City Council
July 15, 2025
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Josh Rowan
City Administrator Interim Director, Oakland
Public Works
SUBJECT: Accept and Appropriate Caltrans
Funding for Trash Capture Projects
DATE: June 9, 2025
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To: (1) Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Funding In An Amount Not-To- Exceed Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000.00) From The California Department Of Transportation (Caltrans) Cooperative Implementation Agreement (CIA) Program To Design And Manage The Three Large Trash Capture Devices Project (Project) In East Oakland At 45th Avenue And San Leandro Street, 47th Avenue And The Union Pacific Railroad Tracks (UPRR), And 85th Avenue And G Street, (2) Enter Into A CIA With Caltrans To Implement The Project, (3) Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Funding In An Amount Not-To-Exceed Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) From The Caltrans 2026 State Highway Operation And Protection Program To Construct The Project, (4) Enter Into A Financial Contribution Only (FCO) Agreement With Caltrans To Implement The Project, And (5) Make Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of the proposed resolution will authorize the City Administrator to apply for, accept, and appropriate Caltrans funding for the Three Large Trash Capture Devices (Project), to enter into two agreements with Caltrans including a Cooperative Implementation Agreement (CIA) (see Attachment A – draft CIA) and a Financial Contribution Only (FCO) Agreement (see Attachment B – draft FCO agreement) to implement the Project, and to adopt the appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings. The Project will install a large full trash capture (FTC) device underground at three East Oakland locations (45th Avenue and San Leandro Street, 47th Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks (UPRR), and 85th Avenue and G Street) and connect each device to the upstream storm drainage system to collect trash before it reaches San Leandro Bay and San Francisco Bay (see Attachment C – Project maps). The three FTC device installations will help the City meet trash load reduction regulations set forth in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP 3.0) issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board), which mandates significant reductions in trash and pollutants entering Oakland’s waterways and the San Francisco Bay. The three devices will treat stormwater runoff from approximately 3,232 acres of urban land in Oakland, which Jestin Johnson (Jul 3, 2025 08:36 PDT)
07/03/2025
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accept and Appropriate Caltrans Funding for Trash Capture Projects Date: June 9, 2025 Page 2
City Council
July 15, 2025
includes 102 acres of Caltrans jurisdiction. The project will also provide Caltrans with alternative compliance credits under their statewide NPDES stormwater permit and support Oakland’s broader efforts to enhance water quality, protect environmental health, and meet long-term regulatory obligations.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The City of Oakland (City) is regulated under MRP 3.0, which requires Bay Area cities to reduce trash discharges from their storm drain systems by 100 percent by June 30, 2025, relative to baseline levels established in circa 2009.
In 2019, the City identified five large full trash capture (FTC) project sites that, if constructed, would treat approximately 159 acres of stormwater runoff from Caltrans right-of-way (ROW).
Based on this analysis, Caltrans authorized funding in 2021 and 2022 for the design and construction of two projects: the Mandela Parkway and Cary Avenue Trash Capture projects.
These two projects were completed in 2024 and now remove trash from approximately 57 acres of Caltrans ROW and 1,349 acres of Oakland’s urban landscape.
The City is now requesting Caltrans funding to complete the remaining three FTC projects, located at 45th Avenue and San Leandro Street, at 47th Avenue and UPRR, and at 85 th Avenue
and G Street. Once constructed, these systems would treat an additional 102 acres of Caltrans right-of-way. These improvements would prevent significant volumes of trash from entering San Leandro Bay, which connects to San Francisco Bay. In addition, the commitment to design and construct these projects demonstrates to the Regional Water Board the City’s intention to maintain 100 percent trash load reduction. Caltrans would also benefit by receiving alternative compliance credits under their NPDES stormwater permit for funding improvements in Oakland.
These projects satisfy the commitment to deliver large trash capture projects in East Oakland in the Fiscal Year 2025-2027 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Implementing the Project will support Oakland’s citywide goal of creating vibrant, sustainable infrastructure by funding $28,000,000.00 in design and construction costs for three large full trash capture (FTC) devices. These devices will help the City meet clean water environmental goals and comply with the Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP 3.0) requirements by significantly reducing the amount of trash entering San Leandro Bay and the San Francisco Bay.
