Title
Contracts for Development of a Pollutant Load Reduction Tool (B)
This item is a request for the City Commission to approve two (2) contracts needed for the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Pollutant Load Reduction Tool Initiative, one with the University of Florida (UF) and the second with the Florida Stormwater Association Educational Foundation (FSAEF).
Explanation
Since Florida's enactment of the Watershed Restoration Act of 1999, the Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has adopted an Impaired Waters Rule that establishes the process for determining if excess pollutants need to be removed from impaired water body(ies). More recently in April 2008 FDEP published the Orange Creek Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) that identifies impaired water bodies, the cause of the impairment and steps to reduce the impairment. Hogtown Creek, Sweetwater Branch, Tumblin Creek and Alachua Sink are some of the impaired water bodies included in the document. The document identifies each measure, whether used or planned to be used, by the MS4 operators to reduce the excess of the targeted pollutant to acceptable levels.
Analysts working with the processes of the Impaired Water Rule and the following BMAP note that while the standard tool box (i.e. structural, administrative, regulatory or guideline measures) are versatile and allow a wide range of responses, there are other measures that should be included in the tool box, if they are quantified. The development of a Pollutant Load Reduction Tool is an initiative to expand the measures to be included in the tool box.
Florida's MS4 operators, including Gainesville, practice many Best Management Practices (BMP's) when capturing and properly disposing of the sediments associated with stormwater. This activity intercepts pollutants and removes them from the waste stream that is presumptively creating the impaired water body. However, there is not a means to quantify the amount of pollutant removed by each measure and hence, today, no credit for reduction of a pollutant is possible due to these activities. However, if these BMP's are quantified for nutrient removal efficiency, then these activities (i.e. catch basin cleaning, street sweeping and other source control measures) could be counted as contributing to reduction of a pollutant(s) for an impaired water body. Many MS4 operators within the state believe this initiative has much value and are underwriting some of the costs associated with this analysis.
The contract with UF is to perform the technical elements of analysis for the development of the Pollutant Load Reduction Tool through establishing a consistent sampling methodology for use by data gathers, performing laboratory analyses, the supporting statistical analysis and reporting on the results. The companion contract with FSAEF is for funding the UF contract in its entirety. FSAEF through its resources is guaranteeing payment of the cost of the UF contract.
Fiscal Note
The UF agreement in the amount of $185,331 is to pay for the work completed. The FSAEF agreement in the amount of $185,331 is the funding for the UF agreement. The City of Gainesville administrative cost for the contracts is estimated at $2,000 over the two-year period and would be covered by SMU program funding.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) authorize the City Manager to execute the contracts and any necessary documents with the University of Florida and Florida Stormwater Association Educational Foundation, each for $185, 331 for development of the Pollutant Load Reduction Tool, subject to approval as to form and legality by the City Attorney; and 2) issue a purchase order in an amount not to exceed $185,331 for the UF contract.