Explanation
1. BACKGROUND:
This legislation is to authorize the Director of Public Utilities, the Director of Public Service, the Director of Recreation and Parks, and the Director of Finance and Management to enter into an Administrative Order of Consent (AOC) with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). On June 4, 2019, the USEPA delivered to the City of Columbus a proposed AOC that addresses alleged Clean Water Act (CWA) and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit violations that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency observed in the City of Columbus Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). The proposed AOC contains proposed orders to bring the Columbus MS4 into compliance with the CWA and the City’s MS4 NPDES permit.
The City will confer with USEPA to finalize the terms of the proposed AOC. The proposed AOC does not require the payment of civil administrative penalties. The proposed AOC requires the payment of stipulated civil administrative penalties only if the City does not complete the actions required in the final AOC pursuant to a schedule contained therein. By entering into the final AOC, the City will neither admit nor deny the factual allegations as set forth in the AOC, but will agree to undertake all actions required by the terms and conditions of the AOC.
2. EMERGENCY: Emergency status is requested in order to meet timelines for the AOC.
3. FISCAL IMPACT: It is anticipated that the final AOC will require the City to undertake certain capital improvement projects and obtain professional services to complete actions required in the AOC. These capital improvement projects and professional services agreements are subject to separate Council approval and appropriation.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities, the Director of Public Service, the Director of Recreation and Parks, and the Director of Finance and Management to enter into an Administrative Order of Consent with ...
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