Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Five-Year Agreement with SLR International Corporation (SLR) to Provide Groundwater Investigation and Monitoring Services for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park for an Amount Not To Exceed $178,120. (Recreation and Parks 280)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As the site of the former Alameda Beltline Railroad railyard, Jean Sweeney Open Space Park (Sweeney Park) had soil contamination that was remediated as part of prior phases of the park construction process. However, the possibility of groundwater contamination remains and groundwater monitoring is required by the State of California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC). SLR International (SLR) has been working with the City of Alameda (City) as the project manager for soil contamination remediation at Sweeney Park since 2015. The groundwater investigation and monitoring work was initiated several years ago with SLR; however, delays by DTSC resulted in the City’s agreement with SLR expiring. Staff is now recommending a scope of work that includes, but is not limited to, managing the groundwater remediation program, including installation of monitoring wells and completing all DTSC required reports.
BACKGROUND
There was soil contamination at Sweeney Park, due to its prior use as a railroad switching yard by the Alameda Beltline Railroad. On January 10, 2015, the City approved an agreement with SLR with a work scope that included development of a Soil Management Plan, an Operations and Maintenance Plan, and Land Use Covenants, all based on previously created environmental site assessment documents. In spring 2015, as work began on site, DTSC required additional site soil investigation that increased the number of samples from 25 to 75 at sites not originally identified as contaminated, such as former maintenance buildings that were burned down, other demolished buildings, dirt stockpiles, an underground storage tank, backfilled underground repair pits, creosote coated railroad ties, and at previous areas thought to be cleaned up by Alameda Beltline but that did not meet required standards. On July 25, 2015, the City amended the agreement with SLR to include the additional site investigation and related soil sampling and workplan.
On March 1, 2016, the City Council approved the second amendment to the SLR agreement to provide services that were in response to DTSC’s request for additional site sampling. The second amendment’s scope of work also included oversight and field activities associated with construction, such as field confirmation sampling, dust monitoring, and preparing the Remedial Action Completion Report, which documents all field activities, testing reports and capping of contaminated soils.
On October 17, 2017, the City Council approved a third agreement for groundwater contamination that was discovered during the last soil sampling phase. This work began under the previous agreement’s scope of work with SLR. However, there was a long delay from DTSC and the agreement has expired. At this tiem, a new agreement with SLR is required to continue the work.
DISCUSSION
The scope of work of this new agreement includes the following:
• Finalize the 2018 Groundwater Investigation Report;
• Develop the draft and final Groundwater Remedial Action Workplan;
• Perform the investigation through groundwater sampling and monitoring well installation;
• Write a Supplemental Groundwater Investigation and Monitoring Well Installation Report;
• Perform the required four quarters of groundwater monitoring;
• Write the required two semi-annual monitoring reports; and
• Conduct an annual cap inspection and reporting for five years.
There are options included for additional documentation and monitoring well abandonment, if required by DTSC.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives include:
• Authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement with SLR for groundwater remediation work at Sweeney Park.
• Direct staff to conduct a new Request for Proposals (RFP) process to identify and select a consultant to conduct the groundwater remediation work. This will extend the timeline and utilizes the competitive RFP process; however, it will most likely be less cost effective for the City since SLR is closely familiar with the Sweeney Park site contamination issues as it has been the consultant since the start of the project.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There are available funds for this agreement in the Capital Improvement Project Fund 310, Project 91309, Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Funds were originally allocated by City Council in 2017 for the third agreement amendment with SLR.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action has no effect on the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On July 15, 2014, the City certified the Jean Sweeney Park Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project. The MND found that the park project has minimal environmental impacts, and those that do occur are related to the construction period (e.g. dust, construction traffic, etc.) Those potential impacts were identified and mitigations were adopted to minimize those impacts.in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). No further review is required for this decision to approve the groundwater investigation and monitoring services contract for the project.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Groundwater contamination is a health concern in regards to sea level rise which can bring contaminants up to the surface. Monitoring and addressing any potential groundwater contamination is critical for the community’s health and safety.
RECOMMENDATION
To authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year agreement with SLR International Corporation (SLR) to provide Groundwater Investigation and Monitoring Services for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park for an amount not to exceed $178,120.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Due to the critical nature of this work the City Manager recommends approval.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Annie To, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. SLR Service Provider Agreement
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager