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Comments on potential geologic and seismic hazards affecting Mare Island, Solano County, California

December 1, 2002

This report was prepared in response to a written request from the City of Vallejo, California, to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). By letter of October 4, 2002, the City requested that the USGS "provide advice to the City’s LNG Health and Safety Committee on its review of a potential liquid natural gas project" on the southern portion of Mare Island. The City specifically requested that the USGS advise the committee on potential hazards including fault rupture, earthquake ground motion, soil failure during earthquakes, tsunami and seiche, and landslides. The City requested that the USGS: (1) comment on these hazards, (2) describe its degree of confidence in its opinions, and (3) describe the scope of additional studies that will be needed if the City enters into an agreement with project sponsors. Advice was also requested on the selection of the safe shutdown and operating basis earthquakes as specified in the NFPA 59A standard (NFPA, 2001).


This review of published reports and other publicly available information indicates that all of the hazards on which the USGS was asked to comment should be considered for the proposed project on the southern portion of Mare Island. Available information differs greatly for each of these potential hazards, and adequate understanding for design will require detailed site-specific investigations.

Publication Year 2002
Title Comments on potential geologic and seismic hazards affecting Mare Island, Solano County, California
DOI 10.3133/ofr02425
Authors T.L. Holzer, C. M. Wentworth, W. H. Bakun, J. Boatwright, T.E. Brocher, M. Çelebi, W.L. Ellsworth, J.P.B. Fletcher, E.L. Geist, R. W. Graymer, R. E. Kayen, D. K. Keefer, D. H. Oppenheimer, W.U. Savage, D. P. Schwartz, R. W. Simpson
Publication Type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Series Title Open-File Report
Series Number 2002-425
Index ID ofr02425
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Earthquake Science Center
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