HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-15-2002 Board Minutes - SpecialOrange County Sanitation District
MINUTES
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
MAY 15, 2002
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
10844 ELLIS AVENUE
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 92708-7018
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ROLL CALL
A special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Sanitation District was
held on May 15, 2002, at 6:00 p.m., in the District's Administrative Offices. Following the
Pledge of Allegiance and invocation the roll was called and the Secretary reported a quorum
present as follows:
ACTIVE DIRECTORS ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
x Norman Z. Eckenrode, Chair Constance Underhill
x Shirley McCracken, Vice Chair Tom Daly
x Mike Alvarez Mark A. Murphy
x Steve Anderson Steve Simonian
x Don Bankhead Jan Flory
A Shawn Boyd John Larson
x Brian Brady Darryl Miller
Debbie Cook x Connie Boardman
x Laurann Cook Larry Crandall
x Brian Donahue David Shawver
x James M. Ferryman Arlene Schafer
x John M. Gullixson Michael Duvall
x Alice B. Jempsa Arthur DeBolt
x Tony Kawashima Tracy Worley
x Beth Krom Greg Smith
x Mark Leyes Bruce Broadwater
Pat McGuigan x Alberta Christy
x Roy Moore Marty Simonoff
x Joy Neugebauer Grace Epperson
x Russell Patterson Richard A. Freschi
x Anna L. Piercy Tim Keenan
x Tod Ridgeway Gary Adams
x Jerry Sigler Jim Dow
x Jim Silva Chuck Smith
x Paul Walker Kenneth Blake
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Blake P. Anderson, General Manager; Penny Kyle, Board
Secretary; Bob Ghirelli; Dave Ludwin; Patrick Miles; Lisa Murphy; Bob Ooten; Gary Streed; Lisa
Tomko; Jeff Reed; Sonja Wassgren; Jennifer Cabral; Lynn Jensen; Juanita Skillman; George
Robertson; Mike Moore; Sam Mowbray; Charles McGee; Kelly Christiansen
OTHERS PRESENT: Thomas L. Woodruff, General Counsel; Alternate Director Grace
Epperson; Don Hughes; Patricia Holden; Cynthia Cudaback; Marlene Noble; Burt Jones; Leslie
Rosenfeld; John Largier; Stanley Grant; Brett Sanders; Don Ito; Art Perry; Sean Fitzgerald;
Larry Honeybourne; Don May; Julia Puentes; Mike Noonan; Chris Previatt; Don Lucas; Robert
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Beardsley; Irwin Haydock; Jan Vandersloot; Larry Porter; Randy Fuhrman; Dennis Baker; Doug
Korthof; Eileen Murphy; Don McGee; Peer Swan; Joan Irvine Smith; Ed Guilmette; G. Van Orie;
Greg Jewell; Don Schulz; Irwin Haydock; Dean Reinemann; Maryanne Skorpanich; Pat
Brennan; Dave Montague; Terry E. Slake; Dave Wielenga; Ann Norris; Phyllis Grifman; Tony
Jones; Karin Moran; David Webb
REPORT OF THE CHAIR
Chair Eckenrode welcomed the research team and peer review panel members and thanked
them for their hard work. He acknowledged this meeting was very important for two reasons:
(1) the long-awaited science regarding the district's ocean discharge would be presented by the
researchers and independent peer review panel of experts, who have examined the data.
These researchers and experts represent highly respected and well-known oceanographic
institutions in the country; and (2) This meeting begins the dialogue that the Board of Directors
must undertake regarding the critical policy decision of what level of wastewater treatment
technology the District should implement in the future that will adequately protect public health
and the environment.
At this meeting, and the next special meeting to be held on June 191h, the Board of Directors will
hear about: (1) The science, and the conclusion of last summer's ocean studies; (2) The
technology, and what treatment process alternatives are available for the Directors'
consideration; (3) The finances, the costs and user fee implications; (4) The regulations, and the
federal and state rules that govern the District; and (5) The public, and what the District has
heard from the public in the form of opinion polls, letters, e-mails and phone calls.
Chair Eckenrode also announced that the regular meeting of May 22nd would be held at
6:30 p.m., go into closed session immediately then convene into regular session around
7:00 p.m.
REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER
The General Manager had no report.
