ORDINANCE No. 178162

*Authorize an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Oregon Department of Human Services for Willamette River fish tissue analysis (Ordinance)

The City of Portland ordains:

Section 1:

1.  The Council has designated the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) as the City’s lead representative for the Superfund program.

2.  In December 2000, a six-mile stretch of the Willamette River, known as Portland Harbor, was designated a Superfund Site by the Environmental Protection Agency.

3.  Three fish species (spring Chinook salmon, Pacific lamprey and White Sturgeon) have not been included in the Portland Harbor Superfund Human Health assessment sampling because migratory or travel patterns make a direct link to Portland Harbor contamination sources imprecise.

4.  Numerous distinct groups fish in the Portland Harbor region, including Native Americans, sport anglers and several ethnic communities. The risk for fishing populations who regularly consume sturgeon, lamprey and spring Chinook is unknown.

5.  This Intergovernmental Agreement will allow the City to join a multi-agency effort to collect and sample salmon, lamprey and sturgeon. The agencies involved in this project are the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

6.  The results of the study will allow Oregon Department of Human Services to inform the public about the risks associated with eating salmon, sturgeon and lamprey caught in the lower Willamette River and, if necessary, to issue fish advisories.

7.  $ 20,000 will be used to supplement an ongoing study of contaminant levels in Chinook and sturgeon and provide an initial study of contamination in lamprey.

8.  The one-time cost of this Agreement is estimated to be no more than $ 20,000. Funds are available in the Bureau of Environmental Services FY 2003-04 Sewer System Operating Fund Adopted Budget.

NOW, THEREFORE, the council directs:

a.  The Bureau Director and Auditor are authorized to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement for the purpose described in Section 1, in a form substantially in accordance with the agreement attached as Exhibit A, in an amount not to exceed $ 20,000 for FY 2003-2004.

 b.  The Mayor and Auditor are hereby authorized to draw and deliver warrants chargeable to the Sewer System Operating Fund Budget when demand is presented and approved by the proper authority.

Section 2.  The Council declares that an emergency exists because the study is ongoing and needs these funds to complete the analysis, therefore, this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.

Passed by the Council,  January 28, 2004    Gary Blackmer

Commissioner Dan Saltzman        Auditor of the City of Portland

             By /S/ Susan Parsons

Kim Cox

December 31, 2003          Deputy

14504001

BACKING SHEET INFORMATION

AGENDA NO. 81-2004

ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION/COUNCIL DOCUMENT NO. 178162