MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE COMMISSION OF
HELD AT THE OFFICES OF THE AUTHORITY
3535 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa,
California 92626
March 14, 2008
9:30 a.m.
COMMISSIONERS
PRESENT
Brain Baird – Ocean Protection Council
Diego Cadena - Los Angeles County Department of
Public Works
Mary Anne Skorpanich -
Mas Dojiri - City of
Tracy Egoscue
- Regional Water Quality Control Board,
Robert Ghirelli - Orange County Sanitation
District
John Kemmerer - US Environmental Protection
Agency, Region IX
Gerhardt Hubner – Ventura County Watershed
Protection District
Alan Langworthy – City of
Steve Maguin - Los Angeles County Sanitation
Districts
Darrin Polhemus - State
Water Resources Control Board
John Robertus
- Regional Water Quality Control Board,
Cid Tesoro –
Jerry Thibeault - Regional Water Quality Control
Board,
Stephen Weisberg - Executive Director
B. Richard Marsh - Legal Counsel
Ken Schiff - Deputy Director
Bryan Nece – Administrative Officer
Shelly Moore - Principal Investigator
Keith Maruya - Principal Investigator
Eric Stein - Principal Investigator
Karen Setty – Science Writer
David Barker
- Regional Water Quality Control Board,
Phil Friess - Los Angeles County Sanitation
Districts
Ed Torres - Orange
County Sanitation District
Joe Gully - Los Angeles County Sanitation
Districts
Gerry McGowen – City of
George Robertson - Orange
County Sanitation District
Tim Stebbins – City of
Brock
Bernstein
Commission Chair Polhemus
called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM.
CONSENT
AGENDA
1. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD DECEMBER 14,
2007
2. QUARTERLY FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2007
3. QUARTERLY STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS AT
DECEMBER 31, 2007
4. MINUTES
OF CTAG MEETINGS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2007
Commissioner Maguin
motioned for approval of consent items, which was seconded by Commissioner
Ghirelli. The consent items were
unanimously approved with minor revisions to minutes.
5. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S
REPORT
The
Executive Director introduced SCCWRP’s newest employee, Karen Setty who was
hired as a Science Writer and will have primary responsibility for enhancing
SCCWRP’s web site and other communication tools. He next noted changes in
Commission membership. Gerhardt Hubner was welcomed as the new Commissioner
from the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, having switched roles
with Jeff Pratt, who will now serve as Alternate Commissioner. Dr. Weisberg indicated that Don Wolfe, the
former Commissioner from Los Angeles County Department of Public Works had retired
and was replaced by Commissioner Dean Efstathiou (not in attendance). He also introduced John Kemmerer, Deputy
Director of the EPA Region IX Water Management Division, who was representing
EPA Region IX for this meeting. He indicated that he had a letter from
Commissioner Strauss appointing Mr. Kemmerer to that role for this
meeting.
Dr. Weisberg next
reviewed several recent examples where SCCWRP has exhibited scientific
leadership. The first example was a Harmful Algal Bloom workshop that SCCWRP was
organizing at the request of NOAA’s MERHAB (Monitoring and Event Response for
Harmful Algal Blooms) Program. The goal
of the workshop, which will take place from April 2-3 and is co-funded by the
California Ocean Science Trust (CalOST), is to identify the impediments to
integrating the numerous HAB research programs into a coordinated monitoring
program. In addition, several of the
invited experts coming to the workshop have volunteered to hold a training
session on phytoplankton identification and domoic acid detection for SCCWRP
member agencies on April 1.
Dr. Weisberg next
described SCCWRP’s leadership in beach water quality studies. He indicated that
our epidemiological studies of swimmers, in which we are evaluating about 30
new approached to assessing beach water quality, is becoming an integral part
of EPA’s criteria development for beach microbiology. In addition, SCCWRP is
taking a leadership role in developing a standard methodology for measuring
bacterial levels in sand, SCCWRP has been working with six national experts to
design a study that evaluates 20 method variations that are presently in
use. That study will take place the last
week of April, with all of the experts convening at the Orange County Sanitation
District for three days.
The Executive Director
next indicated that the State Water Resources Control Board adopted Sediment
Quality Objectives (SQOs) in February, making
Dr. Weisberg next
described a planned project to revisit shellfish beneficial use designations,
in which SCCWRP will work with the SWRCB to map areas of shellfish habitat and
harvesting to support more accurate and consistent designation of beneficial
use locations. The project is expected to begin this summer and has the
potential to call attention to designation methods for other beneficial use
applications.
Dr. Weisberg next
indicated his pleasure about how SCCWRP has become more integrated into Ocean
Protection Council (OPC) activities since the OPC became a member of the SCCWRP
Commission. Dr. Weisberg noted that he now serves on the Science Advisory Team
for the OPC and is a Trustee for the California Ocean Science Trust (he
distributed an information sheet about CalOST), which coordinates science
activities for the OPC. He indicated
that during the last few months SCCWRP was providing technical assistance to
OPC staff as they considered developing Low Impact Development (LID) policies
for the State. Eric Stein served on an
experts panel on LID at the last OPC meeting and SCCWRP has agreed to host one
of two workshops OPC will be holding to gather public input on the topic (Dr.
Weisberg handed out an OPC flier about this meeting to be held on March
26). Commissioner Bohan thanked staff
for their assistance, provided further detail about the March 26 workshop and
addressed several questions from the Commission. Several other opportunities to get involved
in LID are available through SCCWRP, including a June seminar on evaluating LID
as well as model stormwater monitoring guidance manuals and other tools developed
in collaboration with the Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC). Dr. Weisberg also indicated that he
anticipated further interaction with the OPC as the process of designating
Marine Life Protected Areas (MLPAs) in southern
The Executive Director
continued his report by updating the Commission on the status of SCCWRP’s JPA
(Joint Powers Agreement). The draft document updated at the December Commission
meeting has now been through legal review by the signatories and will be
brought to their boards for approval over the next six months. Dr. Weisberg indicated that he had not yet
received feedback from all of the associate member agencies about the associate
member agreement that is an appendix to the JPA. Dr. Weisberg requested that any additional
feedback on the associate member agreement be provided prior to the next
Commission meeting.
Dr. Weisberg last
highlighted recent media attention on SCCWRP’s endocrine disruptor work,
including an LA Times article and follow-up interview in a
6. CTAG
REPORT
Gerry McGowen, Chair of
the Commissioner’s Technical Advisory Committee (CTAG), presented a summary of
their February 26th meeting. CTAG representatives received the Director’s
Report and update on Bight’08 from the Executive Director. He indicated that CTAG had extensive
discussion about the value of the January SCCWRP Symposium and asked that it be
made an annual event. He further indicated
that CTAG reviewed the first draft of the 2008-2009 SCCWRP Research Plan and an
update on SCCWRP’s new website, with only relatively minor revision suggestions
offered for both. CTAG was pleased overall with these activities. Final
discussion points at the meeting included the possibility of adding the San
Francisco Estuary Institute as a member of CTAG. The next CTAG meeting will be
held May 29, 2008.
7. CONTRACT
APPROVAL
The
Executive Director requested that the Commission approve resolutions regarding
the following contracts that have or would be offered to the Authority.
1) City of
Sediment
Toxicity Identification
Upon the motion of Commissioner Ghirelli,
seconded by Commissioner Robertus, the
contract was unanimously approved by Resolution, with Commissioner Dojiri
abstaining.
2) State Water Resources Control Board
($1,250,000)
Technical Support for Nutrient
Numeric Endpoint Development in
Upon the motion of Commissioner Ghirelli,
seconded by Commissioner Baird, the
contract was unanimously approved by Resolution, with Commissioner Polhemus
abstaining.
