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SR 05-22-2018 3O City Council Report City Council Meeting: May 22, 2018 Agenda Item: 3.O 1 of 4 To: Mayor and City Council From: Katie Lichtig, Assistant City Manager, City Manager's Office Subject: Santa Monica Airport Air Quality Study Agreement Modification Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a second modification to Agreement #3333 in the amount of $56,939 with Trustees of Tufts College, a Boston-based entity, to conduct the final monitoring phase of the Santa Monica Airport Air Quality Study at a later time period than the original agreement delineated, requiring additional costs associated with pausing and restarting the project. This will result in an amended agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $110,930 within the original 18-month agreement term. Executive Summary The temporary full closure of the Santa Monica Airport (SMO) during the runway shortening construction in December 2017 offered the City a unique opportunity to monitor air quality with no runway operations. The City selected Tufts University (Tufts) to conduct the air quality study at SMO by way of a competitive bidding process. The air quality study was originally projected to take place over approximately five weeks of measurements divided into three field campaigns:  before airport closure;  during closure for construction of the new airstrip configuration; and  after the airport reopened, post-runway shortening. When the Airport reopened with the shortened 3,500-foot runway, Airport activity was strikingly low. Tufts, therefore, recommended that the post-runway shortening air quality sampling instead take place later in the term of the agreement, which ends June 11, 2019. This allows time to ensure that measurements are taken after any transition period and at the Airport’s new normal level. This delay in conducting the final sampling 2 of 4 requires the Tufts team to restage monitoring equipment at the two sites, and dedicate staff to collect and analyze data. Staff requests Council approval of the additional costs for this follow-up monitoring work. Background On August 28, 2017, the Airport Commission recommended that the City conduct an air quality study at the Airport to measure jet pollution before, during, and after the runway shortening (Attachment A). The purpose of the study is to update the air quality study conducted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) in 2010 and 2011, establishing a baseline immediately before the runway shortening project begins, during the full airport closure, and after the project is completed once airport operations resume. The temporary full closure of the Airport during the runway shortening construction facilitated the City’s efforts to conduct monitoring during a period with no runway operations. The new airport configuration, with the runway shortened from 5,000 to 3,500 feet, limits the fleet mix of turbine aircraft operations by frequency of take-offs and landings. With this study, the City seeks to learn whether the change in the turbine aircraft fleet mix impacts the air quality surrounding the airport by comparing levels before and after the runway shortening to baseline data collected during this closure. On November 27, 2017, the City awarded Tufts a contract in the amount of $54,342, through a competitive bid process, to conduct the air quality study at SMO. Tufts initially proposed a five-week monitoring period, spanning mid-December 2017 to a few weeks past the runway reopening, such that enough data could be gathered. The proposal accounted for uncertainty associated with construction schedules, including the possibility of having to run monitoring past mid-February but assumed Airport operations levels would return to normal following the Airport’s reopening. Discussion Tufts completed the over 40 days of monitoring between December 5, 2017 and January 14, 2018. However, the post-runway shortening aircraft activity at the Airport 3 of 4 after the reopening was much lower than expected. Jet operations in January 2018 were 84% less than the average for January the prior two years, were 82% less in February 2018 than the prior two-year average, and 86% less in March 2018 than the prior two-year average. Due to concerns regarding the representativeness of the flight activity post-runway shortening, Tufts paused the monitoring and recommended monitoring at a later time when airport operations reach a “new normal”. City staff requested a proposal from Tufts to amend agreement #3333 to include a pause period and three weeks of follow-up sampling, with exact monitoring dates to be ascertained at a later date in consultation between the researchers and the City. A three-week air quality monitoring period scheduled in the coming months is required to collect sufficient data to finalize the Santa Monica Airport Air Quality Study. It is not clear when airport operations will normalize. Monthly jet operations for the first three months post-runway