REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: PAUL AMICO, PE, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: CORY ASHER, Assistant Director
Department of Public Utilities, Wastewater Management Division
DAVID VILCHERREZ, PE, Licensed Professional Engineer
Department of Public Utilities, Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Fresno Sanitary Landfill located at 1707 West Jensen Ave (Council District 3):
1. Approve the Sixth Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with CDM Smith, Inc., of Concord, California, in the amount of $575,800.00, to increase the total not to exceed contract amount to $2,876,491.00, and to extend the term of the Consultant Services Agreement to January 31, 2027, for the Groundwater and Landfill Remediation Services;
2. Approve the Third Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with Tetra Tech BAS, Inc., of Diamond Bar, California, in the amount of $100,400.00, to increase the total not to exceed contract amount to $879,511.00, and to extend the term of the Consultant Services Agreement to January 31, 2027, for the Landfill Gas Collection and Control System and Operations, Maintenance, and Monitoring Services at the City of Fresno Sanitary Landfill;
3. Authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign the Third and Sixth Amendments on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council approve the Sixth Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement (Sixth Amendment) with CDM Smith, Inc. (CDM) of Concord, California, to increase the total contract amount by $575,800, for a revised total contract amount of $2,876,491, to continue the scope of services and extend the term of the Consultant Services Agreement to January 31, 2027; approve the Third Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement (Third Amendment) with Tetra Tech BAS, Inc. (Tetra Tech) to increase the total amount by $100,400 for a revised total contract amount of $879,511, to continue the scope of services and extend the term of the Consultant Services Agreement to January 31, 2027 for the Landfill Gas Collection and Control System operations, maintenance, and monitoring services at the City of Fresno Sanitary Landfill (FSL); and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign the Third and Sixth Amendments on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On February 1, 2022, the City approved a Consultant Services Agreement (Agreement) with CDM to provide engineering and design services for environmental groundwater remediation, regrading design, and general site rehabilitation at the FSL. CDM is currently providing professional services under the Fifth Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement, which expired on January 31, 2026. The Sixth Amendment is necessary to extend the Agreement’s term to January 31, 2027, and to include monitoring, reporting, and testing for the groundwater remediation and landfill control systems. In addition, the City entered into a separate Consultant Services Agreement (Agreement) with Tetra Tech on August 29, 2024. Tetra Tech is currently operating under the Second Amendment to that Agreement, which is also expired on January 31, 2026. A Third Amendment to the Tetra Tech Agreement is necessary to extend the Agreement’s term to January 31, 2027, and to include continued maintenance and monitoring of the FSL Landfill Gas Collection and Control System (LFGCCS).
BACKGROUND
The City operated the FSL from 1935 to 1987. The FSL is regulated under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The City notified USEPA of the existence of the FSL in May 1981 to comply with CERCLA Section 103(c) requirements. A preliminary assessment conducted by the California Department of Health Services (now the California Department of Toxic Substances Control) in June 1984 found evidence of offsite migration of methane and volatile organic compounds (VOC) contamination of groundwater.
The City began addressing methane gas migration in 1988 through the construction of a landfill gas (LFG) extraction and energy recovery system (LFG System). The FSL was placed on the USEPA’s National Priorities List in 1989. Concurrent with the landfill gas work, the City began investigating the VOC contamination of groundwater. The City requested that the groundwater investigation be conducted separately and in parallel to the landfill gas investigation to reach a decision on groundwater remediation more quickly than on landfill gas source control. USEPA approved dividing the efforts and classified the investigation and remediation into two operable units. Operable Unit 1 (OU-1) addresses the landfill trash prism, which is the source of emissions, and Operable Unit 2 (OU-2) addresses the groundwater impacted by the landfill contaminants.
The feasibility study for OU-1 was completed in September 1992. The USEPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) in 1993 that included a landfill cover to prevent stormwater intrusion into the trash prism, a landfill gas extraction and destruction system, and a stormwater runoff collection system.
The OU-2 remedial investigation and feasibility study efforts were subsequently conducted concurrently with the OU-1 investigation and remediation efforts. The OU-2 Remedial Investigation was completed in May 1994, the Risk Assessment was completed in September 1994, and the Feasibility Study was completed in July 1996. The USEPA ROD for OU-2 was issued in September 1996, and it directed restoration of the groundwater aquifer. The major components of the selected remedy are groundwater monitoring, construction of a phased groundwater extraction system, and an onsite treatment system for the extracted groundwater.
CDM Smith
City Council approved the Agreement with CDM on February 1, 2022, in the amount of $429,850, based on a uniquely qualified determination dated January 27, 2022. CDM was determined to be uniquely qualified due to their extensive knowledge of the FSL, overall firm and staff experience, and their specific experience with groundwater monitoring, remedial action services, and overall regrading and rehabilitation at the FSL. The Agreement term was through December 31, 2022, and the scope of work included:
1. Providing groundwater monitoring and remedial action services.
2. Preparing construction documents for the east slope regrading and rehabilitation of the landfill gas collection system.
3. Providing support services for groundwater treatment plant operations.
4. Developing a surface emissions testing program.
5. Preparing quarterly and annual reports, system performance technical memorandums, work plans, and monitoring plans.
6. Performing groundwater modeling and evaluation of proposed new water supply wells (agricultural and residential) in the vicinity of the FSL.
7. Performing soil vapor sampling and surface emissions monitoring activities.
8. Providing project management assistance services related to other key landfill issues.
City Council has approved five amendments since the original Agreement was executed:
1. On December 20, 2022, the First Amendment to the Agreement was approved to extend the contract term to December 31, 2023, and increase compensation by $230,600, for a total contract amount of $660,450. The scope of work included additional compensation for continuing the services included in the original Agreement, and the soil vapor sampling and monitoring task was expanded to include additional locations in and around the FSL.
