APPENDIX G1
Paleontological Assessment
PALEONTOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
FOR THE MCKITTRICK CLASS II LANDFILL EXPANSION
KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Prepared by:
AECOM
515 South Flower Street, 9th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071
Author:
Sara Dietler
May 2012
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
May 11, 2012
Jayna Morgan
Environmental Planner
AECOM
999 Town & Country Road, Orange, CA 92868
T 714.567.2501 F 714.567.2760
[email protected]
Subject: Phase I Paleontological Resources Assessment Letter Report- for the McKittrick Class II
Landfill Expansion, Kern County, California
Dear Ms. Morgan;
This document reports the results of the Phase I Paleontological Resources Assessment conducted at the
McKittrick Waste Treatment Facility at the request of Waste Management in anticipation of the
McKittrick Class II Landfill Expansion (Project) located in McKittrick, Kern County, California (Figure
1). The purpose of the Project is to construct a facility expansion resulting in additional landfill space
of 21 acres. This assessment was conducted to identify potential Project effects to paleontological
resources in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
The McKittrick Waste Treatment Facility is located within the Temblor Range in Western Kern County
approximately one mile from McKittrick, California. The Project area is generally located at the
southwest of the intersection of the State Route 33 by-pass and State Route 58 in McKittrick area
(Figure 1). The proposed expansion site is located immediately west of the existing Class II Landfill.
The Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) is 157-240-11, which is located in the southeast quarter of the
northwest quarter of Section 29, Township 30 South, Range 22 East, in the Mount Diablo Base and
Meridian. The East Parcel is approximately 50 acres and the West Parcel is 40 acres.
Currently, LWMI operates a Class II landfill on 27.1 acres of the 50-acre Eastern Parcel (APN 157-24012). LWMI proposes to add approximately 21 acres of the 40-acre Western Parcel (APN 157-240-11) to
make a contiguous landfill footprint of approximately 48 acres within the total owned property of 90
acres (Figure 2). The existing CUP and Solid Waste Facility Permit (SWFP) for the site include a
permitted area of 50 acres, of which 27.1 acres are currently permitted for the disposal of non-hazardous
industrial solid waste. The remaining 22.9 acres of the permitted site are currently used for the landfill
administration building, lunchroom, scale house, scales, drum handling facility, solidification plant,
various surface-water drainage facilities, and buffer zones.
Page 2
Legend
Site
Source: ESRI 2012 USGS 7.5" Quardrangles Reward (1973) ; West Elk Hills (1973)
I
0
0.25
0.5
0.75
1
Miles
Figure 1
Project Area
Paleontological Assessment for the McKittrick Class II Landfill
Expansion, Kern County, California
E 6,073,000
E 6,073,500
E 6,074,000
E 6,074,500
E 6,075,000
HW
Y 58
N 88°36'48" W
1326.29'
N.W. PROPERTY CORNER
2297037.19740 N.
6074185.83650 E.
WEST
PARCEL
LATITUDE: 35°17'36.026"
LONGITUDE: 119°38'01.029"
G
N
ISTI
EX
(± 1 AC
DIM
SE
HW
Y
AS
1641.15'
NB
TIO
TA
EN
58
W
ES
IN
1313.11'
1327.17'
EXISTING
MODULE A
T
FACILIT
ENTRA
STORAGE
TRAILERS
SAFETY TRAILER
ADMINISTRATIVE
BUILDING
EMPLOYEE
TRAILER/
LUNCHROOM
EXISTING
MODULE A
ENTRANCE
FACILITIES
SCALES AND
SCALE HOUSE
MODULE B-2, PHASE 1
AS-BUILT LINER LIMIT
FUTURE
MODULE F
E
ITT
RM 2
PE SE
A
PH
FUTURE
MODULE D
1311.20
IL
R
ENT
ME
FOR UNDM
O
IMP
FORMER
IMPOUNDMENT IF
IK
FUTURE
MODULE G
T
ER MEN
D
RM
FO OUN
P
IM
WASTE
PILE
-2,
EXISITNG
MODULE B-2,
PHASE 1
WESTERN EXPANSION
EB
UL
OD
DM
EXISTING
MODULE B-1
S 0°54'48" W
FUTURE
MODULE E
DRUM HANDLING AREA
EXISTING
MODULE C-1
WASTEWATER
TREATMENT
FACILITY
PERMITTED
MODULE C-2
IMPOUNDMENT IE
SOLIDIFICATION
MIXING PIT
1327.85'