shortening were between 82% and 86% less than the prior two- year average. If jet operations remain consistent in the coming months, staff will work with Tufts researchers to determine when best to schedule the three-week follow-up, the contents of which, as well as subsequent steps, are listed below. Next Steps Staff will continue to monitor Airport traffic and work with Tufts University to assess when Airport operations appear to have stabilized at a new normal level. A period between September and October was suggested in the latest consultation between researchers and City staff. Upon determination of exact monitoring dates for the follow- up monitoring, Tufts will return to set up equipment, install cameras to record flight activity to identify durations for the different flight activities (taxiing, hold and take-off), monitor air quality and complete their evaluation, concluding their study. During this time, staff will continue to inform the community of what to expect in the coming months, including the study’s findings and what they mean for the community in light of new, normal operations at Santa Monica Airport. Financial Impacts and Budget Actions 4 of 4 The contract modification to be awarded to Tufts University is $56,939 for an amended contract total not to exceed $110,930. Funds are available in the FY 2018-19 Proposed Budget in the Airport Fund. The contract will be charged to account 33431.555060. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. Prepared By: Suja Lowenthal, Senior Advisor for Airport Affairs Approved Forwarded to Council Attachments: A. Attachment A-AC's Recommendation to Council 1 (UNAPPROVED) CITY OF SANTA MONICA AIRPORT COMMISSION MINUTES August 28, 2017 A regular meeting of the Santa Monica Airport Commission was called to order by Chair Donald at 7:02 p.m., on Monday, August 28, 2017 at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street. Convene/Pledge On order of the Chair, the Airport Commission convened at 7:02 p.m. without all Commissioners present. Chair Donald led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call Present: Absent: Also Present: Chair Peter Donald Vice-chair Lael R. Rubin Commissioner Suzanne Paulson (arrived 7:21) Commissioner Joe Schmitz Commissioner Andrew Wilder None Stelios Makrides, Airport Director Ivan Campbell, Deputy City Attorney Michael Ferguson, Secretary Special Agenda Items/Announcements Election of Officers Public Comment The Commission deferred the election of officers until later in the meeting. Please see election results under Old Business. No requests to speak. Consent Calendar Public Comment Motion The Commission discussed and considered the Consent Calendar. No Requests to speak. Motion by Commissioner Schmitz; seconded by Commissioner Rubin to approve the minutes of June 26, 2017 was confirmed by the following vote: 2 Motion Motion Minutes Ayes: Commissioner Donald Commissioner Rubin Commissioner Schmitz Nays: None Abstain: Commissioner Wilder Absent: Commissioner Paulson Commissioner Wilder could not vote on June 26, 2017 minutes because he was not a Commissioner at that time. Motion by Commissioner Schmitz; seconded by Commissioner Rubin to approve the minutes of August 1, 2017 was confirmed by the following vote: Ayes: Commissioner Donald Commissioner Rubin Commissioner Schmitz Commissioner Wilder Nays: None Absent: Commissioner Paulson Motion by Commissioner Rubin; seconded by Commissioner Wilder to approve Non- Aviation Commercial Operations Permit for David Kellen & Associates was confirmed by the following vote: Ayes: Commissioner Donald Commissioner Rubin Commissioner Schmitz Commissioner Wilder Nays: None Absent: Commissioner Paulson Recommendation to approve the minutes of June 26, 2017 and August 1, 2017 meetings was accepted. 3 Non-Aviation Commercial Operations Permits Recommendation to approve Non-Aviation Commercial Operations Permit for David Kellen & Associates was accepted. Airport Management Report Monthly Operations Report Public Comment New Venue for Meetings Next Meeting Stelios Makrides, Airport Director, presented the Monthly Operations Reports for June & July 2017. The Commission and staff discussed increasing trend in noise violations, Santa Monica Airport Noise Office complaint response procedures, and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) traffic complaints. Member of public: Dave Hopkins commented on the Monthly Operations Reports. The Airport Commission meetings will relocate to the Santa Monica Main Library Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium from September 2017 through December 2017 due to construction activities related to the new City Service Building making the City Council Chambers unavailable for Commission meetings. Next regular Airport Commission meeting is scheduled to take place on September 25, 2017 at Santa Monica Main Library MLK Auditorium. Old Business Update and Discussion on the Runway Shortening Project The Commission heard this item out of order. Rick Valte, City