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Item M08County of Monroe A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Mayor George Neugent, District 2 The Florida. Key y w) Mayor Pro Tem David Rice, District 4 �r Danny L. Kolhage, District I Heather Carruthers, District 3 Sylvia J. Murphy, District 5 County Commission Meeting January 18, 2017 Agenda Item Number: M.8 Agenda Item Summary #2504 BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: Sustainability TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Rhonda Haag (305) 453 -8774 N/A AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Discussion, direction and status report on the BOCC motion made on 11/14/16 during the BOCC Canal Special Meeting requesting staff to conduct a scientific peer - reviewed study to determine the effects of impaired canal waters on nearshore waters. ITEM BACKGROUND: At the November 14, 2016 special BOCC meeting to discuss the Canal Restoration program and financing options, a motion was passed directing the County Administrator and County Attorney offices to take whatever steps necessary to procure a scientific peer- reviewed study to study the effects of impaired canals to nearshore waters, which would include the completion of wastewater projects through the County and the County's canal restoration demonstration program to date. Specifically, staff was directed to take steps to procure a study to research how the quality of canal waters affects nearshore waters, particularly more than 50 yards offshore. The item will be presented for discussion to the FKNMS Canal Advisory Subcommittee at its next meeting, which is anticipated to be held January 11, 2017. The summary of that discussion will be presented at this January 18, 2017 BOCC meeting to help determine how to move forward with the study. Included in the discussion will be an option for consideration to hire one of the Category C- Environmental Engineering Services firms from the Canal On -Call Request for Qualifications (RFQ), recently issued by the County. The selection committee for the Category C firms meets on January 10, 2017 to select one or more firms to be placed on -call for any needed services. One of those firms could be selected to assist the County with designing the study, developing the formal solicitation for the implementation of it, and an estimated cost of the study. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: 11/14/16: Approval of a motion directing the County Administrator and County Attorney offices to take whatever steps necessary to procure a scientific peer- reviewed study to study the effects of impaired canal waters to nearshore waters. CONTRACT /AGREEMENT CHANGES: N/A STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval to move forward DOCUMENTATION: FINANCIAL IMPACT: Effective Date: N/A Expiration Date: N/A Total Dollar Value of Contract: N/A Total Cost to County: TBD Current Year Portion: TBD Budgeted: Yes and No Source of Funds: Sustainability CPI: No Indirect Costs: Estimated Ongoing Costs Not Included in above dollar amounts: Revenue Producing: No If yes, amount: Grant: N/A County Match: Insurance Required: Additional Details: There are no funds budgeted specifically for this work. However, the Sustainability Department has $75,000 budgeted for Miscellaneous Environmental Professional Services, which is recommended for use towards this project. This amount is anticipated to be more than enough to cover the cost to procure a specialist to assist in preparing the water currents solicitation, but is not anticipated to be enough to cover the cost of the actual implementation of the study. Funds can be budgeted in FYI to cover this implementation cost. REVIEWED BY: Rhonda Haag Completed 12/09/2016 9:41 AM Pedro Mercado Completed 12/11/2016 3:54 PM Pedro Mercado Completed 12/11/2016 3:54 PM Budget and Finance Completed 12/12/2016 10:53 AM Maria Slavik Completed 12/12/2016 10:54 AM Kathy Peters Completed 12/13/2016 10:05 AM Board of County Commissioners Completed 01/18/2017 9:00 AM Monroe County Canal Restoration Discussion Item M -8 January 18, 2017 BOCC Agenda Item Wording . Discussion, direction and status report on the 9& Special Meeting requesting staff to conduct a scie effects of impaired canal waters on nearshore waters. B. Agenda Item Background: At the November 14, 2016 special BOCC meeting to discuss the Canal Restoration program and financing options, a motion was passed directing the County Administrator and County Attorney offices to take whatever steps necessary to procure a scientific peer- reviewed study to study the effects of impaired canals to nearshore waters, which would include the completion of wastewater projects through the County and the County's canal restoration demonstration program to date. Specifically, staff was directed to take steps to procure a study to research how the quality of canal waters affects nearshore waters, particularly more than 50 yards offshore. Included in the discussion will be an option for consideration to hire one of the Category C- Environmental Engineering Services firms from the Canal On -Call Request for Qualifications (RFQ), recently issued by the County. The selection committee for the Category C firms meets on January 10, 2017 to select one or more firms to be placed on -call for any needed services. One of those firms could be selected to assist the County with designing the study, developing the formal solicitation for the implementation of it, and an estimated cost of the study. for the scientific peer- reviewed study to determine the effects of impaired canals waters and sewers on nearshore waters, and vet the Scope of Work through the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program Steering Committee, Technical Advisory Committee, and management committee for input prior to moving forward with the study. 3 FIU recommended waiting on the studyt t i'J`t`e canal restoration demonstration projects to deterrnine''t e technologies in improving the water quality. • EPA funded work ends 09/30117, final report to follow soon after. DEP recommended waiting on the study until the 2017 FKRAD update is completed for the sewer projects and the possible inclusion of the canals in the FKRAD. Update to be completed summer 2017. During the 2017 FKRAD update DEP will compile available data for the nearshore waters WIBIDS (including the Halo Zone and the canals). • It was discussed to wait until this update is complete so this information will be available before moving forward with the proposed study. Some members recommended the scope of work of the proposed study include a thorough literature review of existing, previous studies to avoid duplication of efforts and costs of conducting assessments or studies that may already be available in the scientific literature. An example would be a literature review of the studies referenced in the EPA Publication: Water Quality Concerns in the Florida Keys: Sources, Effects and Solutions - EPA 904 -R -99 -005 September 1999 • A tracer study was recommen d"" Al connection between the canals and nears useful to determine the movement of contaminants from the canals to nearsh`ore waters but it may be of limited value to determine whether the nutrient pollutants in the canal waters originate from land -based sources (wastewater /stormwater) or from the decomposition of organic matter (i.e. seaweed) accumulating in the canals because of the poor hydrology or tidal flushing conditions. • Tracers may be rapidly diluted as they move into nearshore waters, so it may be difficult to measure the effects of canal pollutants farther offshore by only using tracers. • Canal and groundwater waters are all the same waters. Impossible to find out what % of contribution to near shore water quality comes from nutrients from canals versus wastewater versus the Gulf /Everglades. • Don't know how much comes from groundwater contaminants versus the materials in canals. 9 rart i-► - conauct a iiterature r Part B- conduct a hydrological analysis of the connection between canal waters and nearshore waters more than 50 yards offshore, attempting to differentiate between the effects of wastewater versus canal nutrients on nearshore waters. Option i s Do nothing now. Wait for FIU to issue their Final Report on Canal Demos and for DEP to update the RAD. In October /November 2017 revisit the data. Option z : Do Part A now. Issue a Task Order to a Category C Environmental on -call consultant to conduct the literature review and update the EPA White Paper. Complete this before moving on. Get results of FIU Final Report and updated FRAD before proceeding with Part B. Option : Do Parts A and Part B now, do not wait for FIU or DEP. 3A: Issue a Task Order to a Category C consultant 313: Issue an RFP /Q 6 Determine source of funds. Potentially budget funds in M8 budget.