March 21, 2023
Economic Development
DATE: March 21, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette J. Beacham, Director of Economic
Development
Craig Murray, Development Project Manager II
Subject:
Sole-Source Contract with Remediation Risk
Management, Inc.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Per the contract terms, three (3) year contract in amount not to exceed $182,446 (FY 2022-23: $87,532, FY 2023-
24: $47,457, FY 2024-25 $47,457) (01369065-400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
May 16, 2006; February 17, 2009; May 21, 2013; April 18, 2017; February 20, 2018; November 19, 2019.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Contract is requested to continue work towards a low
threat closure of original petroleum hydrocarbon
contamination and to address the current additional
requirements by the State of California Regional Water
Quality Control Board to implement work plan and work
related to volatile organic compounds (VOC).
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a sole-source contract with Remediation Risk
Management, Inc. for the continued environmental
management work of the City’s corporation yard as
required by the State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board, in an amount not to exceed $182,446,
with a term from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 –
Economic Development Department (Nannette
Beacham/Craig Murray 510-307-8177).
AGENDA
REPORT
March 21, 2023
DISCUSSION:
The State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) issued a letter to the City dated March 16, 2017, with a requirement for a work plan (pursuant to Section 13267 of the California Water Code) to investigate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pollution and to evaluate related human health and environmental risks at the Richmond Corporation Yard (Site). The Water Board indicated that the Site’s contamination consists of VOCs, including tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE), and the development of this Work Plan is necessary because the VOC contamination may pose risks to human health and the environment.
On January 29, 2016, Remediation Risk Management, Inc (RRM) prepared a report for the site titled Additional Site Assessment Results. Water Board staff subsequently issued its March 16, 2017, letter and opened site cleanup program case #07S0213 related to VOC measurements shown in its January 29, 2016, report. This work plan requirement was in addition to apparent unrelated petroleum hydrocarbons released from the Site’s gasoline, diesel, and kerosene Underground Storage Tanks (USTs).
The Water Board received this VOC work plan by its deadline of May 15, 2017.
The Water Board conditionally approved the work plan on June 9, 2017, and issued a letter on November 9, 2018, requiring the City of Richmond to submit a work plan for confirmatory soil gas sampling. On March 8, 2019, the Water Board issued a letter requiring additional site work to determine if subsurface contamination poses a threat to human health.
RRM has performed continuous critical site environmental assessment and analysis work and uploaded required reports to the Water Board’s GeoTracker site since 2006.
On May 16, 2006, the City Council originally approved an emergency contract with RRM for work based on the Water Board’s letter No. 07-0841 requesting a work plan to determine the extent of soil and groundwater contamination beneath the Corporation Yard. On February 17, 2009, the City Council approved a two-year contract with RRM for investigative work and report submittals required by the Water Board. On May 21, 2013, the City Council approved a three-year contract with RRM for the assessment, monitoring, and reporting of soil and groundwater conditions in and adjacent to the Corporation Yard.
On April 18, 2017, City Council approved a contract with RRM extending three fiscal years through June 30, 2019, and in the total amount of $75,000, for the development of a work plan to investigate VOCs pollution, evaluate related human health and environmental risks at the City of Richmond Corporation Yard, and to continue work on assessment, monitoring, and reporting of soil and groundwater conditions in and adjacent to the City of Richmond’s Corporation Yard, as required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. On February 20, 2018, the City Council approved an amendment to this contract in the amount of $15,863.04 and to extend the term through June 30, 2019. On November 19, 2019, the City Council approved a new three-year contract in
March 21, 2023
the amount of $162,810. Unfortunately, due to an oversight, the contract was not amended in a timely manner resulting in its expiration on June 30, 2022. Work on this project has been performed continuously and City staff is now bringing this contract forward following completion of requested critical work last calendar year.
City staff requests City Council’s approval of a contract with RRM in the amount of $87,532 for the remainder of fiscal year 2022-23 and $47,457 per fiscal year for Fiscal Years 2023-25, for a total contract amount not to exceed $182,446 and with a term through June 30, 2025, to continue work towards a Low Threat Closure of the original petroleum hydrocarbon contamination and to address the current additional requirements by the Water Board to implement the Work Plan and work related to the VOC contamination.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Contract and Sole Source Form