TDC Environmental, LLC conducts environmental analyses in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), specializing in water quality and health and safety impact analysis and CEQA and NEPA document review. Dr. Moran has been the principal author of more than a dozen environmental review documents and co-author of more than 100 additional reports. She has worked on environmental impact reports in the roles of report preparer, reviewer, and lead agency staff member.
Selected Experience:
Dr. Moran managed environmental compliance programs for the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant for six years. She is intimately familiar with wastewater treatment plant operations and associated environmental issues. Her experience with Palo Alto included a significant amount of work with local drinking water suppliers on water quality and treatment methods, because pollutants associated with drinking water (primarily copper and zinc) were issues for the wastewater treatment plant.
Zone 7 Water Agency Altamont Treatment Plant EIR: Working with EIP Associates, Dr. Moran prepared the water quality analysis for an EIR analyzing the impacts of a proposed drinking water facility in the Livermore-Amador Valley. Issues included drinking water quality, wastewater management, storm water runoff from the treatment plant, and effects of the drawing of the water supply on water quality in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta.
Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant Wastewater Reclamation Program EIR: Working with other City of Palo Alto staff, Dr. Moran was part of a City employee team that oversaw the CEQA compliance process for a proposed regional wastewater reclamation project. In addition to conducting internal peer reviews of the administrative draft EIR and administrative final EIR, Dr. Moran assisted at public hearings and at Utilities Advisory Committee and Planning Commission meetings.
Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) Solids Management Project Negative Declaration: Working with other City of Palo Alto staff, Dr. Moran was part of a City employee team that oversaw the CEQA compliance process for a proposed sewage sludge incinerator rehabilitation project. In response to significant community concerns about the project, Dr. Moran and other RWQCP staff conducted a series of public meetings to review the impacts of the proposed project, alternative sludge management methods and their impacts, and potential implications of future pollution prevention programs for sludge management options. Based on an understanding of the negative impacts of alternative sludge management methods, most project opposition faded, allowing the project approval to proceed with community concern, but without litigation.
Pacifica Wastewater Facilities Plan EIR Review: At the request of a community group supporting the project, Dr. Moran reviewed the Draft EIR for relocation of a wastewater treatment plant and assisted with the preparation of written comments.
Dr. Moran conducted laboratory research for more than seven years, working in both academic and private laboratories. Her experience gives her familiarity with the research setting, chemical laboratory techniques, and academic and private laboratory activities. Her scientific background gives her an unusual understanding of the operations and management of research laboratories.
University of California Davis Briggs Hall Addition EIR: Dr. Moran managed preparation of the EIR for a proposed addition to U.C. Davis' life science building, Briggs Hall. The first EIR prepared by U.C. Davis after the campus lost a lengthy court battle over the environmental review of its Long-Range Development Plan, the Briggs Hall Addition EIR was designed to provide a complete environmental analysis, addressing controversial issues-like radioactive materials use and management-directly and completely. This technically complex EIR incorporated results from a health risk assessment and wind-tunnel analyses (both overseen by Dr. Moran) that evaluated hazards from laboratory fume hood emissions. Despite substantial controversy over campus activities, project opponents provided limited comments on the EIR and (unexpectedly) did not file an anticipated lawsuit after EIR certification.
UCSF Laurel Heights EIR: Dr. Moran managed preparation of the revised EIR for locating a UCSF biomedical research facility in a San Francisco residential area. Prior approval of the project (based on an EIR prepared by another firm) was set aside by the California Supreme Court, which, in a precedent-setting decision, required that EIRs provide a project description that includes all reasonably foreseeable activities and an more complete discussion of project alternatives. Given the controversial nature of the project, Dr. Moran and her 33-member project team worked closely with USCF staff and the two sets of attorneys assigned to the project. The 1990 EIR thoroughly evaluated impacts of a biomedical research and conference facility on the adjacent residential neighborhood. Analyses (presented in lay terms) described environmental impacts of the use and transportation of hazardous, biohazardous, and radioactive materials; the hazards associated with a proposed animal care facility; transportation impacts and the demand for parking; land use compatibility; impacts to neighborhood views; and 11 alternatives. Technical analysis by Dr. Moran included quality assurance review of a health risk assessment that analyzed the effects of research laboratory air emissions on site neighbors. UCSF certified the EIR and approved the project, but a neighborhood organization again challenged the EIR, alleging various inadequacies, including the need to recirculate the Final EIR because it provided lengthy responses to the more than 1,000 comments received on the Draft EIR. In 1993, in the second precedent-setting decision in this case, the California Supreme Court ruled that recirculation was unnecessary.
U. C. Davis Long Range Development Plan, Hazardous Waste Management Facility, and Contained Research Facility Environmental Impact Reports: TDC Environmental conducted technical peer review for quality assurance purposes for analyses of health and safety impacts of a campus-wide development plan, a hazardous waste management facility, and a research facility where biohazardous materials would be used.
Chiron Corporation Long Range Development Plan Environmental Impact Report: TDC Environmental provided quality assurance review of environmental health and safety impact analyses for the proposed location of a biotechnology research facility near a commercial and residential area in Emeryville, California. The EIR assessed impacts from toxic air emissions, transportation, and disposal of hazardous materials, including chemical, radioactive, biohazards, and medical wastes. Dr. Moran assisted with the development of feasible performance standards set by the mitigation measures.
University of California Santa Barbara Materials Research Laboratory Building Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration: Dr. Moran was task leader for a series of technical studies used to support preparation of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for construction of a research laboratory building at UCSB. Dr. Moran oversaw a wind tunnel study of fume hood emissions from the proposed building to investigate the potential for recirculation of fume hood emissions into air intakes at the subject and neighboring buildings and she conducted a validation analysis of the campus-developed standards for exposure to laboratory fume hood emissions. In addition, she was task leader for analysis of health and safety issues including waste management, wastewater quality, and environmental hazards at the construction site.
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Research Building EA: Dr. Moran was the project manager for an Environmental Assessment (under NEPA) evaluating the impacts of a proposed research laboratory at the USGS Menlo Park site. Key issues included existing site contamination, cultural resources, the site's safety record, and management of storm water runoff.
Dr. Moran has participated in the preparation of numerous hospital and medical facility EIRs. She is familiar with hospital operations, use of hazardous and radioactive materials, and management of hazardous, radioactive, and medical wastes.
UCSF/Mount Zion Hospital Acquisition EIR: Dr. Moran was the health and safety issues task leader for an EIR for the integration of the operations of UCSF and Mount Zion Hospital and Medical Center, a formerly private heath care facility. Prepared on a fast-track schedule, the EIR evaluated UCSF's plans to expand hospital facilities, construct new facilities, and locate biomedical research laboratories at Mount Zion. In order to address community concerns, the EIR included an extensive discussion (in lay terms) of potential impacts associated with hospital and research laboratory use of hazardous materials. The analysis considered hazardous materials transportation, public and worker health and safety, hazardous waste generation and disposal, off-site incineration of wastes, toxic air emissions, and community health risk.
UCSF/Mount Zion Cancer Center EIR: Dr. Moran was the health and safety issues task leader for the preparation of a Subsequent EIR to address changes in UCSF's Master Plan for Mount Zion hospital, including the construction of a new cancer center. The primary focus of the SEIR was the development of a research building, a medical office building, and an off-street parking facility. Major issues included land use, visual, noise, traffic and parking, and toxic air emissions.
Sutter Davis Hospital Relocation EIR: Dr. Moran was task leader for analysis of potential health and safety impacts of using and managing hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, and medical waste at a proposed new hospital site in Davis, California.
Novato Community Hospital Relocation EIR: Dr. Moran was task leader for evaluation of the potential health and safety impacts from a hospital in Novato, California. Issues included the hospital's equipment sterilization and waste disposal procedures, waste management, and emergency access to a site in a flood-prone area.
Kaiser Permanent Medical Office Building EIR: Dr. Moran analyzed the impacts of waste management at a medical building proposed in a residential neighborhood in Oakland, California.
Redevelopment projects sometimes involve the reuse of sites where soil or groundwater have been contaminated by historic activities. Environmental review needs to consider the potential problems associated with cleaning up or controlling environmental contamination in the context of the community benefits of redevelopment. Readily available management strategies can ensure community and environmental protection while providing for vital reuse of abandoned properties.
East Baybridge Mixed-Use Development EIR: Dr. Moran was task leader for health and safety issues for the EIR and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for proposed mixed-use redevelopment of a 50-acre site at the border of the Cities of Emeryville and Oakland. Historic uses had caused widespread contamination of the proposed project site. Dr. Moran worked with the project proponent and city officials to analyze site development and utility location constraints in light of the proposed cleanup plan, which left some contamination under pavement at the site. Potential hazards for site occupants from neighboring sites (a wastewater treatment plant and a Superfund site) were also considered in the analysis.
San Francisco Main Library EIR: Dr. Moran was task leader for health and safety analyses of the proposal to construct a new main library in San Francisco. The project involved demolition of an existing asbestos-containing structure and excavation of a potentially contaminated site.
Watt City Center EIR: Dr. Moran was the project manager for preparation of an EIR that evaluated the impacts of constructing 52-story and 35-story office towers on the sites of an automotive repair facility and gasoline station. Although the EIR was approved, slow economic conditions precluded development of the project, which would have been the tallest building in downtown Los Angeles.
Coopers & Lybrand: Dr. Moran managed the preparation of an EIR for construction of an office building in downtown Los Angeles on a former oil company site with leaking underground fuel tanks.
