TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a Memorandum of Agreement, including subsequent amendments, with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, for the implementation of the Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program for the Dominguez Channel Watershed with other participating agencies under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit, for an annual amount not to exceed $25,000 for the initial year, and annually thereafter, escalated by 2 percent, for a three-year term. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach (City) is subject to waste discharge requirements for its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit under Order No. R4-2021-0105, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. CAS004004. The 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA) established the NPDES Program to regulate discharge of pollutants to waters in the United States. The CWA requires water bodies that do not meet water quality standards be placed on an impaired water body list called the Section 303(d) list. For each water body on the list, the state is required to establish total maximum daily loads (TMDL) for each pollutant impairing the water quality standards and are the basis to establish control of the water quality.
The MS4 Permit enables agencies to collaborate through a Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program (CIMP). The CIMP allows Long Beach to comply with Dominguez Channel Watershed monitoring requirements at a lower cost due to collaborative monitoring, reporting, and recordkeeping programs to comply with the MS4 Permit.
On December 11, 2015, the State Water Resources Control Board approved the CIMP for the Dominguez Channel Watershed with the City and other Permittees at the time. This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a renewal for cost-sharing with other Permittees tributary to the Dominguez Channel Watershed for the term of July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026. Permittees include the cities of Los Angeles, Carson, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita, the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, and the County of Los Angeles.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Vanessa S. Ibarra on July 12, 2023, and by Budget Management Officer Nader Kaamoush on June 21, 2023.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on August 8, 2023, to ensure the MOA is in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City’s total annual cost for the MOA will not exceed $25,000 for the initial year, and annually thereafter, escalated by 2 percent, for a three-year term. Sufficient appropriation to support the annual amount is budgeted in the General Fund Group in the Public Works Department. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
ERIC LOPEZ
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER