ITEM: 5

SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE A GRANT AMENDMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGARDING STATE OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES AT: STANFORD LINEAR ACCELERATOR CENTER; LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY; LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY LIVERMORE SITE; AND SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORY.

DISCUSSION: The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) provides the Department of Energy (DOE) with regulatory oversight at four sites within the San Francisco Bay Region. These sites include: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, located in Menlo Park, San Mateo County; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, located in Berkeley, Alameda County: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory both located in Livermore, Alameda County.

Each site has impacted water quality and requires continuing RWQCB regulatory oversight insuring compliance with existing environmental restoration agreements and accepted waste management practices. RWQCB oversight also focuses on the cooperative development of remedial work plans to address other water quality impacts.

POLICY ISSUE: Should the State Water Board authorize the Executive Director or his designee to execute a Grant Amendment with DOE? Approval of the Grant Amendment demonstrates a continued commitment by the State Water Resources Control Board to cooperate with DOE to ensure coordinated State oversight of DOE’s environmental restoration and waste management activities at each site.

FISCAL IMPACT:  The additional resources from DOE will ensure adequate oversight of DOE’s environmental compliance and cleanup efforts. The Grant Amendment will provide approximately $300,000 for State oversight from 1 October 1999 to 30 September 2002. A Section 28 authorization is required and will be processed by DAS.

REGIONAL WATER BOARD IMPACT: San Francisco Bay Regional Board

STAFF RECOMDATION: That the State Water Board adopt a resolution authorizing the Executive Director or his designee to execute the proposed Grant Amendment.

WHEREAS:

1.  Threats to water quality exist at the four United States Department of Energy (DOE) sites within the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (RWQCB) jurisdiction. These sites are: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, located in Menlo Park, San Mateo County; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, located in Berkeley, Alameda County; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore Site and Sandia National Laboratory both located in Livermore, Alameda County.

2.  The DOE has established an Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Plans to bring its facilities into compliance with the letter and spirit of the state and federal environmental laws, regulations, and requirements.

3.  Communication and coordination with State agencies is critical to DOE’s success in this endeavor.

4.  State Board Resolution 94-103 approved the initial DOE grant request providing financial resources of $1,080,167 to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and RWQCB to fund oversight work from 1 October 1994 to 30 September 1999. The grant amendment provides an additional $300,000 to fund oversight work from 1 October 1999 to 30 September 2002.

5.  A grant amendment between the SWRCB and DOE has been drafted which provides funds to the SWRCB and RWQCB and represents a commitment by the RWQCB to conduct oversight of DOE environmental restoration and compliance activities at the DOE facilities on a timely, constructive and fiscally sound basis.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The State Water Resources Control Board authorizes the Executive Director or his designee to execute a grant amendment in the amount of $300,000 with the Department of Energy regarding State oversight of the four DOE facilities within the San Francisco Bay Region.

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the Board, does hereby certify the foregoing is a full, true and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on August 19, 1999.

___________________
Maureen Marché
Administrative Assistant to the Board