2. On March 31, 2023, the Second Amendment to the Agreement was approved to increase compensation by $85,200, for a total contract amount of $745,650. The scope of work included additional compensation for expanding emissions sampling and monitoring at additional locations around the FSL.
3. On October 27, 2023, the Third Amendment to the Agreement was approved to extend the contract term to June 30, 2025, and increase compensation by $644,753, for a total contract amount of $1,390,403. The scope of work included additional compensation for continuing services included in the original Agreement and amendments, and for sampling and monitoring additional locations around the FSL. The scope of work also added bid phase services and engineering services during construction for the East Slope Regrading Project.
4. On November 6, 2024, the Fourth Amendment to the Agreement was approved to increase compensation by $526,490, for a total contract amount of $1,916,893. The scope of work included additional compensation for continuing services included in the original Agreement and amendments, field investigation reporting, preparing the annual Groundwater Technical Memorandum, and providing additional project management support for the East Slope Regrading Project during construction.
5. On August 15, 2025, the Fifth Amendment to the Agreement was approved to increase compensation by $383,798, for a total contract amount of $2,300,691. The scope of work included additional compensation for continuing services included in the original Agreement and amendments, PFAS work plan, Round 4 Vapor Intrusion Investigation, and Support Activities for EPA’s 2025 Five-Year Review of FSL.
This Sixth Amendment to the Agreement is needed to extend the contract term to January 31, 2027, to continue services included in the original Agreement and amendments.
Tetra Tech
Tetra Tech began assisting the City with LFGCCS operation and monitoring starting in January 2024 in response to exigent circumstances related to landfill gas collection system failures that were impacting flare operations, and to comply with Federal and State regulations governing the operation of the LFGCCS and flare. The LFGCCS and flare issues have been addressed, and City staff began assuming some of the tasks included in Tetra Tech’s contract in October 2025 after a gap in staffing. The Third Amendment will extend Tetra Tech’s professional engineering services until the City can assume full responsibility for LFGCCS and flare operation in 2026.
City Council approved the Agreement with Tetra Tech on August 29, 2024, in the amount of $611,679, based on the approval of Resolution of Urgent Necessity No. 2024-195 (Resolution) on September 4, 2024. This Resolution declared an urgent necessity for the preservation of life, health, and property and authorized the City Manager, or designee, to enter into agreements without advertised competitive bidding for the preparation and implementation of an emergency remediation plan. This is further described in the scope of work included in the Agreement and in the Technical Memorandum, dated January 23, 2024, which provided justification for awarding the contract to Tetra Tech under exigent circumstances, due to their extensive subject matter expertise in LFG recovery and treatment system operations and maintenance. The Agreement term was through June 30, 2025, and the scope of work included:
1. Provide LFG collection system wellfield monitoring, inspection and tuning on a monthly basis.
2. Provide LFG condensate sumps monitoring on a monthly basis.
3. Provide LFG treatment system monitoring on a monthly basis.
4. Perform perimeter probe monitoring for three probes (MMW4, MMW5, and MMW6), twice per week.
5. Perform non-routine repairs, as needed, to the LFG system, conveyance and appurtenances, on a time and materials basis.
6. Perform blower inspections and repairs.
7. Perform air compressor inspection and maintenance.
8. Replace three (3) flare louver motors and associated assemblies.
9. Procure spare sample ports and caps for gas extraction wellheads.
10. Perform emergency wellfield repairs.
11. Perform LFGCCS Emergency Jumper Line installation.
City Council has approved two amendments since the original Agreement was executed:
1. On August 14, 2025, the First Amendment was approved to extend the contract term to December 31, 2025 with no increase in the contract amount.
2. On October 20, 2025, the Second Amendment was approved to extend the contract term to January 31, 2026, to continue services included in the First Amendment, with an increase in compensation of $167,432 for a total contract amount of $779,111. The scope of work included additional compensation for continuing services included in the original Agreement and First Amendment and added tasks related to addressing SEM requirements and preparing a Flare Station infrastructure technical memorandum.
This Third Amendment to the Agreement is needed to extend the contract term to January 31, 2027, to continue the services included in the original Agreement and its amendments.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the Third & Sixth Amendments to the Consultant Services Agreements as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
An Environmental Assessment was adopted for the original contract on January 27, 2022, by the City Council via a Categorical Exemption pursuant to Sections 15306/Class 6 (Information Collection) and 15309/Class 9 (Inspections) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. The proposed amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement is not expected to have a significant effect on the environment.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference does not apply to this action because this is an amendment to an existing Consultant Services Agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Project is located in Council District 3. The FSL is funded by both the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund and the General Fund. A portion of the funding for the Tetra Tech and CDM contracts of $271,000 is included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Solid Waste Enterprise Fund and the General Fund approved budget. The balance $405,200 will be encumbered in Fiscal Year 2027. Fifty percent of the actual cost incurred is recovered through an annual revenue transfer from the General Fund to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
Attachments:
Sixth Amendment to CDM Smith Inc. Agreement
Fifth Amendment to CDM Smith Inc. Agreement
Fourth Amendment to CDM Smith Inc. Agreement
Third Amendment to CDM Smith Inc. Agreement
Second Amendment to CDM Smith Inc. Agreement
First Amendment to CDM Smith Inc. Agreement
Consultant Services Agreement with CDM Smith Inc.
Third Amendment to Tetra Tech Agreement
Second Amendment to Tetra Tech Agreement
First Amendment to Tetra Tech Agreement
Consultant Services Agreement with Tetra Tech
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