RICHMOND — As the earth warms, the sea rises and cities along the San Francisco Bay waterfront are being ordered by the state to prepare for higher tidal surges in the years to come. In the East Bay, the city of Richmond is already looking toward that day, with a wary eye on the challenges that come from the city’s industrial legacy. During World War II, Richmond gained its reputation as a “can do” industrial city as it cranked out ships for the war effort. Over the years, when companies produced toxic waste, they simply dug a hole and buried it. “There are contaminated sites along the shoreline we need to also be concerned about,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia. “How will sea level rise affect contamination along our industrial shoreline here in Richmond and Contra Costa? That’s a big issue.” At a community meeting Saturday afternoon, city and county leaders began discussions on a state-mandated “Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan” to deal with sea level rise. It’s something every waterfront city must do in the coming years but councilmember Gayle McLaughlin said Richmond faces special challenges. “We do have some of our shoreline now that is just left vacant but underneath the surface are a lot of toxins,” she said. That’s a problem because projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that, as the sea rises, more industrial areas of the city could be affected. One of those sites is the former Zeneca chemical plant. It’s been fenced off for years with a plan to cover the highly toxic soil with a concrete cap then build 4,000 homes above it. Critics say that will do nothing to stop the effects of sea-level rise. “It will cause the groundwater to make contact with the toxins and […]