05-18-12 BPU RPT 05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R E N E R G Y I I F E RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE. May 18, 2092 ITEM NO: 5 SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE RIVERSIDE NORTH AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY PROJECT ISSUE: That the Board of Public Utilities consider approval of an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with RBF Consulting, in a not-to-exceed amount of$105,000,for professional consulting services to finalize and certify the Environmental Impact Report for the Riverside North Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities approve an amendment to the contract with RBF Consulting for the preparation and certification of an Environmental Impact Report(EIR)forthe Riverside North Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project in an amount not-to-exceed $105,000. BACKGROUND: In October 2008, the City of Riverside, Western Municipal Water District (WMWD), and San Bernardino Municipal Water District (SBVMWD)jointly entered into a cost sharing agreement to prepare an EIR for the Riverside North Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project, and a contract in the amount of$495,322 was awarded to RBF Consulting to prepare the EIR. The Project will entail the construction of an inflatable dam to retain storm flows from the Santa Ana River for recharge. During the course of the development of the EIR, significant revisions were made to the document based on results of storm flow modeling and the December 2010 Fish and Wildlife Service's designation of the Project area as critical habitat for the Santa Ana Sucker(SAS). The storm flow modeling required additional efforts to study an alternative location for the inflatable dam. The critical habitat designation for the SAS required an additional evaluation of storm flows and sediment movement downstream of the inflatable dam to the RIX wastewater treatment facility. As a result, the budget was fully expended to address these new issues. The City and its project partners solicited RBF Consulting to issue a revised scope of work that would result in a completed EIR. RBF provided a proposal of$105,000 to complete and certify the EIR. The revised scope of work will update the pertinent biological studies which are outdated and make all updates pertaining tothe new dam location. The biological studies need to be updated to account for the period when the project was placed on hold to challenge the Soil Safe project which proposed to import contaminated fill adjacent to the proposed recharge facilities. SBVMWD's Board has approved the revised scope of work pending an updated cost sharing agreement and WMWD is in the process of obtaining its Board's approval. The cost to complete the revised scope of work will be equally shared by the City and its project partners with each entity paying$35,000. The updated cost sharing agreement will be presented to the Board for approval on a future date.