BCDC Confronts Jurassic-Era Sand Mining as Bridge, Permitting Decisions Advance

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission took on a packed agenda April 16, tackling the future of ancient sand beneath the bay, the fate of bike access on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and a long-overdue leap from paper card catalogs to digital permitting. The sand mining briefing — revealing that the bay's sand dates to the age of dinosaurs and is being extracted faster than nature can replace it — set the stage for what may become the Commission's most consequential environmental decision in years.

• First-ever bay sand studies show the resource is 145–199 million years old and not being replenished, with full mining permit applications expected this year

• Commission approves preliminary benchmarks to measure whether cutting weekday bike access on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge improves traffic and safety

• $316K Salesforce contract approved to replace decades-old paper permitting with online applications and real-time case tracking

• Chair Wasserman discloses MTC's executive director unilaterally paused BARC, the state agency coordinating Bay Area regional bodies, without public input

• $29M+ in combined state and federal funding secured for beneficial reuse of dredge sediment at Bay Area wetlands despite proposed Trump administration cuts

The Bay's Ancient Sand: A Resource That Won't Come Back

The basics: San Francisco Bay's sand was deposited during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods — 145 to 199 million years ago — and no new sand is entering the system. Two companies, Martin Marietta and Lind Marine, mine the bay floor for construction aggregate. The Commission required $1.2 million in independent studies before considering new permit applications, and staff presented those findings for the first time.

Why it matters: The studies mark the first comprehensive scientific examination of the bay's sand system. What they found upends assumptions: less than 20% of the bay bottom is sand, mined areas are getting deeper and generally not refilling, and more sand is being removed than entering the bay. These findings will shape upcoming permit decisions on whether to allow extraction of up to 1.7 million cubic yards annually — a volume that environmental groups say far exceeds actual mining levels.

Where things stand: BCDC Sediment Program Manager Brenda Goeden presented the landmark findings, noting, "The bay sand is from the Jurassic and Cretaceous period, between 145 and 199 million years ago." She added that "these studies were the first-ever studies on sand in San Francisco Bay. Everything we know about San Francisco Bay has to do with the tidal marshes and the mud flats."

The studies also found that the Central Bay and Suisun Bay sand systems are disconnected — meaning mining in one area cannot be offset by supply from the other. Mining discharge increases turbidity during active operations but dissipates afterward, and benthic communities recover within one year after a single mining event. However, the effects of repeated mining on marine life remain unknown, and impacts on beaches have never been studied.

The other side: Representatives from Martin Marietta and Lind Marine pushed back, framing bay sand as a critical local construction resource. Erica Guerra of Martin Marietta and Bill Butler of Lind Marine argued that mining represents only about 1% of the bay's relic sand storage and has negligible effects beyond the immediate mining footprint. They said alternatives — trucking sand from the Central Valley or importing it from British Columbia — would generate three times more greenhouse gas emissions. The companies anticipate requesting permits for 1.426 million cubic yards per year.

Ben Eisenberg of San Francisco Baykeeper urged the Commission to set permit limits at actual mining levels — roughly 700,000 cubic yards per year on average — rather than the nearly double authorization from the State Lands Commission. "We would like BCDC to consider moving forward, setting the limit at what was actually mined, rather than almost double that, which is where State Lands has set it," he said.

Wildlife concerns drew pointed testimony. Mary Jane Schramm of the Marin Audubon Society warned that gray whales are now foraging between Treasure Island, Alcatraz, and Angel Island on sand-dwelling organisms, and that humpback whales have established feeding grounds in the central bay. Julie Thayer of the Farallon Institute said the supplemental environmental review is deficient, citing exponential increases in marine birds and mammals in mining lease areas, with more than 30 species of fish and invertebrates serving as forage. She highlighted that turbid plumes during mining disrupt foraging by species including Dungeness crab and California halibut.

