Department: County Engineer
Department Head/Elected Official: Loyd Smith, P.E., Interim County Engineer
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Miscellaneous Section
Project ID (if applicable): 21035MF22901
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Participation (if applicable): N/A
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval to enter the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) including completing and signing the VCP application and subsequent documents. This action is associated with the existing Harris County Property located at or near 1505 Commerce Street (Former Houston Gas Light Company property), Precinct 2.
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Background and Discussion:
The project site, adjacent to Buffalo Bayou, is the location of the former Houston Gas Light Company that a manufactured gas plant (MGP) operated this property from 1860s through at least 1922. A part of the MGP operations included disposing of contaminated waste products onsite as was the standard protocol prior to Environmental Regulations for proper handling of contaminated materials. Houston Parks Board is currently in the construction phase of building a trail across the property. As construction was progressing across the property, adjacent to Buffalo Bayou, a section of the property started to fail and slip toward Buffalo Bayou causing contaminated groundwater to be released into Buffalo Bayou. Entering the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) will aid Harris County in remediating the contaminated areas and gain regulatory closure with a legal “Certificate of Closure” with the TCEQ.
Expected Impact:
This will aide in expediting the regulatory process by allowing the County Engineer or his designee to sign Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulatory documents include VCP application and necessary reports as required by the TCEQ up to and including “Certificate of Closure” ending the VCP process with regulatory closure.
Alternative Options:
A “no-action” alternative would not be viable due to historical contamination on county-owned property. Other programs would not allow the County to work with TCEQ in remedying the on-site issues in a mutually beneficial way.
Alignment with Goal(s):
_ Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
x Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Location:
Address (if applicable): 1505 Commerce St.
Precinct(s): Precinct 2
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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FY 21-22 |
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FY 22 |
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Total Incremental Expenditures |
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Funding Sources (General Fund, PIC Fund, Debt or CP, Grants, or Other - Please Specify) |
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Additional Budget Requested |
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Total Additional Budget Requested |
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Total Funding Sources |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
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Additional Positions Requested |
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Total Personnel |
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Anticipated Implementation Date: October 12, 2021
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Dwayne Rogers, Environmental Planner, HCED
Attachments (if applicable): N/A