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June 3, 199.3
THE EONORJl..BLE CI'!'Y CCClliCH.
Wat~rshed Manacernent IJegislation
Merr~ers cf the Council~
Report in Br_ief
Staff re~ests tha~ Council approve the attach~d letter to
Assemhlymember Sher requesting that he intr?duce legis1 ati'~::1 to
authorize the S':ate to pr.-:.pare waters~ed manaqerr-ent plans, to
recommend the most cost-effective '1'.easures for reductior.. of
pollutants discharged tc San Francisco Bay a:!ld other-surface .... aters
of the State.
Discussion
The City of Palo Alto is facing extremely stringent sta.ndards for
the discharges of treated wastewat.er fran the Regional Wate.r
Quality Control Plant {RWQCP) and surface runoff from the City's
stonrr drain system. A recent agreement. with envirc"n~,er.tal groups,
concerning the R~1QCP' s pollution prevent ion progra.m, has greatly
reduced the likelihood that the City will be subjected to litiga
tion in the immediate future. However, therE. remains the possibil
ity that large expenditures by the public and/or private sector may
ultim.ately be needed to eneure compliance with st,'1ndards.
S'Caff requests that Council S'\rpport legislation a":..ltho.r'izing
the St;:.&te to prepare watershed p!'otE:ction pIa:::.; ""bier. add::reEs
environmental protection prioYitie:::;, lir:' . .iLed p~;.l:~ic reSO'.Hces ar.d
economic considerations. One concerr. of lClcal gCVE!HUr,er.ts is that
their municipal sewage discharge is currently scheduled for the
greatest pollutant reductions, because concro:'ltng the.m appears as
the path of least resistance to State and Federal agencies,
especially as co:rnpared with cont.r-ol1ing pollution in uI:ban runoff
and from nonpoint sources such as agricultural and r:-~ine drainage.
The proposed watershed protection pI &~$ would analyzE! the scurces
of pollutants and the cost of controll ing each sCl.;rce. 7his
information would be used to decide which source cun~.rol me3surez
are the most cost effe-:-ti V';o for society and f<.lrther analyze the
site specific nature of each water body, to determine what
s~andards are needed to protect benef lei "",1 U:3es. The purpose of
the legislation is to establish a comprehensive \\ratershed -manage
ment strategy to facilitate implementation of t.he most effect.ive
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and least costly approaches to 'S.3.feg'..:.aT,jir.g rene~iclal "J.ses and
improving wa~er qua.l.ity.
Sta:f requests that Coun'.::il apprc"l-:? a:-:d a:J.t_horiz..:. the :.13yor to
ex<=;cute the attached letter to .!"ssE:lTb::'yme;r.ber Sner.
Respectfully sunrr,itted,
PHILiP BOBEL
Manager, Envi~onmental COCllplia'1ce Division
GLErffl S. ROBERTS
Dir~cto~ of Public Works
City Manager
Attachment: Letter
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The Honorable Byrl'n Sher
Member. State A.ssembly
Assembly N2lttlral Resource Committee
State Capitol
Sacrunento, CA 95814
RE: Watershed ~'1arugemei1t Legislation
Dear Assemhlyman Sber:
~ityg,J'a1(lAlto
OficeftJ[l' A ~:y(J) I'm.! Ci~;/ C7UnciJ
J:.wt:" 8, 1993
Despite continuing reductions in poilutant'> discharged to San Francisco Bay :'.outh of the
Dumbartoa Bridge and encouraging agreements lJ.'ith a coalition of environmental !?rouPS. OUT
City and others are facing extrem·.:ly stringent dis.charge standards for Qur sewage treatment plant
and stann drain system which require further public and private sector expenditures. To ensure
that society's resoun:es are speD: on the most cost effective control measures, we endorse
consideration of legislation to require preparation of watersoe=d pratection and to~ic:: clear. up
programs. The int:nt of these programs is to protect pl.i.bllc health and welfare, enhance the
quality of the State~s waters, and further compliance with federal law penaining to the control
of toxic pollutants in the narion's waters.
We encourage your 5pOn."",rship of 3ppropriare legislation which would result in watershed plans
analyzing the effe<:tivenes'3 of controlling each pollution source, and reconunending reductions
based on the most effecti .... e and least costly measures, 1bis approach will asSUi'e that resources
will not be overspent OD control measures with a weak. ~bang for the buck". We believe that
this concept wiH be supponed by a wide range of interest and that this legislation is. in the best
interes,t of a healthy f"Cosystem a..'1d a healthy econom,} in California,
The City [if Palo Alto urges your spoJlS0[ship of watcr~hed management legislation. Our staff
member, Pb.il Bobel, Manager, Environment<.:l Compliance Division. is available to work with
you and the Assembly Natural Resources Committee staff on crafting and reviewing draft
proposais.
!FAN MCCOWN
Mayor
PB:JM/ko
P.O. Bo\10".5G
p.oo . .6Jto,c-\~~;m
415.J19.2-t7
415.328 .. "h.:,i Fax
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