Frequently Asked Questions

“Why do we need to reclaim the quarry land anyway?”
The Rockaway Quarry is a former limestone mine and, in its current state, the site is both unsafe for people and a threat to the natural habitat.  There are several reasons why reclamation of the site is necessary. The first and most important is that the State of California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) requires all mines to be reclaimed to assure that adverse environmental impacts are minimized and mined lands are reclaimed to a usable condition. Also, reclaiming the quarry is required by the City of Pacifica’s Municipal Code, PMC Title 9 Chapter 2. 

If the City does not approve a reclamation plan then it will be in violation of its own municipal code and the state can take over the process, leaving the City and Citizens of Pacifica without a voice in the process.

Beyond the legal requirements, the site is a public safety hazard and has adverse effects on the natural environment. In the last seven years, one person died near the site, and another was seriously injured. Finally, the reclamation plan is a proposal to restore the site; native plants have been overtaken by the invasive pampas grass, which has overtaken more than 50% of the site. 

“I’m concerned about the increase in traffic”
We completely understand this concern. According to the Environmental Impact Report’s third-party analysis, the project would generate 146 total trips around the site per day. This may sound like a lot. However, this represents a mere 0.3% increase in the average daily trips on Route 1 by the site. Furthermore, Baylands Pacifica will be limiting truck traffic exiting from the site to only occur outside of school drop off hours to reduce traffic impacts during peak hours on the nearby Vallemar School. 

“What about the ‘reduced fill alternative’ studied in the EIR…”
While the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) contemplated what the site would look like if less fill was used, this would not comply with state law requirements. This “alternative” was only listed in the EIR for comparative purposes, not because it is an alternative that could comply with state law. In fact, the EIR also identifies a “no project” alternative, which similarly does not comply with state law. The goal of the revised reclamation plan is to comply with state law, follow state guidelines, and impact the residents of Pacifica as little as possible, including minimizing the amount of dirt fill used. 

“Would you consider a ‘cut-and-fill’ plan to reduce the amount of outside dirt needed?”
“Cut-and-fill” refers to blasting into the cliffside and taking limestone out of the cliff and grinding it into dirt fill. This was not considered because of the severe impacts to the community. Blasting into the cliff requires explosives that would create noise pollution equivalent to gun fire, shake nearby homes and businesses and the Vallemar school, and cover nearby people, cars and structures with dust. But even worse, the rock grinding required onsite to convert limestone to dirt creates noise pollution at an equivalent decibel level to an active quarry, and would last for more than 4 years. We felt that this would be an unacceptable impact to nearby residents and businesses and the teachers and students at the Vallemar School and not a viable solution for reclamation.

“How does filling in the former mine benefit the community?”
Filling in the former mine benefits both the natural environment as well as the residents of Pacifica. The reclamation plan will expand the wetlands on the site by four times the size of what it is today. Secondly the plan will eliminate the invasive plants that are taking over the site, allowing for native plants to grow, thrive, and restore habitat for native wildlife plants and wildlife. Reclamation and restoration will also benefit residents by making the site safe. It is unacceptable that people have died and been injured due to the slope of the site. When the reclamation is complete, the site will include a new ADA compliant public access path, which it does not have today.  


“Can the amount of fill be reduced further?”
On October 23, 2023, Baylands Pacifica submitted revisions to the application that proposed to reduce the amount of fill by 10%. This will also reduce the total number of truck trips required in the project. The plan is consistent with state law SMARA which sets grading standards at a maximum two-to-one slope and reducing fill further would mean those standards could not be met. Furthermore, creating a steeper slope would create a potential safety hazard and prevent restoring the original hillside landform of the site. 

“An environmental group brought up concerns about pollution created by trucks going to and from the site.”
Pollution generated by construction vehicles is an area that was studied in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The independent third-party consultant hired by the City of Pacifica found that without this project, local sites needing to remove excess soil would actually be forced to transport soil further distances to the tune of more than 2,600 total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per day! When trucks are forced to drive longer distances, more air pollution is created. Contrary to this claim, the Rockaway mine reclamation project actually means there will be less truck-produced pollution because it opens a new receiver site location for dirt coming from within San Mateo County. You can view the study in the EIR below:

“Will the wetlands be impacted by the environmental reclamation of the former mine?”
State law recognizes that it may be necessary for areas defined as wetlands to be impacted during an environmental reclamation process and requires all impacts to be mitigated by creating new wetlands areas. Affected wetland areas are mitigated on a 4:1 basis, meaning that there will be four times more area of wetlands upon the completion of the reclamation than what exists on the site today. In total, the reclamation project will be adding 1.3 acres of new wetlands to the site. 

“What about other environmental impacts the reclamation will have?”
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was completed by a third-party expert firm, which was selected and managed by the City. The EIR found that the reclamation project would not cause significant adverse environmental impacts to the site. There are many environmental benefits to the reclamation such as increasing the wetlands on the site by 400% and eliminating invasive plants to restore the site to its natural state.

“Will the Calera Creek Trail be open during when the reclamation is occurring?”
Yes, and the City of Pacifica will approve and monitor a traffic safety plan to ensure the trail is safe for pedestrian use.

“How can we know all soil being received on the quarry site is clean?”
We have committed to soil monitoring and testing above and beyond what is required by law. Soil will first be tested by an independent third party before it is even brought to the site. The submitted plan allows the City to test the imported soils on a regular basis. The plan also includes procedures where we will be using GPS during the course of on-site soil testing, for extremely thorough and transparent record keeping. Additionally, we will be submitting soil compliance reports to the City every month per our Adaptive Management Plan procedures.

“I’m concerned about future development on the site”
There are no plans for the development of the site. The only plan being reviewed by the City is the environmental reclamation. State law mandates that all out-of-use mines be reclaimed. If the City does not comply with state law, Pacifica runs the risk of the California Division of Mining Reclamation stepping in, taking over oversight of the process, and leaving the City and residents of Pacifica without local control or a voice in the process.

“Will this project have a negative effect on sea life, such as starfish?”
No. The existing stormwater uncontrolled runoff will be improved with Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program Best Management Practices’s during the reclamation process and after its completion. Second, there are no chemicals used during reclamation, so the process will not affect the quality of the water runoff. Third, water runoff will be tested on an ongoing basis. Finally, the project’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program to ensure the site does not generate additional sediments or pollutants.


“What processes are in place to ensure the reclamation project will not affect the water quality of Calera Creek?”
It is a top priority of Baylands Pacifica to protect the water quality of the Calera Creek, which feeds directly into the ocean. A third-party expert will test the creek to establish a baseline water quality standard before work begins on site, and continuously monitor Calera Creek water quality to make sure the water is within normal levels and has not been negatively affected by the reclamation. 

“How will native species like the red-legged frog be affected by the reclamation project?”
The California Red-Legged Frog population will not be affected. The reclamation plan has been reviewed and approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which has the ultimate authority on potential impacts to California Red-Legged Frog under the Federal Endangered Species Act.