CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 30 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 41-4678 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: June 16, 2025
SUBJECT:
East 3rd Avenue Landfill Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring – Agreement Amendment RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to appropriate $95,000 from the unassigned balance of the Landfill Fund to the Public Works operating budget; approve Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with Stearns Conrad and Schmidt Consulting, Inc. dba SCS Engineers for monitoring and reporting services for hydrogen sulfide at the landfill in the amount of $57,650, for a new agreement total of $107,405; establish a contingency reserve in the amount of $9,300; extend the term of the Agreement until December 31, 2026; and authorize the Public Works Director to execute the amendment in substantially the form presented and future amendments within the contingency amount.
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Public Works administers professional service agreements for environmental monitoring and reporting services at the closed East Third Avenue Landfill to fulfill post-closure directives from the San Mateo County Environmental Health Services (County). Waste Discharge Requirements require monitoring and reporting for 30 years following the closure of the landfill. Stearns Conrad and Schmidt Consulting, Inc. dba SCS Engineers (SCS) provides groundwater and leachate monitoring and reporting, landfill cover inspections, survey of landfill surface and preparing iso- settlement maps, landfill gas monitoring and reporting, operation and maintenance of the City’s combustible gas monitoring system, and on-call additional consulting services, as needed.
On July 29, 2024, the Department of Public Works awarded SCS an agreement in the amount of $49,775 to perform investigation work in the upland wetland area of the closed East 3rd Avenue Landfill to locate the source of hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) and odor issues. Under this agreement, SCS provided document review, collection of liquid samples, H2S sampling and monitoring, biological assessment, and a ground penetrating radar survey.
Additional investigation work is necessary and requires permits from several regulatory agencies. The scope of work for Amendment No. 1 includes meetings with regulators, staff, and the permitting subcontractor (LSA). SCS will also provide local enforcement agency notifications for work that extends into the toe of the existing landfill slope adjacent to the identified odor source area upon receipt of approved permits.
Additional investigation and potential remediation costs are anticipated in FY 2025-26. The permitting effort included as part of Amendment No. 1 is necessary to advance additional investigation and possible remediation efforts. The proposed Capital Improvement Program Budget for FY 2025-26 includes an estimated $120,000 to support investigation and remediation.
This work is necessary to advance quickly in order to investigate the source of H2S and odor issues. SCS has provided monitoring and reporting for the landfill for the last eight years and has consistently demonstrated a high level of
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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responsiveness, technical expertise, and client advocacy. SCS has a proven track record in helping the City meet all regulatory requirements and deadlines and reducing overall landfill monitoring costs and liabilities.
BUDGET IMPACT:
After accounting for both routine monitoring and a supplemental investigation to evaluate H2S and odor concerns, the available FY 2024-25 budget for landfill monitoring services was exceeded sooner than anticipated. A supplemental budget appropriation of $95,000 of unassigned fund balance in the Landfill Fund is needed to increase the Public Works operating budget and cover the costs already incurred for the investigation, as well as the permitting work required before any further exploratory or remediation efforts can proceed. Sufficient funds are available in the unassigned fund balance of the Landfill Fund for this appropriation.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
Approval of an amendment to the agreement with SCS for continued monitoring, reporting and investigatory work at the East Third Avenue Landfill is exempt from CEQA review as information gathering, because it consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15306.) In addition, approval of a budget appropriation from an unassigned fund balance of the Landfill fund to the Public Works Department operating budget is exempt from CEQA review, because it consists of a government fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
Att 2 – Amendment No. 1
STAFF CONTACT
Jack Johnson, Acting Regulatory Compliance Manager
[email protected]
650-522-7346
Ella Phillips, Regulatory Compliance Inspector
[email protected]
650-522-7343