HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-01-13 City Council (16)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:
FROM:
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
AGENDA DATE:
SUBJECT:
JANUARY 13, 1997 CMR:lll:97
PAYMENT FOR PALO ALTO’S SHARE OF THE SAN
FRANCISCO BAY REGIONAL MONITORING PROGRAM
REQUEST
This report requests that Council approve the payment of an invoice from the San
Francisco Estuary Institute (previously named the Aquatic Habitat Institute) in the amount
of $32,378, as required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board)
for Palo Alto’s share of the upcoming year’s (fifth year) San Fkancisco Bay Regional
Monitoring Program. Funds are available in the Regional Water Quality Control Plant
(RWQCP) FY 1996-1997 operating budget to cover this expense.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council approve the payment of the attached $32,378 invoice from
the San Francisco Estuary Institute.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Funding of the Regional Monitoring Program continues the policy of complying with all
reasonable regulatory requirements for assessing the impact of the RWQCP’s discharge
to San Francisco Bay.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In earlier years, the RWQCP has conducted, through consultant agreements, monitoring
of Bay water, sediment, and tissue. Four years ago, the Regional Board’s Executive
Officer required dischargers to conduct a more carefully coordinated effort pursuant to
Section 13267 of the State Water Code. The Regional Board hired the San Francisco
Estuary Institute (SFEI), a non-profit organization, to manage a large portion of the
monitoring program and to collect payments from all the program participants. SFEI has
hired several consultants to conduct the sampling and perform the analyses. This unified
approach has reduced costs by minimizing overhead and has eliminated coordination
problems that would normally arise due tO the number of cities and consultants involved.
Last year, Council approved the payment for Palo Alto’s share of the fourth year of this
program.
CMR:lll:97 Page 1 of 2
Again this year, twenty-two locations throughout the Bay will be monitored three times per
year. Water, sediment,: and tissue samples will be taken and analyzed over time to~
determine compliance with water quality standards and trends. A formula was developed,
including pollutant loading and a base fee, to determine the share each discharger must
pay. The first year, the RWQCP’s share was $30,185 out of a total budget of $1,150,000
(about 2 1/2 percent). The second year, primarily due to an increase in the number of
sampling stations including an additional station in the South Bay, the total program cost
increased to $1,850,000. Therefore the RWQCP’s share was increased to $34,559. The
third year, the total program cost increased to $2,000,000; however, Palo Alto’s share was
reduced to $33,110. This slight decrease was due to the fact that last year there were
additional agencies sharing the cost of the program as compared to the second year. The
fourth year, the total program cost was increased to $2,250,000, and Palo Alto’s share was
$27,724.
Again, although special projects were added increasing the program’s total cost, Palo
Alto’s share was reduced due to additional agencies sharing the cost. This year, the total
program cost has been increased to $2,519,000 and Palo Alto’s share is $32,378. Palo
Alto’s share increased this year because the total program cost increased, while the
number of agencies sharing the cost remained the same.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact is a total of $32,378, for which funds are available in the RWQCP 19962
1997 operating budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The Regional Monitoring Program does not constitute a project under the California
Environmental Quality Act and, therefore, an environmental assessment has not been
performed.
ATTACHMENTS
San Francisco Estuary Institute invoice dated October 31, 1996.
PREPARED BY:Suzanne Healy, Associate Engineer, Environmental Compliance
Division
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
~ENN S. ROBE~]~
ity Manager
CMR:lll:97 Page 2 of 2
18@ R|ch~Iond F|eld Station
1325 South 46th Street
Richmond, California 94804
Office (510) 231-9539
Fax (510) 231-9414
October 31, 1996
Phil Bobel
City of Palo Alto
2501 Embarcadero Way
Palo Alto, CA 94303
INVOICE NO.RMP/16/I
DESCRIPTION:
Implementation of the Regional Monitoring Program as required by the
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Full Annual Payment
First Quarterly Payment (due 12/15/96)
¯$32,378
$8,094.50
Previous Payments Received
Past Due
-0-
PLEASE MAKE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO THE REGIONAL MONITORING
PROGRAM AND REMIT TO:
REGIONAL MONITORING PROGRAM
C/O SFEI
1325 SOUTH 46TH STREET
RICHMOND, CA 94804