The project site is located at 790 and 800 Derr Avenue (at the western end of Lemon Street) in the southwestern portion of Vallejo fronting the Mare Island Strait.
The proposed project consists of two main components: The Vallejo Marine Terminal (VMT) and the Orcem Plant (Orcem). The VMT component would reestablish industrial uses on the VMT site through the removal of the deteriorated timber wharf and construction of a modern deep-water terminal. The project includes construction of wharf improvements and laydown area, and trucking and rail connections, primarily servicing the import and export of bulk and break-bulk commodities. The Orcem component would involve construction and operation of an industrial facility for primarily the production of an alternative for traditional portland cement. Orcem would import most of the raw materials used in the manufacturing process via ships docking at the wharf proposed by VMT.
City Council Hearing May 30, 2019 Meeting Cancelled (Updated 5/30/19)
The meeting scheduled for May 30, 2019 has been cancelled, as the Vallejo Marine Terminal, LLC applicant has withdrawn their appeal.
Revised Project Description (Updated 10/20/17)
At the June 1, 2017 City Council hearing, the Council asked staff to work with the applicant team to prepare a final and stable project description for the proposed project. Over the last few months staff has worked with the applicant team to accomplish this task and it has been completed. The updated project description is provided in two formats, a clean version and a track changes version so the public can easily follow what has changed. City staff is currently determining the next steps and a schedule for returning to the City Council for action. Once a schedule has been finalized it will be posted on the website.
Project Description - Clean Version
Project Description - Track Changes Version
City Council Appeal Hearing
On May 30, 2017 and June 1, 2017, the City Council heard presentations from staff and the appellants, as well as public comment. The staff report and attachments can be found by clicking on the links below.
VMT/Orcem CC Staff Report
Attachment 1 - Link to Planning Commission Staff Report and Attachments
Attachment 2 - VMT Draft Resolution of Denial of Appeal
Attachment 3 - KMA Peer Review of VMT and Orcem Fiscal & Economic Impact Analysis
Attachment 4 - Issues Raised During Project Hearings & in Appeal
Final Approved City Council Resolution Dated June 1, 2017
The City Council directed staff to work with the applicants to make any necessary revisions to the Draft Final EIR and to return to the City Council with a document that is ready for certification.
Planning Commission Decision Appeal Received
On March 15, 2017, the City of Vallejo received a letter of appeal signed by VMT/Orcem project representative Dick Loewke and Arthur Coon of Miller Starr Regalia, appealing the Planning Commission's March 6, 2017 adoption of Resolution PC 17-03 to deny the project. The appeal application, letter and attachments can be viewed by clicking on the links below.
Appeal Application dated 3/16/17
Appeal Letter dated 3/15/17
Attachment A
Attachment B
Attachment C
Attachment D
Attachment E
Attachment F
Attachment G
Attachment H
Attachment I
Attachment J
Attachment K
Attachment L
VMT/Orcem Special Planning Commission Public Hearing: February 27, 2017
The Vallejo Marine Terminal (VMT)/Orcem Project was presented to the City of Vallejo Planning Commission at a special public hearing on February 27, 2017 at 6:00 pm in the City Council Chambers, 555 Santa Clara Street, Vallejo. Due to the large number of public speakers on February 27th, the meeting was adjourned at the close of the public hearing portion of the meeting to a Special meeting on March 6, 2017.
A copy of the Planning Commission staff report, an Environmental Justice Analysis, and a Draft Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) from the February 27th meeting available for review on the City's website (see links below). A hard copy of the Draft Final EIR is provided for review at the City Planning Division's Public Counter located at 555 Santa Clara Street, Second Floor and at the John F. Kennedy Public Library at 505 Santa Clara Street. The copies are not available to be checked out, but can be reviewed at the counter and library.
The Draft Final EIR was presented to the Planning Commission for information purposes only and was not recommended for certification. Denial of a project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15270, which states that projects that are disapproved are exempt from environmental review.
On March 6th, by a vote of 6-1, the Planning Commission voted to support the staff recommendation of project denial. The decision, as stated above, has been appealed by the project applicants to the City Council. In addition, the Architectural Heritage and Landmarks Commission (AHLC) approved a request submitted by the Vallejo Architectural Heritage Foundation (VAHF) in March 2016 to classify seven historic structures on the project site as City landmarks and added to the City's Historic Resource Inventory. The AHLC decision has also been appealed to the City Council, and will be scheduled for consideration with the Planning Commission appeal.
VMT/Orcem Project Staff Report
VMT/Orcem Project Resolution
VMT Plans Dated 6/2/16
Orcem Plans Dated 11/5/15
Fiscal and Economic Impact Study, Nov. 7, 2014
VMT/Orcem Statement of Benefits
Policy Consistency Analysis Table
Public Comment - November 4, 2015 - February 3, 2017
Environmental Justice Analysis, Feb. 2017
Draft Final EIR
Draft FEIR Appendices
Updated Response to Comments DEIR
Comment Letters
Vallejo Marine Terminal (VMT)/Orcem Project Amendment - June 2016
In June 2016, the applicants for the VMT/Orcem project submitted an amendment to their application for the development of a marine terminal and the Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag processing facility. The applicants proposed the following revisions to the project description to reduce the overall size of the project:
- Elimination of Phase 2 of the VMT project, which proposed a rock dike and lay down area where bulk and break bulk goods would be temporarily staged. Vessels, including barges, moving goods to or from the site would be proposed to dock at the wharf when it is not occupied by a deep draft vessel. Please note that this change substantially reduces the amount of bay fill proposed previously, but does not impact Orcem's Phase 1 or Phase 2 components of the project.
