8.7 Air Force Base Groundwater Contaimination SuitCITY OF SALINA
REQUEST FOR CITY COMMISSION ACTION DATE TIME
05/24/10 4:00 P.M.
AGENDA SECTION ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: APPROVED FOR
8
AGENDA:
NO:
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
ITEM
NO:7
Page 1 BY: Jason A. Gage BY:
ITEM:
Authorization of the filing of suit on behalf of the public entities against the United States of America
for the purpose of:
1). Recovering all allowable costs resulting fr om the hazardous substance contamination at
the former Schilling Air Force Base; and
2). Securing needed response and remediation efforts to clean up the contamination.
BACKGROUND
:
The City is one of four public entities addressing soil and groundwater contamination resulting from
the use and disposal of chlorinated solvents duri ng military operations at the former Schilling Air
Force Base during its active military duty from 1942 to 1965. The four public entities include the
Salina Airport Authority, U.S.D. 305, Kansas State University at Salina, and the City. The United
States Department of Defense is responsible for the investigation and remediation of contamination
caused by military activities at the current and fo rmer bases. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) is the lead agency for the Department at formerly used defense sites.
Beginning in August 2007, the four local public entities initiated negotiations with the U.S. Federal
Government. The negotiation objec tives include transferring the res ponsibility for completing the
cleanup from the USACE to the Sali na public entities. The local objective is to reach a settlement
agreement with the United States of America that provides the Salina public entities sufficient funds to
complete cleanup operations over a 30-year period.
Current circumstances require that the public entities file suit against the United States if the matter is
not settled by the end of this month. Settlement negotiations will continue regardless of the filing of
suit. The goal of the public entities remains for the parties to reach agr eement on a settlement
Consent Decree that will specify terms, conditions and funding enabling the Salina public entities to
proceed with the cleanup operations.
COMMISSION ACTION:
Approve the following motion:
Contingent upon U.S.D. 305, the Salina Airport Authority, and K-State Salina taking action to
provide identical authorization (all four of these entities being know collectively as “the public
entities” and in the event successful negotiation with the United State of America to accomplish
these objectives is not concluded before May 29, 2010:
I move that the City Commission of Salina, Kansas authorize the filing of suit on behalf of the
public entities against the United States of America for the purpose of:
1). Recovering all allowabl e costs resulting from the hazardous substance
contamination at the former Schilling Air Force Base; and
2). Securing needed response and remediation efforts to clean up the contamination.