Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works

 

TO:

David P. Cronin, P.E., City Engineer

FROM:

Matt Bond, P.E., Stormwater Engineer/Farmland Project Manager

CC:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

Charles Soules, P.E., Public Works Director

Date:

March 28, 2014

RE:

Former Farmland Industries Nitrogen Plant Site/Lawrence VenturePark

Amendment to Consent Order

Infrastructure Progress Update

City Commission Agenda April 8, 2014

 

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the April 8, 2014 meeting:

 

Project Description

With the acquisition of the former Farmland Industries Plant Site (Site) came the obligation to abide by the corresponding Consent Order (CO), Case No. 10-E-94 BER.  The CO states that the City of Lawrence is responsible for maintaining the environmental remediation measures in operation at the Site as well as the remediation measures outlined in the Corrective Action Decision (CAD). 

 

Remediation Project Status

Currently there are four (4) projects directly related to the environmental remediation in progress at the Site or in the engineering design phase.  These include the installation of an interceptor trench and corresponding ground water recovery wells to capture nitrogen impacted ground water from the Central Ponds Area.  The second project includes the removal of sediments from the area known as the "Dam Pond" and the subsequent construction of infrastructure to capture and collect stormwater runoff from this area.  The third project entails the construction of a regional detention basin for the entire Site.  The fourth and final project is the remediation of ground water with low pH.  This area housed the Chrome Reduction Unit and is under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) guidelines.

 

In order to streamline these environmental remediation efforts, members of the City of Lawrence and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment staff agreed upon the changes to the CO.  The changes include simplifying financial and reporting constraints and providing the City more flexibility in financing work items that had not been specifically identified in the CO.  As the City Commission is aware, the asbestos abatement of the administration building was not an allowable expense per the original CO.  Other items not considered in the CO included property taxes, demolition of any kind and the abatement of the Transite siding found during the demolition of the foundation of the compressor building.  The proposed changes will allow these items to be paid for using the remediation funding.

 

Infrastructure Project Status

Since the acquisition of the property, several infrastructure milestones have been achieved.  These include the signalization and intersection improvements to 23rd Street and O'Connell Road.  The installation and completion of the sanitary sewer line extending west and southwest onto the property from Pump Station #25 which is located north of the East Hills Business Park. 

 

The storm sewer and water lines that were part of the Project No. PW1224 which was awarded on Mach 26, 2013 have also been completed.  With the arrival of warm weather, the contractor will be able to begin subgrade work of the corresponding street work for this project.  Preliminary work has also begun on the extension of O'Connell Road, north of the east-west road connecting East Hills Business Park and Lawrence VenturePark.  The infrastructure project is scheduled to be complete by August 31, 2014.

 

Action Request

Authorize the Mayor to sign the First Amendment to the Consent Order.