Once installed, each FTC device will capture trash from specific areas of Oakland. The MRP 3.0 trash load reduction credit will be calculated and reported to the Regional Water Board. Once constructed, as long as the devices are properly maintained and operational, the City will continue to receive credit toward MRP compliance. FTC devices can take various forms, including small storm drain inlet screens installed in storm drain catch basins and large devices, such as hydrodynamic separators and double screen bar boxes (DSBBs), installed underground. Devices installed must be certified by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and must trap trash 5 millimeters and larger. The devices also help to trap Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accept and Appropriate Caltrans Funding for Trash Capture Projects Date: June 9, 2025 Page 3
City Council
July 15, 2025
sediment in stormwater and the pollutants that adhere to sediment, including traces of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), oil, and grease. FTC devices are maintained according to the MRP requirements (typically twice per year), and trash and sediments are properly disposed of.
Together, the three new FTC devices will treat runoff from 3,232 acres, including 102 acres of Caltrans ROW. Using one large device to treat many acres is a highly efficient approach, reducing the need for numerous smaller devices requiring labor-intensive maintenance. Once operational, each large FTC unit will continuously capture trash and prevent it from entering the City’s waterways.
The City has experience operating these systems, with 12 similar large FTC devices already installed in areas such as East Oakland, the waterfront, and around Lake Merritt. These devices have performed reliably and have generally required only routine maintenance. 1 To fund the
proposed projects, the City submitted a Notice of Intent (see Attachment D) to Caltrans to apply for and enter into two funding agreements to implement the Project: 1) a Caltrans Cooperative Implementation Agreement for $8,000,000.00 to design and manage the Project, and 2) a Caltrans Financial Contribution Only (FCO) Agreement for up to $20,000,000.00 to construct the Project. This partnership builds on previous successful collaboration—Caltrans previously funded two large FTC projects at Mandela Parkway and Cary Avenue, completed in 2024, which now treat runoff from 57 acres of Caltrans right-of-way and 1,349 acres of Oakland’s urban landscape.
With Caltrans funding, the City will receive trash load reduction credit for the treatment of 102 acres of Caltrans right-of-way. The three new FTC devices located at 45th Avenue and San Leandro Street, 47th Avenue and UPRR, and 85th Avenue and G Street were selected for their high trash capture benefit in areas of shared interest between the City and Caltrans. Installation of the 45th Avenue and the 47th Avenue FTC devices is expected to be completed in 2028.
Installation of the 85th Avenue FTC device is expected to be completed in 2029. This Project will help the City meet its MRP requirements and avoid potential fines, permit violations, and third- party lawsuits. The proposed FTC devices represent a cost-effective, long-term solution to improve water quality and protect Oakland’s waterways.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this Project will be accepted and appropriated as follows: $28,000,000.00 into California Department of Transportation Fund (2140), Storm Drainage Account (57414), Watershed Engineering and Design Organization (92245), Project number to be determined.
The City will assume the operation and maintenance (O&M) for the three devices. Annual O&M costs will start at approximately $47,000 in Fiscal Year 28-29 (includes equipment and labor costs to maintain three large trash capture devices twice per year). The City will also need to purchase additional equipment to service the new trash capture devices, including a combination flusher/vacuum truck (one-time expense of approximately $1.25 million for a battery electric version when they become available) and a new crew service truck (one-time expense of approximately $800,000 for a battery electric version). The O&M and new
1 One large trash capture project at 73rd and International requires replacement of broken weirs and Oakland Measure U Infrastructure Bond funding was requested for the project in the proposed fiscal year 2025-2027 budget.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accept and Appropriate Caltrans Funding for Trash Capture Projects Date: June 9, 2025 Page 4
City Council
July 15, 2025
equipment funds will need to be budgeted and available beginning in Fiscal Year 2028-2029 in Storm Drainage Maintenance Organization (30532).
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The Project will include early notification of adjacent properties and businesses of pending design and construction. Project management staff will ensure that interested external stakeholders have the opportunity to engage during project design, particularly stakeholders and community members most impacted by racial or other disparities. The project locations were selected based on a technical feasibility analysis included as an attachment to Attachment D, the 2019 Trash Capture Device Hydraulic Analysis. However, stakeholders and community members will have the opportunity to communicate with project management staff about how the project could impact them and will be able to make reasonable requests to reduce the impact. Project management staff will design the project to minimize impacts to adjacent properties and businesses.
Public outreach will be conducted in accordance with City language access policies. Public outreach will include information about Oakland’s multi-pronged approach to a clean City, which includes engineering solutions such as large and small trash capture devices that are largely unseen and located within the storm drainage system, and multiple on-land trash reduction measures such as illegal dumping removal, street sweeping, and environmental education
campaigns, park maintenance, business inspections and enforcement, and volunteer cleanups through the City’s Adopt a Spot program.