Christian Marsh, litigation counsel for the mining permittees, countered that biological opinions from NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with an incidental take permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, show smelt impacts are fully mitigated. He also challenged whether BCDC can weigh greenhouse gas and climate factors under its feasibility and public benefit policies.

Commissioner Showalter framed the core question directly: "I think that we want to think about is this mining harmful to the ecology? What does it do to the ecology of the bay? I think that's the question we need to ask ourselves."

Commissioner Nelson asked about protections for fish species, and Commissioner Eklund raised Army Corps dredging as a potential alternative sand source. Commissioner Kishimoto pressed on the economics — about 30% of the Bay Area's construction sand currently comes from bay mining.

What's next: Full permit applications from the mining companies are expected this spring or summer. The Commission took no vote — this was an informational briefing — but the science now in hand will frame what could be the most consequential environmental permitting decision BCDC has faced in years: whether to allow continued extraction of a resource that took hundreds of millions of years to form and cannot be replaced.

Bridge Bike Path: Benchmarks Approved, but Measurement Challenges Loom

The basics: BCDC is overseeing a modified pilot on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge that converted the 24/7 bike and pedestrian path on the upper deck to a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule, with a weekday shuttle replacing direct access. Caltrans proposed seven preliminary benchmarks to measure whether the schedule change affects traffic, safety, and bike usage.

Why it matters: These metrics will determine whether removing weekday bike access produces measurable traffic and safety benefits — and ultimately shape a permanent decision on public access to the bridge after 2028.

Where things stand: Katharine Pan of BCDC staff and Joe Rouse of Caltrans District 4 presented the proposed benchmarks: peak-hour traffic volumes, I-580 approach travel time, bridge travel time, incident clearance time (measured against a 90-minute statewide standard), crash rates, weekday cyclist impact from the schedule change, and weekend path usage.

Commissioners drilled into the methodology. Commissioner Cox questioned whether the 90-minute incident clearance benchmark was meaningful for commuters, arguing that "a 30-minute delay has context in terms of considering it as a benchmark as opposed to a threshold." She also asked about enforcement records and whether the shuttle service is adequate.

Commissioner Gioia raised a critical methodological challenge: Caltrans' separate Forward project — which includes HOV lane extensions and open-road tolling scheduled for January 2027 — will change bridge traffic patterns during the same study period. "How are we going to differentiate this new amended project, improve changes from changes from that other project?" she asked.

Commissioner Kishimoto pushed for vehicle-miles-traveled analysis and consideration of land use changes, while Vice Chair Rebecca Eisen pressed staff on distinguishing correlation from causation in the data.

Chair R. Zachary Wasserman delivered the session's sharpest admonition to Caltrans: "I would ask you to be very thoughtful and careful. When you come back to us about this difference between causation and correlation, the issue for us fundamentally."

Public commenters reinforced concerns. Warren Wells of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition urged inclusion of crash severity alongside frequency, recommended basing travel-time benchmarks on posted speed limits rather than observed speeds, and flagged shuttle reliability issues including the real-time tracker being down. Bruce Byard, chair of the Trails for Richmond Action Committee, praised the discussion for clarifying the distinction between crash metrics and incident clearance time.

Decisions: The Commission approved the preliminary benchmarks 16-0-2 on a motion by Commissioner Cox, with the proviso that all commissioner comments be incorporated into the final metrics. Commissioner Belia Ramos recused herself due to her MTC/ABAG membership and Bay Trail jurisdiction. Commissioner Ambuehl abstained due to a conflict.

What's next: Caltrans will refine the benchmarks based on commissioner input and return with final metrics. The analysis will inform a future long-term decision on whether the bridge gets permanent full-time or part-time public access.

From Paper Card Catalogs to Salesforce: BCDC Goes Digital

Why it matters: BCDC still relies on paper card catalogs, disconnected filing systems, and no centralized database for permitting, compliance, or planning. The Salesforce contract represents the agency's first modern database platform, enabling online permit applications and real-time public case tracking for the first time.