S.W. PROPERTY CORNER
2295396.25460 N.
S 88°30'23" E
6074159.67260 E.
1323.12'
REDUCED MODULE C-2 LIMIT TO
ACCOMMODATE NEW BYPASS CHANNEL
LATITUDE: 35°17'19.794"
LONGITUDE: 119°38'01.022"
E 6,073,000
E 6,073,500
E 6,074,000
E 6,074,500
E 6,075,000
Legend
Site
Source: ESRI 2012 USGS 7.5" Quardrangles Reward (1973) ; West Elk Hills (1973)
I
0
250
500
750
1,000
Feet
Figure 2
Project Area Western Expansion
Paleontological Assessment for the McKittrick Class II Landfill
Expansion, Kern County, California
Legend
Site
Geologic Map
M - Oligocene to Plieocene
QPc - Miocene to Pleistocene
Source: ESRI 2012 USGS 7.5" Quardrangles Reward (1973) ; West Elk Hills (1973)
I
0
250
500
750
1,000
Feet
Figure 3
Project Area Geologic Map
Paleontological Assessment for the McKittrick Class II Landfill
Expansion, Kern County, California
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
REGULATORY STANDARDS
Paleontological resources are limited, nonrenewable resources of scientific, cultural, and educational value and
are afforded protection under state (California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA), and local (Kern County)
laws and regulations. This study satisfies project requirements in accordance with CEQA (13 PRC, 2100 et seq.)
and Public Resources Code Section 5097.5 (Stats 1965, c 1136, p. 2792).
In general terms, for geologic units with high potential, full-time monitoring typically is recommended during
any project-related ground disturbance. For geologic units with low potential, protection or salvage efforts
typically are not required. For geologic units with undetermined potential, field surveys by a qualified vertebrate
paleontologist are usually recommended to specifically determine the paleontological potential of the rock units
present within the study area (Figure 3).
CEQA Guidelines
The Guidelines for the Implementation of CEQA, as amended March 29, 1999 (Title 14, Chapter 3, California
Code of Regulations: 15000 et seq.) define procedures, types of activities, persons, and public agencies required
to comply with CEQA, and include as one of the questions to be answered in the Environmental Checklist
(§15023, Appendix G, Section XIV, Part a) the following: “Will the proposed project directly or indirectly
destroy a significant paleontological resource or unique geologic feature?”
Other state requirements for paleontological resources management are included in the Public Resources Code
(Chapter 1.7), §5097.5 and §30244. These statutes prohibit the removal of any paleontological site or feature on
public lands without permission of the jurisdictional agency, define the removal of paleontological sites or
features as a misdemeanor, and require reasonable mitigation of adverse impacts to paleontological resources
from developments on public (state) lands.
The loss of any identifiable fossil that could yield information important to prehistory, or that embodies the
distinctive characteristics of a type of organism, environment, period of time, or geographic region, would be a
significant environmental impact. Direct impacts on paleontological resources primarily concern the potential
destruction of non-renewable paleontological resources and the loss of information associated with these
resources. This includes the unauthorized collection of fossil remains. If potentially fossiliferous bedrock or
surficial sediments are disturbed, the disturbance could result in the destruction of paleontological resources and
subsequent loss of information (significant impact). At the project-specific level, direct impacts can be mitigated
to below a significant level through the implementation of paleontological mitigation.
