Explanation
A. Need: This legislation is required of the City to execute six (6) Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (WRRSP) agreements with the Ohio EPA and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). Three designated Sewerage and Drainage Division Projects, identified in Section 2., will serve as sponsoring projects for the WRRSP projects. These projects were nominated by the City and have received funding approval for Program Year 2005 through the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund Program.
B. Emergency Designation: This authorizing legislation must be submitted to the Ohio EPA by January 28, 2005, or these will be subject to removal from funding consideration for Program Year 2005.
2. FISCAL IMPACT N/A
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to execute six (6) Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (WRRSP) agreements with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Water Development Authority; to designate three Division of Sewerage and Drainage projects as the sponsoring projects; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the City has nominated six Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (WRRSP) projects and has designated three Division of Sewerage and Drainage project as the sponsoring project; and
WHEREAS, the Ohio EPA has informed the City that these six WRRSP projects have ranked within the funding range and/or contingency range and are listed on the priority list of the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund Draft 2005 Program Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, this legislation must be approved and a certified copy must be submitted to the Ohio EPA by the close of business on January 28, 2005 therefore an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Division of Sewerage and Drainage, Department of Public Utilities, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to execute these six Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program projects with the State of Ohio for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, and safety; Now Therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be, and hereby is, authorized to execute six Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program agreements with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Water Development Authority, for the following projects:
1. Lower Olentangy River Watershed Action Plan Implementation Proposal for the 5th Avenue Dam Removal/ Modification and Ecosystem Restoration Project.
2. 2004 Darby Creek Corridor Preservation
3. Olentangy River Corridor Preservation
4. Big Darby Creek Headwaters Restoration 2
5. Comprehensive Watershed Restoration Initiative for Powderlick Run, Phase III
6. Lower Alum Creek Watershed Action Plan Implementation
Section 2. That the Director of Public Utilities be, and hereby is, authorized to designate the Division of Sewerage and Drainage projects titled Blacklick Sanitary Interceptor, Part 6B, CIP No. 650034.6B1, WPCLF No. CS392682-01; Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant Digester Rehabilitation, CIP No. 650353, WPCLF No. CS392277-01; and Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent Disinfection Improvements, Phase 2, CIP No. 650355, WPCLF No. CS392252-01 as the sponsoring projects for the six WRRSP projects as herein described in Section 1 of this ordinance.
Section 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.