Approximately 30 community members and 15 Berkeley Lab employees
attended a Monday meeting convened to give Berkeley residents
the opportunity to voice their opinions over the future of Berkeley
Lab. Their input, which will inform the development of the Lab’s
upcoming Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), included opinions
over traffic congestion, impacts to the Strawberry Creek watershed,
new building construction, and the soon-to-be built Molecular
Foundry.
Deputy Director Sally Benson kicked off the meeting by outlining
Berkeley Lab’s wide-ranging research initiatives, from
cancer research and nanoscience to cosmology and computer
simulations of global climate change, all of which help drive
the future development of the Lab. She also discussed how
the Lab’s LRDP process will account for potential impacts
to the nearby community and environment.
“The LRDP and its Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
go hand-in-hand,” she said. “The LRDP describes
the physical attributes we need to accomplish our scientific
goals, and the Environmental Impact Report is a companion
document that provides an opportunity for input and dialogue
from the community. It helps address how the Lab’s development
will affect our surroundings, and it also helps us bring environmental
considerations into focus.”
The public scoping meeting is one of several steps that lead
to Berkeley Lab’s 2004 LRDP, which outlines the physical
requirements -- including changes in both population and building
space -- needed to meet the Lab’s mission through year
2025.
As part of this process, the Monday evening meeting, held
at the North Berkeley Senior Center, gave citizens the chance
to comment on what should be included in the LRDP’s
EIR, which is required under the California Environmental
Quality Act.
Benson’s comments were followed by a brief outline
of the LRDP by Rich McClure, Berkeley Lab’s Long Range
Planner. Next, Jeff Philliber, Berkeley Lab’s Environmental
Planner, discussed the EIR process. This was followed by 25
comments from 16 community members.
Among the concerns expressed was increased traffic in the
surrounding community. According to the October 28 revised
notice of preparation for the prospective LRDP’s EIR,
the adjusted daily population of Berkeley Lab’s Hill
site is expected to grow from today’s 4,300 to 5,500
over the next 20 years. Several people asked the Lab to consider
alternative commuting strategies such as improved mass transit
and telecommuting options. One person even suggested building
an aerial tramway to the Lab, although he conceded this idea
is somewhat far-fetched.
The potential impact of additional construction near the
Strawberry Creek drainage was also referenced. The notice
of preparation states the building area in the Lab’s
Hill site will grow from today’s 1,760,000 gross square
feet (gsf) to 2,560,000 gsf over the next 20 years. Some attendees
expressed concern for the health of the watershed in the face
of this growth.
And although the Molecular Foundry is not included in the
LRDP, it was also the topic of discussion for some, who questioned
the safety of locating a facility devoted to nanoscale science
research so close to a large population.
The attendees’ comments will be included in the public
record. A draft 2004 LRDP is scheduled to be released in February
2004, and the final LRDP is slated to be released next summer.
CALENDAR
