To: Board of Supervisors
From: Greg Baer, Director of Airports
Report Title: Amendment No. 2 for Contract with Mead & Hunt, Inc., for the ongoing PFAS Investigations and Reporting at Buchanan Field Airport.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Director of Airports, or designee, to execute an amendment to the contract with Mead & Hunt, Inc. to, 1) expand the scope of services, 2) extend the termination date to December 31, 2025, and 3) increase the amount of the contract by $24,504, from $452,160 to $476,664 for the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) work plan and reporting for Buchanan Field Airport. (100% Enterprise Fund) Concord Area (District IV).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The increased contract amount of $24,504, is included in the FY 2024-25 Airport Enterprise Fund budget.
BACKGROUND:
Due to an ongoing investigation by the California State Water Resources Control Board related to the Airport’s use of PFAS, the contract needs to be amended to include additional tasks, the term extended, and the contract amount increased by $24,504.
In March 2019, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) issued Order WQ 2019-0005-DWQ (Order), which requires certain airports, including Buchanan Field Airport, to
(i) conduct a “one-time preliminary site investigation” regarding the storage and use of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), and (ii) obtain a preliminary understanding of PFAS concentrations in soil and/or groundwater resulting from the use of PFAS at the airport. PFAS is a family of more than 3,000 man-made and mostly unregulated chemicals that are resistant to degradation in the environment. PFAS are manufactured globally and have been used in the production of many industrial and household products such as dental floss, non-stick cookware and products, waterproof products, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams. The Order applies to Buchanan Field because Buchanan Field operates pursuant to 14 CFR Part 139, which is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Until recently, through Part 139, the FAA has required the use of firefighting foam agents that contain PFAS. As a result of the Order, the County is required to submit investigation work plans (Work Plan) to the local Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board).
The contract that is the subject of this Board Order will enable Mead and Hunt to finalize Phase 2 of the County’s compliance with the Order. Phase 1 was completed through a separate contract with Mead and Hunt that originated in early 2019. This amendment will add tasks including assisting County staff in monitoring water elevations within an existing well and finalizing a third work plan as required by the Water Board. Because the above mentioned well monitoring must span over 12 months, followed by a summary report to be sent to the Water Board, the new contract termination date will be December 31, 2025.
While it is staff’s hope that the Regional Water Board will conclude its investigation efforts following the County’s submission of the Phase 2 results, additional efforts may be required by the Water Board. Prior to initiating any such efforts, they would be brought to this Board for consideration.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Airports Division does not engage a team to finalize the work plan, it will be in violation with the Regional Water Quality Control Board requirements and could be subject to financial penalties.