Staff will share project progress with interested parties and promote the project on the City of Oakland website and social media channels
COORDINATION
Project management staff will continue coordinating with Caltrans and will coordinate with United Pacific Railroad, Oakland’s Department of Race and Equity, Caltrans, Oakland Public Works Storm Drainage Maintenance Division, and the Department of Economic and Workforce Development. This report and resolution has been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Funding from Caltrans will fully cover the cost of design and installation of three new stormwater large, certified, full trash capture devices. The implementation of this cooperative project will help the City to cost-effectively meet regulatory requirements with a much lower financial commitment than if the City were to implement a similar project on its own. Compliance with regulations also reduces the risk of penalty fines and legal action associated with violations.
Environmental: The project will prevent a significant amount of trash and other stormwater from pollutants from entering San Leandro Bay, which is connected to San Francisco Bay, by Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accept and Appropriate Caltrans Funding for Trash Capture Projects Date: June 9, 2025 Page 5
City Council
July 15, 2025
trapping the pollutants in the storm drainage system and then removing and properly disposing of the material. This Project will improve water quality and shoreline conditions along Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Park, home to one of the largest populations of ridgeway rail, a federally endangered bird species. San Leandro Bay’s wetlands and open water areas are habitat to myriad birds, fish, and other wildlife and are part of the internationally recognized San Francisco Bay Wetlands of International Importance (see San Francisco Bay/Estuary (SFBE) | Ramsar Sites Information Service).
Race & Equity: The Project will install large full trash capture devices underground in neighborhoods mapped as medium priority (45th Avenue and San Leandro Street), high priority (47th Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks), and highest priority (85th Avenue and G Street – where the storm drainage system discharges to Elmhurst Creek which connect to San Leandro Bay) for investment by the City of Oakland to achieve racial equity (see the OakDOT Geographic Equity Toolbox, City of Oakland | OakDOT Geographic Equity Toolbox) and will satisfy the commitment to deliver large trash capture projects in East Oakland in the Fiscal Year 2025-2027 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) which prioritizes projects on a range of prioritizations factors which include equity.
Reduced trash flows from the storm drain system will improve water quality, aesthetics, and health of nearby downstream water bodies and shorelines within the Coliseum Airport Planning Area, mapped as having one of the highest percentages of pollution burden by the CalEnviroScreen, meaning that a high number of residents in this area are impacted by disparities in pollution burden. Reducing trash and water pollutant inputs to Elmhurst Creek and San Leandro Bay will benefit community members that visit these waterways and will support the City’s goals to eliminate the impact of racial disparities in pollution burden for its residents.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
That the City Council finds that the Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) and 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land), as the Project involves the construction of small-scale, subsurface trash capture infrastructure within existing rights-of-way and minor trenching and backfilling with surface restoration and no removal of protected trees or impacts to sensitive resources.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accept and Appropriate Caltrans Funding for Trash Capture Projects Date: June 9, 2025 Page 6
City Council
July 15, 2025
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To: (1) Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Funding In An Amount Not-To-Exceed Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000.00) From The California Department Of Transportation (Caltrans) Cooperative Implementation Agreement (CIA) Program To Design And Manage The Three Large Trash Capture Devices Project (Project) In East Oakland At 45th Avenue And San Leandro Street, 47th Avenue And The Union Pacific Railroad Tracks (UPRR), And 85th Avenue And G Street, (2) Enter Into A CIA With Caltrans To Implement Project, (3) Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Funding In An Amount Not-To-Exceed Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) From The Caltrans 2026 State Highway Operation And Protection Program To Construct The Project, (4) Enter Into A Financial Contribution Only (FCO) Agreement With Caltrans To Implement The Project, And (5) Make Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings.
For questions regarding the Three Large Trash Capture Devices Project (Project) In East Oakland, please contact Terri Fashing, Watershed and Stormwater Management Division and DD Program Manager, at (510) 238-7276.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSH ROWAN
Interim Director, Oakland Public Works
Reviewed by:
Liam Garland, Interim Assistant Director
Bureau of Design and Construction
Prepared by:
Terri Fashing, Division Manager
Watershed and Stormwater Management
Division
Attachments (4):
A: Draft Cooperative Implementation Agreement Oakland Phase II FTCs Soft Costs B: Draft Financial Contribution Only Agreement Oakland Phase II FTCs Construction C: Three Large Trash Capture Project Maps
D: Letter of Intent to Caltrans
Josh Rowan (Jul 2, 2025 14:54 PDT)