Redevelopment EIR Reviews: To assist a California county, Dr. Moran reviewed a total of 8 EIRs for redevelopment projects opposed by that County due to the impacts on its budgets for essential services. Dr. Moran prepared numerous, detailed comments identifying substantial deficiencies in each EIR. The reviews substantiated the theory that most redevelopment EIRs are relatively poor quality documents. The low quality of the documents provides substantial opportunity for litigation by project opponents.
Urban Redevelopment Area EIRs: Dr. Moran was a task leader and key participant in hazardous materials and public health and safety analyses for several redevelopment project EIRs including the San Jose Edenvale redevelopment area, portions of the San Francisco Mission Bay area, the San Francisco Yerba Buena Center, and the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf area.
USS-POSCO Steel Plant Proponent's EIR: Dr. Moran was the project manager of a proponent's EIR for modernization of the USS-POSCO steel plant near Pittsburg, California. The document was prepared as part of a lawsuit settlement. Since the project had already been completed, the analysis was retrospective, requiring careful interpretation of CEQA. The report evaluated new industrial process lines, a modernized wastewater treatment plant, and an ancillary project involving harbor dredging and renovation of ship-docking facilities at the plant wharf. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which was the lead agency for preparation of an EIR on the project, indicated high regard for the quality of the report, which it used to prepare its EIR.
New United Motors Manufacturing (NUMMI) Plant EIR: Dr. Moran was the task leader for all hazardous materials-related issues (hazardous materials, soil and groundwater contamination, toxic air emissions, human health and safety, and related portions of the project description) for a fast-track EIR evaluating expansion of the NUMMI automobile and truck manufacturing plant in Fremont, California.
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Dr. Moran's experience includes evaluating environmental impacts of waste management both at the generator's site and at waste management facilities. Her intimate familiarity with these issues has developed through her experience managing and participating in numerous landfill and hazardous waste management facilities projects, and her time as the manager of a small permanent household hazardous waste collection facility at the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant.
Sutter County Ash Landfill EIR: Dr. Moran was the project manager for the preparation of an EIR for a proposed ash landfill in Sutter County. The Class II landfill was proposed to be located adjacent to the Sutter Buttes, in an ecologically sensitive area. Native Americans expressed tremendous concerns about the concept of locating a landfill in the Sutter Buttes, a spiritually and culturally significant site for Maidu and Patwin peoples and their descendants. The EIR, which closely examined cultural resources impacts and biological resources impacts (endangered species and vernal pools), included a comprehensive analysis of potential air quality and other human health and safety and environmental quality impacts from ash management. The EIR also identified and evaluated a wide range of alternative ash management strategies. Because the project received intense public criticism, the sponsor eventually withdrew the project's permit applications.
Sanitary Fill Company Solid Waste Transfer Station, Recycling Facilities, and Household/Business Hazardous Waste Collection Facility Draft EIR: Dr. Moran was the project manager (for the first administrative draft EIR) and then a consultant for the preparation of a Draft EIR for significant expansions and modifications to San Francisco's solid and household hazardous waste management facilities. The project, which was proposed in order to facilitate San Francisco's compliance with the 50% diversion mandate of AB 939, included new and expanded recycling facilities, a materials recovery facility, waste processing units, and expansion of the San Francisco's household hazardous waste facility to accommodate hazardous wastes from small businesses. Topics analyzed in the EIR included noise, odor, toxic air emissions, hazardous waste transportation, traffic, public health and safety, risk of upset, construction over old landfill, and compliance with San Francisco's Hazardous Waste Management Plan. Since publication of the Draft EIR, the City and the sponsor have modified the San Francisco's waste management plans.
CAETC Richmond Hazardous Waste Transfer Station Negative Declaration and Accident Analysis: Dr. Moran was the project manager for an expanded negative declaration and accident analysis for a proposed storage and handling volume increase at a hazardous waste transfer station in Richmond, California. The report assessed the likelihood and consequences of an accident at the facility. Accidents during both waste transfer and waste storage were considered, including explosions, fires, spills, and toxic gas releases. Physical site conditions and the proposed structural improvements were factored into the analysis, which found little difference in potential off-site effects between current and proposed future conditions. Dr. Moran and other team members explained the study findings to community members, the Richmond Planning Commission and City Council at a series of special presentations.
U. C. Davis Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Impact Analysis: TDC Environmental's Kelly Moran served as a technical advisor and reviewer for an analysis of the potential environmental impacts resulting from changes U.C. Davis made in its management of low-level radioactive waste. The analysis formed the technical basis for the determination that the project was categorically exempt from CEQA.
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Solid Waste Company Corporation Yard, and Utilities Corporation Yard EIR: As an employee of the City of Palo Alto, Dr. Moran conducted an internal peer review of the administrative draft EIR for redevelopment of the former site of a sewage treatment plant, immediately adjacent to the San Francisco Bay shore. Proposed redevelopment activities raised substantial health, safety, and water quality issues. Given the site's location at the bay shore adjacent to a recreational trail, the proposal generated significant community and agency feedback at the early stages of project planning.
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