The CEQA threshold of significance for a significant impact to paleontological resources is reached when a
project is determined to “directly or indirectly destroy a significant paleontological resource or unique geologic
feature.” In general, for project areas which are underlain by paleontologically sensitive geologic units, the
greater the amount of ground disturbance, the higher the potential for significant impacts to paleontological
resources. For project areas that are directly underlain by geologic units with no paleontological sensitivity, there
Page 6
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
is no potential for impacts on paleontological resources unless sensitive geologic units which underlie the nonsensitive unit are also impacted.
PROJECT SETTING
Environmental and Geologic Setting
The town of McKittrick is located in the western portion of Kern County. Kern County is one of the top
oil producing regions in California. The Project area is located near the Midway-Sunset Oil Field, which
encompasses the town of Fellows. The oil field lies to the east of the town of Maricopa and south of
McKittrick, paralleling the Temblor Range to the southwest. State Route 33 runs through the oil field
for much of its length.
The Midway-Sunset field covers more than 30 square miles and overlies more than six geologic
formations which range in age from the Pleistocene Tulare Formation, which is the youngest in age, to
the Temblor Formation which is of Miocene age and is the oldest in the field (see Figure 3). The Tulare
formation is often impenetrable in this area and often traps oil reserves underneath it; as a result this
area is famous for its “gushers.” The Project area itself mainly consists of exposures of the marine late
Miocene Monterey Formation, and in the southwestern-most portion of the Project area there are
exposures of the Plio-Pleistocene Tulare Formation.
The towns of Fellows and Taft are built directly on the oil field, and were established as a result of the
oil activities within the field. Taft continues to exist exclusively because of the oil industry surrounding
it and is one of the few remaining towns in the United States to do so. The Sunset and Midway oil
fields were eventually determined to be one oil field, and as such the names were combined to MidwaySunset. This oil field has a history extending back over 100 years and has been the economic life blood
of the towns of Taft and Fellows. The former Standard Oil Company, now known as Chevron, has
made the town of Taft its operational headquarters. In addition, other oil companies have operations in
the area. The town of McKittrick was incorporated in 1911.
McKittrick Tar Pits
The McKittrick area is well known for the McKittrick Tar Pits, an expanse of richly fossiliferous natural
asphalt lakes that extend over an area greater than four miles. The McKittrick lakes were likely created
during the Pleistocene epoch as a result of deep faults between tectonic plates creating pressure against
underlying oil source rock. Oil moved to the surface transforming into bitumen and picking up clay and
water. Upon contact with the atmosphere it left behind heavier fractions, primarily asphaltum. The tar
pits have trapped and preserved unknown numbers of Pleistocene Age animals leading to
Page 7
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
paleontological studies at the Tar Pits being conducted as early as 1900 by universities and local
museums. In 1952 the McKittrick Tar Pits were registered as California Historical Landmark No. 498.
Research at the Tar Pits continues, currently California State University, Fresno is conducting ongoing
studies. The tar pits continue to trap animals today. The tar acts as a preservative by saturating the bone
after fur, feathers, skin and muscle has decayed. Sediment brought into the tar pits by natural process
buries the tar pits further preventing decay of the bones. Unlike most fossils, the bones recovered from
the tar pits are unchanged bone material as opposed to fossilized bone, which has undergone
mineralization.
The Tar Pits were exploited by the local Native Americans, the Yokut, for many purposes such as
waterproofing and adhesive prehistorically. During the historic American period pioneers in the area
also began to use collect and use the asphalt. Eventually prospectors began to dig shafts and tunnel to
mine the asphalt which was used to pave streets and sidewalks in San Francisco. Gradually the mines
were replaced by wells which gave rise to the nearby Midway-Sunset oil field.
The Midway and Sunset fields were eventually discovered to be part of the same source and the name
was later combined to Midway Sunset field. The oil fields located on the west side of Kern County
continue to supply almost half of the oil in California. The Midway Sunset field is still one of the top
producing oil fields in the continental United States and continues to support the population of small
towns such as Taft (with a current population of approximately 10,000) and Fellows (with a current
population of approximately 153) (United States Census Bureau 2008).
