TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC), for a term of five years, to upgrade and reprioritize the research needs agenda and expand web capabilities to make Stormwater Monitoring Coalition products available for use in complying with United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) requirements. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Stormwater regulators and municipal stormwater management agencies throughout Southern California have developed a collaborative working relationship. The goal of this relationship has generally been to develop the technical information necessary to better understand stormwater mechanisms and impacts and ultimately develop the tools that will effectively and efficiently improve stormwater decision-making, which contributes to compliance with US EPA TMDL requirements. There was early recognition that these issues are oftentimes not localized, but typically cross watershed areas and jurisdictional boundaries. This relationship culminated in a formal agreement (D99-072), signed in 2001, by the Phase I Municipal Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) lead permittees, the NPDES regulatory agencies in Southern California and Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) to create the SMC.
The SMC's initial project was to create a five-year research plan. A team of experts convened a three-day workshop to create a plan that focused around three main themes: building a monitoring infrastructure, understanding mechanisms and processes, and assessing receiving water impacts.
The original five-year research plan has served the SMC well. Ten of fifteen project areas in the five-year agenda were completed and nearly all have had an immediate impact on the regulatory structure for municipal stormwater agencies. As a result, a number of the initial issues raised by the SMC have been addressed. However, a new set of issues has arisen in the past few years
SMC now seeks to update the original five-year research agenda. The objective will be to identify data gaps that inhibit effective stormwater management and/or regulation, and then prescribe specific studies to address them. Each study is intended to result in specific actions or recommendations that benefit water quality.
The total cost to update the original SMC five-year research agenda is $65,000. The City's portion for contribution to this project is $3,421.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy Webber on May 29, 2012 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on May 31, 2012.
SUSTAINABILITY
The information, tools, and support gained from participation in this MOA contribute tremendously to the City's efforts to comply with US EPA TMDL requirements. The end result will help to identify and abate pollutants, bacteria, and hazardous materials, which will lead to improved water quality in the City's beaches, harbors, rivers, and bays.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this item is requested on June 19, 2012, to secure the City's participation in the MOA and reduce the amount of bacteria and metals pollutants in the Alamitos Bay.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total anticipated cost for this MOA is $3,421. Sufficient funds are budgeted in the General Fund (GP) in the Department of Public Works (PW). There are no local jobs impacted by this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted
MICHAEL P. CONWAY
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER