For City Council Meeting November 10, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: Yazdan Emrani, P.E., Director of Public Works
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Adopt Budget Resolution No. 8589 Amending the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget; (2) Authorize Task Order No. 2 with GEI Consultants, Inc. in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $240,900 Pursuant to the City’s On-Call Agreement for Environmental Services for Additional PFAS Investigation, Reporting, and Human and Environmental Health Risk Assessment for the Fire Station 203 PFAS Investigation, City Project No. 25023; and (3) Authorize the City Manager or Their Designee to Execute All Related Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff requests that City Council:
1) Adopt a budget resolution to amend the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year budget; with GEI Consultants, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $240,900 pursuant to the City’s on-call agreement for environmental services for additional PFAS investigation, reporting, updated conceptual site model, and human and environmental health risk assessment for the Fire Station 203 PFAS investigation, City project no. 25023;
2) Authorize task order no. 2 with GEI Consultants, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $240,900 pursuant to the City’s on-call agreement for environmental services for additional PFAS investigation, reporting, updated conceptual site model, and human and environmental health risk assessment for the Fire Station 203 PFAS investigation, City Project no. 25023; and
3) Authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute all related documents.
BACKGROUND:
On February 8, 2022, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment was conducted by Leighton and Associates, Inc. on behalf of Lewis-Hillwood Rialto Company, LLC for the Renaissance Development Area, formerly the Rialto Municipal Airport. The assessment included analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the vicinity of the Fire Station 203 training area. The results identified PFAS concentrations that warranted additional investigation to characterize the lateral and vertical extent of PFAS impacts and evaluate potential mitigation measures.
On September 10, 2024, the City Council authorized a contract change order in the amount of $339,635 to GEI Consultants, Inc. (GEI) pursuant to its on-call agreement for environmental services for PFAS investigation and reporting at Fire Station 203, City Project No. 25023. The Council action also authorized enrollment in a voluntary oversight program with the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQCB) for regulatory review and approval of the investigation work plan and, if necessary, subsequent PFAS mitigation activities.
The SARWQCB enrollment and work plan review required more time than originally anticipated. The Phase I work plan was approved in May 2025, approximately six months later than initially projected, and the next phase of field investigation began in August 2025.
On August 22, 2025, the City Council approved Change Order No. 1 to Task Order No. 1 in a not-to-exceed amount of $61,199. During field investigation, GEI encountered cobbles, gravel, unstable sandy soils, and poor sample recovery that prevented the originally anticipated direct-push and hand-auger methods from effectively advancing the borings. The change order provided for additional field labor, travel, equipment, waste disposal, air-knife services, and hollow-stem-auger drilling necessary to continue the investigation.
GEI completed the initial investigation and submitted the PFAS Investigation Report to the SARWQCB on November 13, 2025. On March 11, 2026, the SARWQCB directed the City to further evaluate the lateral and vertical delineation of PFAS at the site. GEI subsequently prepared a Conceptual Site Model (CSM), dated June 12, 2026, identifying remaining data gaps and proposing additional soil borings. On July 23, 2026, the SARWQCB approved the proposed additional investigation.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
GEI has prepared Task Order No. 2 to complete the additional PFAS investigation directed by the SARWQCB, update the site CSM, and prepare a Human and Environmental Health Risk Assessment. The proposed work is a continuation of the regulatory investigation initiated under Task Order No. 1 and is necessary to address the data gaps identified through the Water Board’s review of the City’s prior investigation.
The GEI proposal, which is included as Attachment 1, includes up to 15 soil borings and up to 85 soil samples, with proposed boring depths generally extending to 60 feet below ground surface. Laboratory analyses will be performed using current PFAS analytical methods, and the resulting data will be validated and incorporated into an updated site database and CSM. GEI will prepare a Data Gap Investigation Report and updated CSM for City review and subsequent submittal to the SARWQCB.
Following completion of the data-gap investigation, GEI will prepare a Human and Environmental Health Risk Assessment to evaluate potential exposure risks associated with PFAS-affected soil and, as applicable, develop site-specific cleanup goals. Assuming the additional investigation resolves the remaining onsite data gaps, GEI will then proceed with the previously scoped Feasibility Study and Remedial Action Plan work to evaluate remedial alternatives and support selection of an appropriate mitigation approach.
GEI’s not-to-exceed Task Order No. 2 is $240,900, consisting of $53,800 for investigation labor, $70,900 for investigation (drilling and other direct costs), $40,900 for Analytical Investigation, $29,400 for the Data Gap Investigation Report and updated CSM, and $45,900 for the Human and Environmental Health Risk Assessment. Accordingly, staff recommends authorizing Task Order No. 2 with GEI to complete the additional investigation and risk assessment requested through the SARWQCB oversight process and continue advancing the Fire Station 203 site toward an approved remediation strategy.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The proposed action consists of continued environmental data collection, subsurface investigation, laboratory analysis, reporting, and risk assessment. In accordance with Section 15306, “Information Collection,” of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Class 6 projects consist of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities that do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. The proposed work is for information-gathering and evaluation purposes and does not authorize a remediation or construction project. Therefore, the Fire Station 203 PFAS investigation work is considered categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15306.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This action is consistent with the following City of Rialto General Plan goals and policies:
Goal 3-7: Upgrade public infrastructure as an inducement to promote private investment.
Goal 5-1: Minimize hazards to public health, safety, and welfare associated with geotechnical hazards.
Policy 5-3.1: Provide fire personnel, equipment, and fire stations adequate and appropriate resources to meet the needs and serve all areas of Rialto.
Goal 5-7: Maintain a high level of emergency response capability.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the Resolution and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact:
The proposed action will not affect the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The Fire Station 203 PFAS Investigation, City Project No. 25023, is included in the City’s Draft Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Capital Improvements Program, scheduled for fiscal year 2026, with an estimated project budget of $660,365, to be funded by the Fire Capital Projects Fund. The project is currently funded by the Fire Capital Projects Fund Account No. 33005150-53001, in the amount of $400,834.
Staff recommends appropriating $240,900 from the General Fund to the Fire Capital Projects Fund, Account No. 33005150-53001-25023-02, to fund Task Order No. 2.
This action will increase the total project budget to $641,734.
Licensing
Before executing any additional work, GEI shall submit a business license application and pay the Business License tax, as well as Administration and State fees.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. GEI Proposal
2. Budget Resolution