BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Public Hearing on the Engineer’s Report and CEQA Exemption Determination for the Pacheco Pumping Plant Electrical Current Limiting Fuse & Hydraulic Valve Operation System Upgrades Project, Small Capital Improvements, San Felipe Reach 1, Project No. 91214010 (Merced County, District 1).
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
A. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Engineer’s Report and the CEQA Exemption Determination for the Pacheco Pumping Plant Electrical Current Limiting Fuse & Hydraulic Valve Operation System Upgrades Project (Project);
B. Close the Public Hearing;
C. Approve the CEQA Exemption Determination for the Project;
D. Adopt the Resolution APPROVING THE ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR THE PACHECO PUMPING PLANT ELECTRICAL CURRENT LIMITING FUSE & HYDRAULIC VALVE OPERATION SYSTEM UPGRADES PROJECT; and
E. Approve the Project.
Body
SUMMARY:
On January 26, 2021 the Board adopted a resolution setting the time and place for the public hearing on the Engineer’s Report to take place on February 9, 2021. Staff is recommending the Board hold this public hearing and consider adoption of the Resolution (Attachment 4) to approve the Engineer’s Report, approve the CEQA exemption determination, and approve the Project.
Project Background
The Pacheco Pumping Plant, completed in 1987 and owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), is part of the San Felipe Division that delivers Central Valley Project water to Santa Clara and San Benito counties. The pumping plant consists of twelve pumps capable of lifting water from the intakes in San Luis Reservoir into the San Felipe System. The pumps have been in operation since the late 1980s.
The District operates and maintains the San Felipe Division facilities, including the Pacheco Pumping Plant, in accordance with its contract, Contract for the Transfer of Operation and Maintenance of Certain San Felipe Division Facilities (O&M agreement), with USBR dated September 8, 1986. Proper maintenance, repair, and parts replacement are required by the O&M agreement and critical to the reliability and efficiency of the pumps.
The objective of the Project is to construct improvements that reduce the risk of an unplanned event which could result in an occupational injury (electrical arc flash); asset damage (pump motor failure) or pumping plant shutdown (Hydraulic Valve Operation System controls systems failure). The estimated total cost of this Project is $550,000.
Engineer’s Report
Section 12 of the District Act requires the Board to conduct a public hearing to consider all written and oral objections to a proposed project when: 1) the project is new construction; and 2) the project is funded by a single or joint zone of benefit. Staff prepared an Engineer’s Report (Attachment 2) for the purpose of public disclosure. The Public Hearing Notice (Attachment 3) for the Engineer’s Report was published in accordance with the District Act and posted outside Valley Water’s Offices at 5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California, 95118, and on Valley Water’s website at <https://www.valleywater.org/public-review-documents>.
Next Steps
If the Board approves the proposed Project, the future milestones are:
1. Board adoption of plans and specifications, and authorization for construction bidding
2. Board award of construction contract
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The proposed Project is included in the Board approved Fiscal Year 2021-25 Capital Improvement Program. The estimated total project cost is $550,000. There are sufficient funds in the FY 2020-21 Small Capital Improvements, San Felipe Reach 1, Project No. 91214010, budget to fund the proposed Project.
Pursuant to a written cost sharing agreement with the San Benito County Water District (SBCWD), SBCWD is responsible for 22% of the total Project cost for the work within San Felipe Reach 1. The proposed Project would be funded 22% by SBCWD and 78% by Valley Water ‘s Water Enterprise Fund, with 82.3% of Valley Water’s costs allocated to Zone W-2 (North County), 8.0% of Valley Water’s costs allocated to W-5 (South County), and 9.7% of Valley Water’s costs allocated to Zone W-7 (South County).
CEQA:
Staff has reviewed the proposed Project for CEQA compliance and concluded that it qualifies for a Categorical Exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301; Existing Facilities [Class 1 - operation, repair, maintenance, minor alteration of existing structures and facilities]. A Notice of Exemption has been prepared (Attachment 1) and is ready to be filed with the County of Merced Office of the Clerk/Recorder upon Board’s approval of the Project.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Draft Notice of Exemption
Attachment 2: Engineer’s Report
Attachment 3: Public Hearing Notice
Attachment 4: Resolution
Attachment 5: Project Delivery Process Chart
Attachment 6: PowerPoint
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Heath McMahon, 408-630-3126