HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-11-17 City Council (23)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
5
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY MANAGER
NOVEMBER 17, 1997
DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
CMR:456:97
PAYMENT FOR PALO ALTO’S SHARE OF THE SAN
FRANCISCO BAY REGIONAL MONITORING PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council approve the payment of the attached $25,470.00 invoice
from the San Francisco Estuary Institute (previously named the Aquatic Habitat Institute)
in the amount of $25,470.00 as required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board
(Regional Board) for Palo Alto’s share of the upcoming year’ s (sixth year) San Francisco
Bay Regional Monitoring Program.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
This recommendation is consistent with existing City policies.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In earlier years, the RWQCP conducted, through consultant agreements, monitoring of
Bay water, sediment, and tissue. Five 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 hired several
consultants to conduct the sampling and perform the analyses. This unified approach
reduced costs by minimizing overhead and 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 fifth year of this program.
Again this year, 22 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, taking into
account pollutant loading and a base fee, to determine the share each discharger must pay.
CMR:456:97 Page 1 of 2
Last year, Palo Alto’s share was $32,378. This year, Palo Alto’s share ($25,470) is less
than the previous year because the formula (used to determine the share each discharger
must pay) was modified and also because Palo Alto’s pollutant loadings.have decreased,
which reduces the City’s payment amount.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact is a total of $25,470 for which funds are available in the RWQCP 1997-
1998 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 August 28, 1997.
PREPARED BY:Suzanne Healy,
Division
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
Associate Engineer, Environmental Com gliance
GLENN S. ROBERTS
Director of Public Works
EMILY HARRSION
Assistant City Manager
CMR:456:97 Page 2 of 2
Francisco Estuary Institute
180 Richmond Field Station
1325 South 46th Street
Richmond, California 94804
Office (510) 231-9539
Fax (510) 231-9414
August 28, 1997
Phil Bobel
City of Palo Alto
2501 Embarcadero Way
Palo Alto, CA 94303
INVOICE NO.RMP/1611/97
DESCRIPTION:
Implementation of the Regional Monitoring Program for Trace Substances as required
by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Full Annual Payment
First Quarterly Payment (due 9/30/97)
Previous Payments Received
Past Due
$25,470
$6,367.5O
-0-
-0-
REGIONAL MONITORING PROGRAM
C/O SFEI
1325 SOUTH 46TH STREET
RICHMOND, CA 94804
For W-9 purposes, the San Francis.co Estuary Institute’s Employer Taxpayer Identification
Number (TIN) is 94-2951373.