PALEONTOLOGICAL RECORDS SEARCH RESULTS
A paleontological records search was conducted by Dr. Samuel McLeod, Vertebrate Paleontology
Division of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) on April 9, 2012. In addition, a
search of the University of California, Museum of Paleontology (UCMP), part of the Berkeley Natural
History Museums, vertebrate locality records was conducted on May 1, 2012 by Patricia Holroyd.
The NHM records check indicated that the majority of the Project area contains exposures of the marine
late Miocene Monterey Formation. The closest vertebrate fossil locality in the Monterey Formation is
LACM 5838 and 5940-5941, which were recorded some distance west-northwest of the project area
near Paso Robles Creek northwest of Atascadero. These localities produced fossil specimens of giant
white shark, (Carcharocles megalodon), mackerel (Scombridae), pipefish (Syngnathus), jacks
(Carangidae), herring (Etringus and Ganolytes cameo), rockfish (Scorpaenidae), false-toothed birds
(Pelagornithidae) shearwater (Puffinus), and baleen whales (Mysticeti).
The NHM records check also indicates the southwestern potions of the Project area may include
exposures of the Plio-Pleistocene Tulare Formation. The closest vertebrate fossil locality from the
Page 8
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
Tulare Formation is due east of the Project area, southeast of McKittrick on the southwestern side of
McKittrick Valley (LACM 3720). This locality is a holotype specimen (name bearing specimen for a
species new to science) of the fossil dog Hyaenognathus pachyodon. Further east-southeast of the
Project area in the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1 in the Elk Hills is a fossil locality LACM 3775
which produced fossil specimens of rabbit (Lagomorpha), and camel (Camelidae) also within the
Tulare formation.
The results of the records check from the UCMP revealed a number of fossil finds to the north and east
of the Project, all within Pleistocene era tar deposits collected in the early 20th century from the
McKittrick Tar Pits (Locality -7139, V3401, -4096, V78042). The most prolific of these is -7139 which
included more than 1,000 specimens.
Results
Any excavations in the Monterey Formation or possibly the Tulare Formation exposed in the Project
area may well encounter significant vertebrate fossil material. Any substantial excavations in the Project
area therefore should be monitored closely to quickly and professionally recover any fossil remains
discovered.
Survey
A survey was conducted on May 2, 2012 by Sara Dietler. A thorough inspection of all exposures of
surficial sediments within the Project area was inspected for potentially fossiliferous rock outcroppings.
It was determined that all visible portions of the project area appear to be Monterey Formation with a
thin layer of fine grained silty alluvium over the surface of visible Monterey outcroppings (Plate 1).
Page 9
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
Plate 1. Example of Miocene Monterey Formation with thin layer of alluvial soils. View to
southeast.
As the Miocene Monterey Formation is rich in kerogen (the source material of petroleum), it constitutes
a petroleum reservoir that is fracture-controlled with intercalated calcareous and fine-grained siliceous
rocks which serve as both the source and a reservoir for oil accumulations (Bodnar 1990: 1). This,
coupled with the presence of the nearby McKittrick Tar Pits, it is not surprising that several active tar
seeps were observed within the Western Parcel (see Figure 2), in the northeast corner of Future Module
D (See Plate 2) and just to the north of Future Module D (See Plate 3). These seeps appeared to be
modern and active and did not have any surface evidence of related deposits of Pleistocene age tar that
might potentially contain fossil remains. No fossils were observed as part of the survey.
Page 10
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
Plate 2. Active Tar Seep in the Northeast Portion of Future Module D. View to Northeast.
Plate 3. Active Tar Seep to the North of Future Module D. View to East.
Page 11
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Survey findings were consistent with the results of the records search and prior geological testing within
the McKittrick Waste Treatment Facility which all describe a thin alluvium cover overlying siltstones
[Monterey Formation] down to the 12 foot depth of testing. At depths of 4 to 12 feet siltstones with a
petroleum odor and staining was encountered (Golder Associates 1996). Groundwater was encountered
between elevations of 1273 feet to 1292 feet during investigation (Geosyntec 2008).
