Notes from the March 2007 CPI / Neighborhood Meeting

This document is based on notes taken at the meeting; it is not definitive, and it certainly doesn’t capture every word, every point, and every emotion. A review of the presentation can be found here.


March 22nd 2007, 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Moderated by Patrick Muffler, Barron Park Association


CPI Representatives:


An estimated 70 - 100 people attended the meeting.

Agenda

1) Bob Fickett: Overview of CPI

2) Steve Maher: Study of Risks

3) Bob Fickett: February 2006 accident


4) Prepared questions from the Chimalus organizing group

5) Questions from the floor



Bob Fickett, President of CPI: Overview of CPI

History


Products


Markets


Manufacturing


Regulatory


Chemical Processes


Chemicals Stored on Site


Nitric Acid


Potassium Cyanide



Steve Maher, Engineering Consultant hired by CPI: Study of Risks


What is CalARP (Title 19)?


What does it mean to be a CalARP-covered facility?


CalARP Scope


Nitric Acid Safety


Analysis


What to the investigations show?


New estimate for harm from chemical spill


Summary



Bob Fickett: February 2006 Accident

Overview


Risk?


Aftermath


Chemicals


Safety



Prepared Questions by Chimalus Organizing Group

(Questions are in italics)


Question 1)


Samir Tuma: Is CPI willing to install automated early detection sensors and alarm system?


Bob Fickett: Yes, we are currently talking to the Palo Alto Fire Department about this. Not sure how well will it work; concerned that it will spread more fear than good. Resounding yes, we are willing. No timeframe, meeting with PAFD is early April, started on this a week and a half ago, should have a good idea in a month if warranted. Price may not be an issue, if it would make neighbors feel more comfortable, it may be worth it.


Patrick Muffler: It’s not required by the City or State, is it?


Samir: True, but it would make us feel more comfortable.


Bob: We won’t stop at what is required, we want to make neighbors more comfortable.


Question 2)


Romie Georgia: How will you prepare for and handle a major earthquake? Such an event might knock out utilities, infrastructure (roads, communications), staff can’t get to work, suppliers can’t get to facility; there could be structural collapse, fire, explosion.


Bob: We didn’t lose anything during ’89 quake. Have had lots of seismic upgrades.


Steve Maher: CalARP requires looking at seismic issues. Appendix B of RMP contains seismic assessment of plating shop. What if building collapses? This has been looked at but I don’t know the answer, will check with county regulator.


Paul Dinapoli (CPI): In 1991, building 2 was completely seismically renovated.


Question 3)


Jeff Dean: Can CPI include us in their emergency plan so that we’re covered during the gap between the time an accident is discovered and the time that the Fire Department arrives?


Bob: We can talk to the Fire Department about this; don’t know how to pass the baton, how to coordinate this, not sure how it would work, not sure if the Fire Department would like this.



Question 4)


Art Liberman: Our biggest concern is cyanide. Residents won’t feel safe until all cyanide is gone. Will you state tonight that you have a goal of eliminated all cyanide process? Other companies have done this. If this is your goal, what are you doing to reach it? If not, why not?


Bob: Eliminating cyanide is probably not an achievable goal. No vacuum electronic device companies have found an alternative. There are plenty of options for cosmetic plating, but not for vacuum electronic devices. Will continue to explore but at this point do not know of a solution.


Art: Why not outsource just the processes that require cyanide?


Bob: We have been using this here forever. We keep chemicals segregated, avoid scenarios where chemicals could be mixed. There are berms underground to keep things separate even if things are spilled.



Questions and Comments from the floor

(Questions and Comments in italics)



Neighbor # 1: I have lived here a long time. CPI suffers from sins of its predecessors. This was a Superfund site. We have been dealing with this for 20 years, skepticism in the neighborhood. Lockheed Martin had an explosion, in an illegal constructed building, west end of Chimalus was evacuated, foliage was poisoned. Representatives of the industry assure us that there is no danger but then go home at night while we live here. You haven’t dealt with perceived hazards.



Neighbor # 2: Murphy’s law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong.



Neighbor # 3: Why does it make sense for CPI to be there? Wouldn’t it be better to be in a remote location?


Bob: Too expensive to move, we have been there for too long. San Carlos was a much smaller move.


Steve: This is a common situation (chemicals next to residential areas), it’s a matter of being a responsible member of the community.



Neighbor # 4: Storage locations for chemicals?


Steve: multiple locations. lots of containment


Neighbor # 4: How is it transported?


CPI: Pumped upstairs


Neighbor # 4: What about protection against planted explosives? Terrorist or disgruntled employee? Any thought on this issue?


Steve: This is a security issue. Line item on last year’s hazard review. Will look at it again.



Neighbor # 5: Any other plans to increase capacity?


Bob: We’re at a fraction of the capacity of 15-18 years ago; don’t see this growing; business is flat for foreseeable future. We expect stability.



Neighbor # 5: Vents and scrubbers require electricity. Do you have your own emergency power source?


Paul: Very limited, mainly to provide lighting to get outside bldg. A couple of selected pieces of equipment are tied to it; the scrubbers are not on it. If there is a loss of power in the plating shop, we shut the doors and go home.



Neighbor # 6: Your safety personnel: how are they certified, qualified?