- Elimination of the 5.25 acre portion of the site that was proposed for annexation at the southernmost end of the project site and relocation of the proposed storage shed from this southern area of the property to the northern portion of the site.
- Clarification of the materials to be handled through the Terminal, which are proposed to include;
- Feed grains
- Manufactured steel
- Timber/lumber
- Rock, aggregate, ores, and related materials (including granulated blast furnace slag, portland cement clinker material, pozzolan, gypsum, limestone and related materials used as part of the Orcem project component)
- Project-based break-bulk items (i.e., heavy lift transport, large construction assemblies)
- Other bulk and break-bulk commodities
- Marine construction materials
- Portland cement
- Liquid bulk cargos or large-scale container operations are not proposed to be handled through the VMT Terminal. The applicants have stated that the VMT Terminal would prohibit the handling of municipal waste, coal, petroleum coke or any other petroleum-based product such as gasoline or crude oil.
- Movement of rail (including loading/unloading of rail cars) is proposed to occur between the hours of 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM to avoid late-night noise impacts on residential areas.
The proposed revisions to the project description and the removal of references to VMT's Phase 2 will be included and analyzed in the staff report and supporting documentation. The proposed VMT plans that reflect the revised project are included here for review.
In addition to the removal of VMT Phase 2 from the project, the applicants have proposed a modified version of the "Revised Operations Alternative" (ROA) which was first presented in the Draft EIR. This modified version of the ROA is intended to reduce environmental impacts of the revised project by: (1) Formally subjecting the VMT component of the project to a BAAQMD Permit; (2) Implementing a refined truck loading and weight management system to increase efficiency; (3) Implementing ongoing fleet and equipment management activities to further minimize remaining NOx emissions; (4) Offsetting any remaining significant emissions of NOx, through purchased offsets, or an emissions reduction program subject to monitoring; and, (5) Reducing the maximum length of trains serving the project site from 100 to 50 cars.
The applicant's proposed changes to the project description and consideration of a modified ROA would be further analyzed in the Final EIR prepared by the City of Vallejo. All relevant documentation will be made available for review prior to consideration by the Planning Commission.
Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) - September 2015
Click on the links below to view the Draft EIR and Appendices. You may also view the document at the John F. Kennedy Library (505 Santa Clara Street) and the City of Vallejo Planning Division (555 Santa Clara Street, 2nd Floor).
VMT/Orcem Draft Environmental Impact Report
VMT/Orcem Health Risk Assessment
Appendix A-1 Initial Study and NOP
Appendix A-2 NOP Comments
Appendix B VMT Application
Appendix C O rcem Application
Appendix D-1 Air Quality Assessment
Appendix D-2 SLR Technical Memo
Appendix E-1 Biological Assessment
Appendix E-2 Tree Survey
Appendix E-3 BRA Peer Review
Appendix E-4 Intertdial Habitat and Marine Biota Survey
Appendix E-5 Tech Memo Fish Species
Appendix E-6 VMT Benthic Report
Appendix E-7 Technical Memo- Int Srvy-Vallejo Marina
Appendix F Historic Resources
Appendix G NAHC Records Search
Appendix H-1 Geotech and Environmental Consult
Appendix H-2 Preliminary Geotech Report
Appendix I-1 Site Investigation Report
Appendix I-2 Phase I ESA
Appendix I-3 Phase II Soils and Groundwater Report
Appendix I-4 Solano Co Remedial Action Comp Cert
Appendix I-5 Final Backfill Report
Appendix I-6 Environmental Audit Summary
Appendix I-7 2007 Groundwater Monitoring
Appendix I-8 Asbestos Report
Appendix I-9 Hazs and Hazs Materials Report
Appendix I-10 2012 Groundwater Monitoring Report
Appendix I-11 Revised Site Management Plan
Appendix J-1 Stormwater Control Plan VMT
Appendix J-2 Orcem Hydro and WQ Narrative KPFF
Appendix J-3 Orcem Stormwater Design Summary
Appendix K-1 Noise Report for VMT 031514
Appendix K-2 Noise Study Orcem
Appendix K-3 Cumulative Orcem & VMT Noise
Appendix L Traffic
Air Quality and Health Risk Assessment modeling data is available upon request. Please call (707) 648-4326 to request this information.
Public Comments on the Draft EIR
Public Agency Letters (Last Updated June 10, 2016)
Organization Comments
Individual Comments
Speaker Cards from 10-7-15 Public Meeting
Speaker Cards from 10-25-15 Public Meeting