Title
a. Approve the submittal of a Brownfields Program Cleanup Grant application to the United States Environmental Protection Agency; and
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, or his designee, to act as the Agent for the County in processing all documentation to secure the grant funds.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve the submittal of a Brownfields Program Cleanup Grant application to the United States Environmental Protection Agency; and
b. Authorize the Director of Public Works, or his designee, to act as the Agent for the County in processing all documentation to secure the grant funds.
SUMMARY:
Approval of the recommendations will allow the Resource Management Agency-Public Works (RMA-PW) to apply for a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Program Cleanup Grant for up to $200,000 to cleanup soil contamination at the San Lucas Branch Library Project site.
DISCUSSION:
In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was enacted to help states and communities around the country cleanup and revitalize brownfields sites. A Brownfields site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. The site of the San Lucas Library Project, Project 8548, currently underway, is a likely candidate to receive such grant funding.
In January 2012, the Board confirmed the $1 purchase of the property site at 54692 Teresa Street in San Lucas planned for the construction of a new library facility for the community of San Lucas. In July 2013, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Report was completed for the site that identified soil contamination, which must be remediated prior to the beginning of construction. Estimated cleanup cost is $286,000. As this cost was not anticipated when the project was funded, the project is presently underfunded by $286,000. RMA-PW is requesting approval to apply for up to $200,000 in EPA grant funding to cover a substantial amount of the funding shortfall. Additional funding sources, including other grants, will be explored to address the remaining unfunded balance.
Fiscal Year 14 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant Request for Proposals were released in October 2013, with proposals due within 60 days, by approximately the end of November. Due to such a short grant application timeline and the limited scheduled meeting dates of the Board of Supervisors in November, staff is unable to provide a draft application for Board approval. The grant application process will follow the general steps outlined in the EPA Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet (attached). If the County's application is successful in securing funding, staff will return to the Board for authorization to accept the grant award.
EPA cleanup grants provide funding to carryout cleanup activities at specific Brownfield sites that are solely owned by applicants who are not the cause of the contamination. Individual applicants can apply for up to $200,000 per Brownfields site. Applicants are required to provide a 20-percent cost share for cleanup grants in the form of a contribution of money, labor, materials, or services, but the cost share cannot include administrative costs. Applicants can request a waiver of the 20-percent cost-share requirement based on hardship. The performance period for cleanup grants is three years. In accordance with EPA grant requirements, the County will provide the San Lucas community notice of its intent to apply for an EPA Brownfields Grant and also allow the community an opportunity to comment on the draft application.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
RMA-PW has worked closely with Monterey County Free Libraries (MCFL) during all stages of the project and Monterey County Health Department-Environmental Health Division during the Phase II Environmental Site Assessment. Staff has also worked closely with EPA's Region 9 Brownfields Office to complete the Phase II Site Assessment and Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to the General Fund. With Board approval, RMA-PW will apply for the maximum grant amount of $200,000. If grant funds are awarded, they will significantly close the funding shortfall of $286,000. Staff will work with MCFL to identify funding opportunities to subsidize the unfunded balance of $86,000. Total project cost is $1,331,197. The project is currently funded with $344,187 in Capital Funds; $1,010 in an Excess Sales Deposit; $350,000 donation from the Foundation for MCFL; and $350,000 grant from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.
Prepared by: Florence Kabwasa-Green, Management Analyst II, (831) 755-4805
Approved by:
__________________________________________
Robert K. Murdoch, P.E., Director of Public Works
Approved by:
__________________________________________
Benny J. Young, RMA Director
Dated: October 28, 2013
Attachments: Project Budget; EPA Brownfields Cleanup Fact Sheet; Location Map (Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board)