Goals of Reclamation

• Bring the quarry into compliance with state law, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA)
• Follow state law and state Division of Mine Reclamation (DMR) guildelines
• Mitigate the impacts on residents to the maximum extent feasible

Project benefits

Safety

While the current condition of the former Rockaway Quarry may have become the unfortunate status quo in Pacifica, the fact is that this site is not safe. These unsafe conditions have resulted in the death of one person and serious injuries to another. Reclamation will create a much safer 2-1 slope, in compliance with DMR guidelines, and even make the trails ADA compliant.

Environmental Benefits

In terms of the environment, the invasive plant pampas grass, known for ruining biodiversity, has taken over more than 50% of the site and has killed off acres of native plants. Furthermore, the current state of the land promotes the erosion of the coastline. Reclamation will return the environment back to its natural state and mitigate erosion, while also increasing the existing wetlands on the site by 400%.

Recent Project Modifications

In October 2023, we submitted plan revisions to reduce impacts on Pacifica residents, as a result of comments we had received from the public. The plan revisions will improve construction-related traffic and circulation, reduce the total amount of fill to the site, and further ensure water and soil quality onsite.

These revisions included: 

• Reduction of the amount of dirt fill used in reclamation plans by 10% to reduce daily truck trips and overall project timeline
• Halting construction vehicles from driving off the site during morning school drop off hours to ease congestion during the peak hours of 8am-9am
• Require soil quality testing by independent third-party before it is approved to be delivered 
• City will test on-site soil on a regular basis to ensure soil quality 
• Ongoing testing of Calera Creek to ensure water quality is not affected