REPORT OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
General Counsel, Thomas L. Woodruff, reported that a great deal of input is expected, both verbal
and written, regarding the level of treatment of the District's ocean discharge. Notice has been given
to all interested parties, and noted on the agenda that the public is urged to submit their remarks in
writing. He also reported that a 30-minute period for public comments would be held at the end of
this evening's presentation.
Summer 2001 Huntington Beach Shoreline Contamination Technical Reports
Bob Ghirelli, Director of Technical Services, stated that this meeting would inform the Board of
Directors on the results of the offshore scientific studies that have been completed, what the
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researchers reviewed along the shoreline, and also begin a dialogue that will be continued over
the coming months, eventually leading to a decision by the Directors on the appropriate level of
treatment that the District will pursue. That decision will provide the direction staff will need to
prepare the application for the District's application for an ocean discharge permit.
Mr. Ghirelli stated the scientists who conducted the studies will be presenting the results of the
investigation that was conducted last summer. The study was authorized by the Directors last
year, and was designed to answer whether the District's treated wastewater discharge is a
contributor to the bacteria contamination problem at Huntington Beach. The researchers are
now ready to report to the Directors the preliminary results, findings, and conclusions of the
studies. The Directors would also hear from other researchers whose work is more focused on
land-based sources.
The beach contamination problem at Huntington Beach is complex and made up of multiple
sources that cumulatively contribute to the problem. In 1999 staff's initial focus was off-shore.
After $2 million of studies, it was concluded that the problem didn't appear to be the plume.
Staff then began looking on-shore and found that urban run-off appeared to be part of the
problem. More research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of what was going on
onshore, in the Talbert Marsh and in the Santa Ana River. A report was prepared by Professor
Stanley Grant and his colleagues at UCI, which was published in November 2000. His report
implicated some of those land-based sources and also suggested that the District's offshore
discharge could be a contributor to the problem, as well.
It was reported that in June the board will be informed on the technology, costs, and rates
associated with various treatment alternatives and the public input. At the regular meeting of
June 261h , the Board of Directors will be asked to make a decision weighing the science and
other factors to make a decision about the appropriate level of treatment.
Kelly Christiansen, Source Control Supervisor, then reviewed the findings that resulted from the
District's onshore investigation. He reported that several sources of land-based contamination
had been identified and corrected.
Dr. Stanley Grant of UCI presented his preliminary results on his study of the Santa Ana River.
The focus of this study was to quantify the flow of fecal indicator organisms, as well as other
types of pollutants, from the Santa Ana River Watershed into the ocean. The study was also to
determine if surf zone water quality impairment of Huntington Beach was caused by fecal
pollution from onshore sources, such as urban run-off, etc., or caused by offshore sources such
as the District's treated wastewater. He stated he found no evidence to suggest that the fecal
indicator bacteria (FIBs) found at the mouth of the river are coming from off-shore sources, but
were coming from local land-based sources. Dr. Grant also stated that the test results suggest
that fecal indicator viruses (FIVs) found in the surf zone could be coming from an offshore
source such as the outfall.
Brett Sanders of UCI presented findings on a paper he co-authored entitled "Cross-Shelf
Transport at Huntington Beach -Implications for the Fate of Sewage Discharged through an
Offshore Ocean Outfall". He reported that the District's plume was observed shoreward of the
outfall, but not reaching the shoreline. He also reported there was no evidence of the District's
plume contributing to the poor water quality of Huntington Beach.
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Marlene Noble of the US Geological Survey, then reported on the Offshore Investigation. The
official report will not be final until October. To date, she reported that the study has not found a
connection between the District's ocean discharge and the bacterial contamination on the
beaches.
Cynthia Cudaback of UC Santa Barbara then reviewed the preliminary findings of the Peer
Review Panel. The purpose of the panel was to determine whether data collection and analysis
of collected data were appropriate to answer questions concerning the transport of the District's
plume onshore and whether it could account for bacterial contamination on the beach. She
reported that a connection could not be found between the District's plume and beach
contamination events. She also suggested further analyses are needed. The final report would
be completed in October.
Directors then entered into discussion and asked questions of the panel.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The following persons expressed their opposition to the waiver: Jan Vandersloot; Robert
Beardsley; Randy Fuhrman; Eileen Murphy; Dennis Baker; Larry Porter; Don May; Irwin
Haydock; Don McGee; Peer Swan; Doug Korthoff; Joan Irvine Smith .
ADJOURNMENT: The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 9 :46 p.m.
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