Where things stand: Assistant Regulatory Director Ethan Lavine presented the $315,877 first-year contract with Stack Nexus to implement Salesforce through the State Software Licensing Program. Annual ongoing costs will run approximately $100,000. The system will provide online permit applications, real-time case tracking for applicants and the public, and centralized searchable data for staff. Salesforce was selected after a structured scoring evaluation of multiple platforms and is already used by more than 25 state agencies. Stack Nexus has implemented similar systems at CalOES, DTSC, and Caltrans.

Executive Director Larry Goldzband illustrated the urgency with characteristic bluntness: "Whenever anybody is in our office for the first time, I always take them to the file room because we still have a gajillion paper files in there and I always walk them toward the side of the room where we have paper card catalogs still." He credited recent legislative changes to the McAteer-Petris Act that enabled use of bay fill and abatement funds for the purchase.

Commissioner Gilmore asked about long-term maintenance; staff explained that Salesforce provides low-code solutions and the agency is hiring a dedicated IT position.

Decisions: Approved unanimously, 19-0. The authorization allows the executive director to enter the contract, extend it up to 12 months, and amend as necessary.

BARC Paused: Regional Collaboration Agency Sidelined Without Public Input

Why it matters: The Bay Area Regional Collaborative is the only state agency mandated to ensure cooperation among BCDC, MTC, ABAG, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Its suspension could weaken regional coordination on climate, transportation, and housing.

Where things stand: Chair R. Zachary Wasserman disclosed that Andy Vermeer, executive director of MTC, made an executive decision to pause BARC activities without review by the BARC Board or public input. "The decision to pause has been made without significant public input. It has been made primarily on the basis of the executive directors of MTC and to a lesser degree, the Air District not truly seeing the value" of the collaborative, Wasserman said.

Commissioner Pat Eklund expressed shock, saying ABAG's Executive Board was not consulted, and pledged to raise the issue. Wasserman emphasized the need for regional coordination that goes beyond what individual agencies provide.

What's next: An executive committee of the four agency chairs will meet next week, with a full BARC meeting expected in May.

Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved 19-0, including March 5, 2026, meeting minutes and a cease-and-desist and civil penalty order resolving enforcement case ER2023.063.03 involving unpermitted fill in Vallejo.

• Bay Plan map update (Resolution 2026-01) adopted 19-0 — cartographic changes improve ADA accessibility, colorblind-friendly symbology, updated freight rail data including the SMART Brazos line, and larger fonts. No policy or boundary changes. The amendment will be submitted to the State Office of Administrative Law and NOAA.

• $29M+ in dredging funding secured: The Coastal Conservancy obtained $16.3 million in state construction funds for sediment placement at Bay Area wetlands, combined with approximately $13 million from EPA and Hamilton Wetlands Expansion Project funding from the Pentagon.

• Federal funding risk: Executive Director Larry Goldzband reported that "for the third consecutive year, the Trump administration is proposing to eliminate NOAA's coastal zone management Grants Program," but noted BCDC budgets conservatively assuming no federal funding.

• Richardson Bay cleared: All illegally anchored boats have been removed from Richardson Bay's eelgrass protection zone, per the Richardson Bay Regional Agency.

• Alcatraz emergency permit: Chair Wasserman approved an emergency permit for Alcatraz City Cruises after pile damage at the ferry landing.

• FPPC Form 700 reminder: Commissioners were warned to file financial disclosure forms.

• Sediment and Beneficial Reuse Working Group reported strong engagement — more than 30 consistent participants — on Bay Plan amendment concepts for beneficial reuse of dredge material. A public workshop is planned for June.

• Environmental Justice Working Group reported on BCDC's tribal consultation addendum and new non-mandatory guidance for permit analysts on environmental justice and social equity policies.

• New alternate commissioner: Alexis Strauss Hacker was introduced as the new alternate from the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

• Gas House Cove: Public commenter Dan Clark raised concerns about chemical storage in sediment at a harbor renovation on San Francisco's north shore, urging Commission attention when the permit amendment returns.