Engineer City of Santa Monica, and Alan Sheth, Civil Engineering Associate City of Santa Monica, provided the Commission with an update on the Runway Shortening Project including 4 Public Comment Update and Discussion on Airport Security Public Comment Update and Discussion of Consent Decree Public Comment Update and Discussion of On- Demand Air carriers Public Comment Election of Officers proposed completion date and construction schedule. The Commission and staff discussed construction-scheduling, options for replacing removed portions of the runway, and public access after completion. Member of public: Dave Hopkins commented on the Runway Shortening Project. The Commission and staff discussed the speed of implementation, design completion, stakeholder/public participation, budget and source of funding. Member of public: Dave Hopkins commented on Airport Security. Staff provide the Commission with an update on legal challenges to the Consent Decree. The Commission and staff discussed the Brown Act violation complaint filed regarding the Consent Decree approval process. Member of public: Dave Hopkins commented on the Consent Decree. Chair Donald made reference to publication “GUIDE TO SELLING CHARTER BY THE SEAT” issued by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) for review by the Commissioners and future discussion. Member of public: Dave Hopkins commented on On-Demand Air carriers. The Commission conducted an Election of Officers in accordance with Article X, Section 1004 of the City of Santa Monica Charter. 5 Public Comment Ad Hoc Noise Committee Interim Report Public Comment The Commission elected Commissioner Donald to continue as Chair by unanimous consent. Election of Vice-chair was deferred to next meeting due to technical questions regarding rules of order. No requests to speak. The Ad Hoc Noise Committee consisting of Commissioners Schmitz and Wilder provided an interim report to the Commission. The presentation outlined historical reference to how the Noise Code evolved over time; how the Code is currently applied; and what an effective Code enforcement would provide. The Ad Hoc Committee met with Airport staff and collected noise violation data. The data presented to the Commission included frequent Noise Code violators and Noise Code violation patterns. The Ad Hoc Committee requested that Airport staff provide two months of Noise Monitor #1 readings with individual Runway 21 jet take-offs and comparable data after runway shortening. The Commission and staff discussed the history of the Code, legal barriers to Code change, and the Airport Noise & Capacity Act 1990 (ANCA) as well as the technical requirements in collecting the data requested. Members of the public: Dave Hopkins, Zina Joesphs, Stacy Brown commented on the Ad Hoc Noise Committee’s report. 6 The Commission and staff discussed the implementation of SoCal Metroplex in regards to noise complaints. New Business Natural experiment for Santa Monica Airport (SMO) Air Pollution Study Commissioner Paulson presented an overview of air quality impacts of general aviation and proposed a Natural Experiment at Santa Monica Airport by measuring pollution levels before, during, and after the Runway Shortening Project since the runway will be closed for a portion of the project. The Commission and staff discussed the proposition of conducting the study including requirements for instrumentation, costs, and study requirements. Members of the public: Dave Hopkins, Zina Joesphs, Stacy Brown, and Cathy Larson commented on the proposed Natural Experiment. Commissioner Paulson recused herself from further discussion because her employer University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) may provide services for the Natural Experiment; she left the chambers, not to return, at 9:43 pm. The Commission and staff continued discussion on how to implement the Natural Experiment within the timeframe before the Runway Shortening Project is to begin. Motion by Commissioner Schmitz; seconded by Commissioner Rubin recommending that City Council fast-track Commissioner Paulson’s request or equivalent to perform a natural experiment to measure jet pollution before, while, and after the runway is shortened was approved by the following vote: 7 Ayes: Commissioner Donald Commissioner Rubin Commissioner Schmitz Commissioner Wilder Nays: None Absent: Commissioner Paulson Commissioner Item Commissioner Wilder proposed the use of the public monitors to project proposed motions so that the Commission can develop and edit motions in real time. The Commission and staff briefly discussed the proposal. Public Comment Member of the public: Dave Hopkins addressed the Commission regarding costs and revenue of the Airport. Adjournment On order of Chair Donald, the Commission adjourned at 10:04 pm on August 28, 2017 without all Commissioners present. Attest: Approved: _________________________ ______________________________ Michael Ferguson, Secretary Peter Donald, Chair REFERENCE: Modified Contract No. 10685 (CCS)