Bob: Screening and background checks, internal training program. Low turnover at CPI so finding people is not a big issue.


Neighbor # 6: What about off hours: are trained people there?


Bob: There are two shifts during the week; one shift each weekend day. Round the clock security, sensors in the berms to detect leak (liquid), which will notify security.


Paul: We have over 100 alarm points (security, process, waste treatment system), each with its own protocol. Security is trained to handle each of these. Not wired to the Fire Department, they must be called.


Neighbor # 6: Wouldn’t there be a huge time lag before notification occurs?


Paul: If there is an incident, security would be making 4-5 phone calls, etc.



Neighbor # 7: Are there any fixed fume monitors in place?


Paul: No



Neighbor # 8: Thanks for the accident, value of my home is down 25%. The rollup door in back of building 2 goes up a bunch, why?


Bob: Happy to look into it, door can’t stay locked. I was called by two different realtors. The information that got out there was exaggerated.



Neighbor # 9: Are you ready to move storage facility further away from our houses?


Bob: Will continue to look at worst case scenario. We do not think we need to move it. We are working at keeping material better separated. Moving plating shop would be a huge task, tremendous feat, don’t even know how to go about it. We have containment sumps…



Neighbor # 10: How would you deal with worst case regarding operations (not equipment)?


Bob: Added more protocols, added redundancy (e.g., two people now need to sign off on certain tasks).



Art Liberman: We emphasize the need to regain credibility as a result of your not notifying anyone about February incident. You also lose credibility by saying this was the first incident. There was a 1985 release of hydrochloric acid, I have the newspaper report from San Jose Mercury. The fumes floated in the other direction, over Fish Market; John Joynt, then president of the BPA, helped organized an evacuation exercise many years ago but this has been forgotten. You can regain some of that credibility by installing fume sensors and monitors that are directly connected to the PAFD


Bob: I did not mean to deceive about incident (referring to his earlier statement that the February was the only incident), I apologize.



Neighbor # 11: Is there a plan in place for medical treatment of hydrogen cyanide poisoning of employees?


Bob, Paul: No. We are trying to make it impossible to happen.



Neighbor # 12: You can reduce our paranoia by moving the potassium cyanide berm into your office.



Romie Georgia: We are concerned about your idea that fumes will stop at fence line.


Bob: You will experience nothing but odor


Steve: Chemicals can be odiferous. Everyone responds differently.



Samir Tuma: Dangers of hydrogen cyanide? There is no scenario for releasing it into neighborhood?


Steve: No scenarios; no "credible threat" exists. Original Risk Management Plan had anomalies: nitric acid model used was gross overexaggeration, paradigm was carryover of a previous assessment from the 90s, poor representation of what should be looked at. You are unduly concerned. We redid the scenarios, will be checking them out with the county tomorrow. We have no scenario that shows that materials can go offsite.


Samir: Was previous RMP incorrect?


Steve: Yes, it was incorrect. Over predicting in light of wanting to do the right job.



Neighbor # 13: Is this your own assessment of your own failings?


Bob, Steve: consultant (Steve) is independent but paid by CPI


Neighbor # 13: Sounds like CPI is creating their own models to suit the situation.


Bob: The Risk Management Plan will have to be agreed to by the county.



Neighbor # 14: How, when, are they transported, are there additional vulnerabilities?


Paul: We have a new contract with vendor. Nitric acid deliveries: truck drives behind building 2, fills tank from there.


Steve: Department of Transportation regulates, beyond purview of what CPI has control over. They can only choose vendor. There is a new protocol: someone stands beside the driver, someone stands inside the building. Nitric acid spill isn’t a big deal compared to anhydrous ammonia.



Neighbor # 15: There was a two person signoff at Lockheed yet that didn’t prevent them from dropping a satellite (no danger to environment, just to customer relations). You need to publicize training process externally, let neighbors know what is happening.



Neighbor # 16: What about sound issues?


Paul: Primary problem is the scrubber stacks, we are working on it actively.


Bob: Current process for handling noise issues is by contacting Paul Dinapoli; issues will get added to status list, which is sent every other week by email to Chimalus neighbors. We are compliant with City noise ordinance, but that’s not good enough. We will do whatever we can but must be “fiscally responsibly”.


Paul: Two issues with hydrogen tanks. Scrubbers run 24x7.



Art Liberman: We see no progress on noise issues.


Paul: Difficult problem; whatever we do to reduce noise will also reduces ventilation in the shop. Waiting for variable frequency drive to arrive within a week, can slow fan down at night but have to keep it up at day. Have been talking to vendors.


Bob: I’m distressed to hear that you think nothing was done.


Art: What I meant is that you have reduced noise from fans and blowers on roof, but not the noise from scrubbers.



Neighbor # 17: Sensors for measuring gas release, off the ground?

Paul: Not yet, only have handheld tools. We are getting quotes for mounting sensors.



Neighbor # 18: Noise at 5:45am, called security, seems to usually happen at this time, has been going on for past 3-4 months, not every day, definitely this morning.


Paul: I received the message from security, need more details to track it down.



Patrick Muffler: Will we get any feedback from discussions with county?


Bob: Yes, within a month.


Steve: Wide dissemination of this information would be an improvement; but concerned about terrorist issues, security, maybe better to just have a meeting with the Chimalus organizing group.



Meeting ended at 9:10pm.