To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ANDREW WINJE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
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APPROVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITIES OF HERMOSA BEACH, MANHATTAN BEACH, TORRANCE, AND THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION AND COST SHARING FOR MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COORDINATED INTEGRATED MONITORING PROGRAM IN COMPLIANCE WITH MUNICIPAL NPDES STORMWATER PERMIT OBLIGATIONS AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE SECOND AMENDMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over ten years ago, the Cities of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District formed the Beach Cities Watershed Management Group (Beach Cities Group) to partner on various National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) tasks on a regional basis, including the Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program (CIMP). On April 12, 2016, the Beach Cities Group executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperatively fund the management and implementation of the required water quality sampling and monitoring services. Approving the proposed second amendment to the MOU will allow the City to continue the partnership with the Beach Cities Group to implement the CIMP through December 31, 2026, with an option to extend the term for up to two additional years.
BACKGROUND
On September 11, 2021, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Board) adopted the 2021 NPDES Permit No. R4-2021-0105 (Permit) for discharges from the municipal separate storm sewer system within the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles County. The Permit identifies conditions, requirements and programs that municipalities must comply with to protect regional water resources from adverse impacts associated with pollutants in stormwater and urban run-off. The Permit includes increased and expanded monitoring requirements, including applicable Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) monitoring, receiving water monitoring, stormwater outfall-based monitoring, non-stormwater outfall based monitoring, and regional monitoring. The Beach Cities Group revised CIMP was submitted to the Regional Board on March 13, 2023 and the Beach Cities Group is required to implement the program.
The Beach Cities Group previously shared monitoring costs for the Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacteria TMDL and will continue to share this cost, however, the monitoring requirements for compliance with the 2021 NPDES Permit are much more comprehensive. The CIMP includes monitoring for Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacteria TMDL, along with the Santa Monica Bay Toxics TMDL, Dominguez Channel Toxics TMDL, the Dominguez Channel Estuary Toxics TMDL, and a number of additional pollutants of concern.
The primary objectives of the CIMP are to:
1. Assess the chemical, physical, and biological impacts of both nuisance flows and stormwater discharges on receiving waters;
2. Assess compliance with Receiving Water Limitations (RWLs) and Water Quality-Based Effluent Limitations (WQBELs) established to implement TMDL wet-weather and dry-weather waste load allocations (WLAs);
3. Characterize pollutant loads for other pollutants of concern in stormwater system discharges;
4. Identify sources of pollutants in stormwater system discharges; and
5. Measure and improve the effectiveness of pollutant controls implemented under the Permit.
This CIMP is designed to assess compliance with RWLs and WQBELs and provide the information necessary to guide water quality management decisions and assess the effectiveness of watershed source control measures and projects. This CIMP addresses the six required Permit monitoring elements:
1. Receiving Water Monitoring
2. Stormwater Outfall Monitoring
3. Non-Stormwater Outfall Monitoring
4. New and Redevelopment Effectiveness Tracking
5. Regional Studies
6. Special Studies
In addition, this MOU includes a commitment to fund the Report of Waste Discharge to the Board which is required in order for the Beach Cities Group to continue as an NPDES permit holder. The MOU also provides for the hiring of consultants to help with implementation of the CIMP and to assist the Beach Cities Group in watershed planning and coordination. The CIMP MOU further provides for the partner agencies to contribute funds to the City of Manhattan Beach to act on behalf of the Beach Cities Group to procure/manage the necessary contracts with the CIMP Coordination Consultant and CIMP Implementation Consultant. An administration fee of 10% will be paid to Manhattan Beach out of the CIMP Implementation funds to compensate the City for the cost of administering the contracts.
The basis for cost sharing of CIMP Implementation and Coordination is summarized in the table below and is based on the proportional share of land use within the watershed. Having no jurisdiction over land use, but in consideration of its role as a co-Permittee and its responsibility for operation of significant portions of the storm drain system, the Los Angeles County Flood Control District has agreed to assume a 5% share of the CIMP Implementation costs shown in Table 1. Each city in the Beach Cities Group is allocated a percentage share of the remaining total cost, after subtracting the LACFCD 5% cost share, based on each city’s respective land area within the CIMP area. For the City of Redondo Beach, this share is 25% of the remaining Total Cost, as shown in the Table 2 below with a not to exceed amount of $170,447 for FY 2025-26.
Table 2. Implementation & Coordination Costs
COORDINATION
The City Attorney’s Office approved the MOU’s second amendment as to form. The proposed second amendment will be subject to approval by the City of Hermosa Beach, the City of Manhattan Beach, the City of Torrance, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for MOU related expenses is included in the Public Works Department’s proposed budget for FY 2025-26.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Agmt - Second Amendment to the CIMP MOU Between Cities of Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District
• Agmt - CIMP MOU & First Amendment Between Cities of Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District