedbythemaximumcubicyardageallowedundertherespectiveleasesandpermits.Thecurrentannualpermittedvolumesofshellthatcanbeharvestedfromtheshellleaseis80,000c.y.(40,000tons).Table1-1showstheactualannualvolumesofshellminedbyLTBfrom2006-2019.Table1-2illustratestheactualaveragemonthlyvolumedistributionfortheperiod2006-2017,andaprojectedfuturedistributionofminingeventsforatotalannualvolumeof80,000c.y.TheproposedprojectevaluatedinthisITPapplicationisbasedonarelativelyflatseasonaldistributionofvolumes,andatotalannualvolumeofupto40,000tons/80,000cubicyards.Seasonaldistributionfrom2006-2017wasrelativelyconstant,withmonthlytotalsrangingbetween6.4and10.5%oftotalannualvolumes.Forfutureevents,LTBproposestoaltertheseasonaldistributionofminingepisodestoavoidsensitivespawningperiodsforlongfinsmeltandthepresenceoftheirlarvaeintheminingareabyceasingminingfortwofullmonthsduringaperiodbetweenFebruaryandJuneofeachyear.LTBproposestoceaseminingactivityinthesemonthstopreventlarvalorlifestageofthesespeciesofconcernwithintheSouthBayfrombeingentrainedthroughminingactivity.TheactualtwomonthcurtailmentperiodwillbeselectedeachyearbyJanuary31throughnoticetoCDFW.Miningwouldbespreadthroughouttheremainingmonths,withperiodsofinventorybuildupandrecoveryifrequiredtomaintainappropriateofshell.

LindTugandBarge,Inc.-UpdatedProjectDescription-OysterShellMininginSouthSanFranciscoBay

Table1-1.ActualShellMiningVolumes–2006-2019

YEAR

TONSMINED

CUBICYARDS

MINED

#OFMININGEPISODES

2006 32,771 65,542 672007 31,809 63,618 612008 29,916 59,832 592009 27,758 55,516 542010 33,108 66,216 612011 31,255 62,510 592012 33,196 66,392 682013 36,017 72,034 642014 32,394 64,788 502015 29,509 59,018 312016 30,838 61,676 342017 26,120 52,240 182018 24,115 48,230 162019 22,485 44,970 13

Table1-2.Average/ProjectedLTBMonthlyMiningVolumes

Month

AvgVolumes(2006-2017) ProjectedFutureVolumes

tonsCubicyards

%AnnualTotal

tons

Cubicyards

%AnnualTotal

Jan 3,066 6,132 9.8 6,240 12,480 15.6Feb 3,287 6,574 10.5 0 0 0Mar 2,486 4,972 8.0 0 0 0Apr 2,573 5,146 8.2 6,240 12,480 15.6May 2,491 4,982 8.0 2,560 5,120 6,4Jun 2,958 5,916 9.5 6,240 12,480 15.6Jul 2,554 5,108 8.2 0 0 0Aug 3,035 6,070 9.7 6,240 12,480 15.6Sep 2,060 4,120 6.6 0 0 0Oct 2,370 4,740 7.6 6,240 12,480 15.6Nov 1,986 3,972 6.4 0 0 0Dec 2,358 4,716 7.6 6,240 12,480 15.6

TOTAL 31,224 62,448 100.0 40,000 80,000 100.0