3) State Water Resources Control Board
($588,000)
Shellfish Beneficial Use Study
Upon the motion of Commissioner Kemmerer,
seconded by Commissioner Robertus, the
contract was unanimously approved by Resolution, with Commissioner Polhemus
abstaining.
As an informational item, Dr. Weisberg described contracts with value of
$250,000 or less that the Authority has accepted or indicated a willingness to
accept. While the governing agreement of SCCWRP requires no Commission action
on these, the contracts were described to inform and ensure that the direction
of the Authority’s work is consistent with the desires of the Commission.
4)
Ballona Creek Modeling Study
5) Hercules Inc ($165,331)
Toxaphene Methods Development
6) Hercules Inc ($31,000)
Toxaphene Analysis
7) Bureau of Reclamation (through CDM)
($14,952)
Chemical Analysis
8)
Nutrient Loads Study
9) Copper Development Association
($36,000)
Sediment Analysis
10)
NOAA (through Aster Engineering)
($11,746)
Harmful Algal Bloom workshop
11) State Water Resources Control Board (Two
contracts for $20,000 each)
Assessing Conditions in
12) State Water Resources Control Board
(through
13) State Water Resources Control Board
(through
Inclusion of Volunteer Monitoring Data into the
14) Department of Water Resources (through
CEDEN
15) State Water Resources Control Board
($50,000)
Monitoring Program Design for the
16)
Fire Runoff Study
There were no objections to any of
these contracts.
Ken
Schiff reported on progress in planning the next Bight-wide regional sampling.
Bight’08 will be larger than previous efforts, with five program elements. Three are consistent with previous Bight
monitoring (coastal ecology, water quality, and shoreline microbiology) while
two are new: rocky reef habitat and Areas of Special Biological Significance
(ASBS). Each of these elements was
described in more depth. Mr. Schiff
indicated that all of the working groups have formed technical subcommittees
and are in the process of completing draft work plans. He felt that the planning process is moving
along on schedule, with some workgroups well prepared to begin fieldwork this
summer. Mr. Schiff also noted that the
Bight programs have served as fertile ground for interesting ancillary studies,
for which he provided several examples.
One example was investigation of a new sediment camera as a possible surrogate/supplement
for benthic infaunal sampling. EPA
scientist Giancarlo Cicchetti will be coming to southern
Results
from the CIWQS (California Integrated Water Quality System) Review Panel that
was organized by SCCWRP and held February 27-28 were presented by Panel member
Brock Bernstein. The purpose of this
review was to see whether the SWRCB had addressed and resolved the seven areas
of concern identified during the first phase of the review process in May
2007. Dr. Bernstein reported that the
Panel felt the CIWQS team had made a remarkable turnaround. Where the Panel found the program to be
dysfunctional during the 2007 review, they now felt that program was on the
road to success. In particular, they
gave the CIWQS team high marks for refining the project scope, validating
system requirements and rebuilding key constituencies. Areas where more progress was still needed
included addressing data quality issues, producing key reports and improving
the user interface. Dr. Weisberg
indicated that he was working with the Panel to produce a final report, which
he anticipated would be available in about a month.
11.
Shelly
Moore made a presentation about the data center that SCCWRP is hosting for the
State’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP). She indicated that
many dischargers in
12. FUTURE MEETING AGENDA
ITEMS
The Commission identified
two items for future meetings. The first
was to review the new SCCWRP brochure.
The second was a presentation on the Agency’s new web page design. They
also requested an update on the LID workshop and a discussion of SCCWRP’s work
with the SMC on this topic.
13. OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Commissioner Egoscue asked about when the Commission would
have the opportunity to comment on the recently conducted salary survey. Dr. Weisberg indicated that he had presented
the salary survey to the Personnel and Finance Committee earlier that morning
and would include it with the Salary Resolution that would be presented for
consideration by the entire Commission at their next meeting.
14. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
15. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:02 pm until the next Commission meeting on
June 13, 2008.
ATTEST:
Bryan Nece
Secretary