HUNTINGTON BEACH : Residents Rage at City Unable to Halt Haulers

The city is powerless to restrict hauling hours of trucks transporting waste materials from oil operations in the Bolsa Chica lowlands, officials said this week in response to complaints from residents.

Steve May, principal civil engineer, said the city has no control over hauling operations since the Bolsa Chica site is under county jurisdiction.

Residents had complained to the city about the noisy trucks hauling at night. The residents, who live off Seapoint Street near the southeastern edge of the Bolsa Chica, said they wanted a halt to the nighttime hauling that started last week.

“The beeping, roaring and braking of trucks--it’s been awful,” said resident Barbara Marrs.

Allen Kennedy, a land representative of CalResources LLC, an affiliate of Shell Oil Co., said the company is undertaking a $4-million cleanup effort of a waste materials facility.

To offer some relief, Kennedy said, the company received approval from Cal-OSHA, the state occupational, safety and health agency, to disconnect back-up alarm beepers on trucks since ground crews are not used in loading.

Kennedy said hauling is conducted at night because traffic is heavy during the day. Hauling will continue through July from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., Sunday through Thursday.

The area where the cleanup is taking place is located within the proposed wetlands restoration plan for the Bolsa Chica.

Kennedy said the waste materials--byproducts of crude oil production and drilling operations--are not hazardous. The materials are being recycled and used by Caltrans for its freeway construction projects.