HomeMy WebLinkAbout0183.093-
~ehruary 25, 1993
THE P.O'N'ORABJ .. E Cr1'Y COt7NCIL
Palo Alto, Califo~nia
Attention: Pclicy and Services Committee
Sludge Incinerator Testing -DeteL""lf!ination of COJ!lIIlitt~~_...lflvolvement
in the Consultant Selection
Members of tha Council~
Repp rt in Eti..U
This report requests that the Policy and Services committee
consider ~hether it wishes to review the 6electio~ of a conSUltant
to perform sludge incinerator testing at the Regional Water Quality
Control Plant (RWQCP).
Background
A project entitled -Environmental Studies-fer $500.000 ~as
included on the July 1992 list of proj~~t6 forwarded to the Council
standinq committees for consideration of consultant selection
review. This generic title was intended to cover projects which
mi~ht be required by re9ul~tory agencies during the course of the
year and could not be specifically identified in July. The Policy
and services committee determined that it would review the
consultant sel~ction for the "Environmental S~udies" project.
IU.scussion
New Environmental Protection Agen~y {EPA) regulations published on
February 18, 1993, require the City to test the sludge incinerator
at the RWQCP I to conduct mo-1elir.g using the te$t data, and to
submit a pennit applic.ation within six months from the date ot
publication, which 'Io1ould be August 18, 1993 ~ The estimated
cons:ul tant cost f-or ~5sisting staff to pel'form these tasks is
$50,000.
Although the COmIllit'tee had indicated its desire to revie'W the
consultant selection for the -Environmental Studies~ project in
July, staff is requasting that the Committee reevaluate its
decision ~ith respect to the incinerator testing project for the
following reasons:
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• Scope/cost or the project. The incinerator testi:1g project at
an estimated cost of $50~OOO is mu~h smaller in scope than
envisioned in the -Environmental Studies N project.
• Timing~ Proposals tor the work have just been received from
prospe:ctive consultant.s and are noW' being r:evi.ewed by sto!ft~
The consultar.ts l1av8 indicatec'l that the testing and report
could be completed in &ppro~imately five months. As a result,
the regulatory deadline of August 18, 1993 could not be Met if
staff were to reeurn to the Committee for consultant epproval
at their next scheduled meeting on ~pril 20, 1993. Council
action on the consultant agreement would be delayed from mid
March to m1d-May~
In anticipation ot this timinq problem~ staff has discussed
the ~eadline with EPA representatives. They have indicatad
verbally that the City would most likely not be tin~d if the
deadline 'itlere :missed,' ho· .. eve=, every e.ffort should be malde by
the City to expedite the work.
staff recommends that the Policy and Services Committee determine
whether it wishes to revieW' the selection of a consultant for
performing sludge incinerator testinq at the Regional water Quality
Control Plant.
Respectfully submitted,
PHILIP SOBEL
Hanager r Environmental Comp!ian~e Division
Works
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