Although fossil remains were not encountered on the surface of the project area during the course of this
Phase I background research and field survey, the potential to encounter significant fossil remains is
high as a result of the sensitive nature of the formations within the Project area. In addition, the Project
area has a high sensitivity due to the likelihood that tar deposits of Pleistocene age may be buried below
the surface within the Monterey Formation possibly containing significant fossil deposits.
Paleontological deposits exposed during future earth disturbing activities may be evidenced by the
occurrence of fossils or fossil containing formations. For the reasons described above, it is possible that
buried or otherwise obscured paleontological resources may be present within the Project area. To
address potential impacts of the proposed Project to paleontological resources, the following mitigation
measure is recommended under the guidance of a qualified paleontologist.
MM PAL-1
This project involves ground disturbing activities throughout the area defined as the
Project area. Because buried or otherwise obscured paleontological resources may be
encountered, a paleontological monitoring program shall be implemented.
Paleontological monitoring will be conducted of ground disturbing activities associated
with grading to the depth of excavation for the construction phase of landfill cells, prior
to installation of the landfill monitoring systems. Monitoring shall be conducted over the
entirety of the proposed Project area, or any portions of the Western Parcel of the
McKittrick Waste Treatment Facility during the activities described above by a qualified
paleontological monitor. Ground disturbing activities include, but are not limited to,
trenching, grading, and excavating of all native (previously undisturbed soils). As the
project area has been untouched by development, this applies to all of the project area
Paleontological monitoring would include inspection of exposed rock units and
microscopic examination of matrix to determine if fossils are present. Paleontological
monitors would be present during all ground disturbing activities and would follow
earth-moving equipment to examine excavated sediments and excavation sidewalls for
evidence of significant paleontological resources. The monitors would have authority to
Page 12
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
temporarily divert grading, boring, trenching, or excavation away from exposed fossils in
order to professionally and efficiently recover the fossil specimens and collect associated
data. All efforts to avoid delays to project schedules would be made.
Should the monitoring uncover fossils, then these fossils will be taken to the laboratory
for treatment and further analysis. In the laboratory, all fossils would be prepared,
identified, inventoried, and a determination of significance made. Specimen preparation
and stabilization methods would be recorded for use by the paleontological repository.
All fossil specimens would then be transferred to a public museum or other approved
paleontological repository accompanied by a copy of the final paleontological
monitoring report and all data in hard and electronic copy. The cost of curation,
maintenance, and permanent storage of fossil specimens is generally assessed by the
repository.
The final paleontological monitoring report shall be prepared that will include, but not be
limited to, a discussion of the results of the monitoring, an evaluation and analysis of the
fossils collected (including an assessment of their significance, age, and geologic
context), an itemized inventory of fossils collected, a confidential appendix of locality
and specimen data with locality maps and photographs, and an appendix of curation
agreements and other appropriate communications..
Very truly yours,
Sara Dietler, B.A.
Project Paleontologist
Attachment A – References Cited
Page 13
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
Page 14
AECOM
th
515 South Flower St, 9 Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
www.aecom.com
213.593.7700
213.593.7715
tel
fax
ATTACHMENT A
References Cited
Bodnar, Robert J.
1990 Petroleum Migration in the Miocene Monterey Formation, California, USA: Constraints from
fluid-inclusion studies. In: Mineralogical Magazine, Vol. 54, pp. 295-304.
Geosyntec Consultants
2008 Report of Geotechnical Investigation, McKittrick Waste Treatment Site, Kern County, California.
Report on File: Waste Management offices, McKittrick, California.
Golder Associates
1996 Final Report on the Results of the Geotechnical Investigation for the Phase III Expansion Area at
the McKittrick Waste Treatment Facility, Near McKittrick, California. Report on File: Waste
Management offices, McKittrick, California.
United States Census Bureau
2008 American
FactFinder.
Electronic document accessed August 14, 2008.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US0623812&_geoConte
xt=01000US%7C04000US06%7C16000US0623812&_street=&_county=fellows&_cityTown=f
ellows&_state=04000US06&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=
&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=nul
l&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=&show_2003_tab=&redirect=Y
Page 15