BOARD MEETING DATE: May 12, 2008
AGENDA NO. 1
PROPOSAL:
Issue Purchase Order for Additional Air Toxics Samplers to Expand Airborne Hexavalent Chromium Monitoring in Western Riverside and San Bernardino Counties
SYNOPSIS:
Staff has recently identified the cement industry as a source of elevated airborne hexavalent chromium in Western Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. In order to better assess the extent and levels of community exposure, four air toxic samplers are needed to expand the current monitoring effort. This action is to issue a sole source purchase order for four air toxics samplers in an amount not to exceed $84,000.
COMMITTEE:
Not Applicable
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
- Appropriate $84,000 from the General Fund, Designation for Equipment Replacement, to the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2007-08 Budget, Capital Outlays Major Object.
- Authorize the Executive Officer to issue a sole source purchase order with RM Environmental Systems Inc. for four Model 924 Air Toxics Samplers in an amount not to exceed $84,000.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
After a five-month intensive investigation of toxic air pollution in Western Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, staff has identified the cement industry as a source of elevated airborne levels of the cancer-causing chemical hexavalent chromium. Comprehensive staff efforts continue in the areas of enhanced inspections, materials testing, ambient air sampling, enforcement actions, and public communication. AQMD is committed to taking aggressive action to reduce the hexavalent chromium emissions from the TXI Riverside Cement facility, and lower the risk levels in the community around the facility.
Proposal
In order to better assess the extent and levels of community exposure to hexavalent chromium, staff recommends the expansion of the current hexavalent chromium sampling program in the area. This will require the purchase of four additional air toxics samplers similar to those already deployed. Therefore, this action is to appropriate $84,000 from the General Fund, Designation for Equipment Replacement, to the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2007-08 Budget, and to authorize the Executive Officer to issue a sole source purchase order with RM Environmental Systems Inc. for four Model 924 Air Toxics Samplers in an amount not to exceed $84,000. This equipment will be redeployed elsewhere in the District once the intensive work in the Western Riverside and San Bernardino County areas is completed.
Sole Source Justifications
All of the existing air toxics samplers in the AQMD air monitoring network are manufactured by a single manufacturer, RM Environmental Systems Inc, including those currently deployed in Western Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. This is the only vendor that manufactures and sells this type of air toxics sampler, which was used in the MATES-III Study and is consistent with U.S. EPA National Air Toxics Trends Site (NATTS) methodologies. This type of sampler is required to maintain operational consistency across all AQMD air toxics sampling efforts and to ensure comparability of data between sites and time periods. Therefore, the request for the sole source purchase of the air toxics samplers is made under Section VI.A.4.a of the Procurement Policy and Procedure; the items are available from only one source.
Resource Impacts
Sufficient funds are available from the FY 2007-08 Budget, General Fund, Designation Replacement to purchase the sampling equipment at a cost not to exceed $84,000.