RSSA CAG

The Richmond Southeast Shoreline Area Community Advisory Group (RSSA CAG) works with the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the agency that oversees some of the toxic site cleanup along Richmond’s shoreline, on our community’s behalf.

Keep Out sign on fence at Zeneca site in Richmond, CA.
Looking towards San Francisco Bay from Stege Marsh, part of the UC Richmond Field Station.
Testing wells for water sampling at Marina Bay, Richmond, CA.

The CAG’s History

The Richmond Southeast Shoreline Area Community Advisory Group (RSSA CAG) was launched in 2005 after community activist Ethel Dotson, who lived near the toxic Zeneca site in the 1950s-60s, successfully petitioned the DTSC to form such a group. 

Duties of the CAG

This all-volunteer group is a platform for community members to learn about and discuss cleanup activities at toxic sites overseen by the DTSC along Richmond’s shoreline, including Zeneca, University of California’s Richmond Field Station and Marina Bay. It reviews all toxic site cleanup documents and provides comments to the DTSC, while encouraging public engagement via its monthly meetings.

FAQs

  • According to the DTSC, a community advisory group, or CAG, “is a group of volunteers who represent the composition, diversity and interest of the local community. The CAG provides an opportunity for all affected and interested community members to openly learn, discuss and provide advice to DTSC regarding cleanup activities at sites that have DTSC regulatory oversight.”

  • The RSSA CAG is our closest partner and ally. We collaborate on important issues like the Zeneca cleanup and sea level rise. We also archive research and data for the CAG on this website to make information available to everyone. Like the rest of the Richmond community, we rely on the CAG to represent us in discussions with DTSC and to keep us informed about plans and decisions.

  • The CAG meets the second Thursday of each month, 6:30–9 p.m. Pacific Time. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held via Zoom. To get the Zoom Meeting Invite, submit a request on our “Contact Us” page.

    To join via landline/telephone:

    +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
    +1 669 219 2599 US (San Jose)

    +1 213 338 8477 US (Los Angeles)

    Once you’ve connected to Zoom, enter the Meeting ID:  826 0348 9820.

    Then you might be asked to enter the Passcode: 742599 

  • There are about 15 active members. To apply, attend a meeting and request a member application. The membership committee will assess your ability to contribute and share information with the broader community. The ability to contribute time to the CAG’s efforts matters a great deal; simply attending the monthly meeting is insufficient.