Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO APPROVE Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Division of Recreation and Parks, and Broward County, authorizing the County, its officers, employees, agents, authorized representatives, and contractors, access to and use of the Von D. Mizell and Eula Johnson State Park (f.k.a. John U. Lloyd State Park) located at 6503 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, for the installation, daily operations and maintenance of an ambient air monitoring station; authorizing the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative actions for implementation of the MOU; and authorize Mayor and Vice Mayor to execute same. (Commission District 7)

(A member of the public pulled this item.)

ACTION:  (T-11:17 AM)  Approved.  (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
 
VOTE: 9-0.

Board of County Commissioners approval is required for inter-agency agreements.

Section 125.01(1)p, Florida Statues, authorizes the Board to enter into Agreements with other governmental agencies.

Allows Broward County access to the Von D. Mizell and Eula Johnson State Park to continue to collect air quality data.

None.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING DIVISION (EEPD) RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

This item supports the Board's Value of "Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection" and Goal 1: Seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting environmental protection.

Broward County's Air Quality Program (program) is a federal and state approved local air program, working to protect and improve air quality in Broward County. The program operates and maintains a comprehensive network of air monitoring stations throughout the County. Each monitoring station is strategically placed to gather ambient air quality data as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national air quality data base. Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (f.k.a. John U. Lloyd State Park) has housed one air monitoring station since 1987. Throughout the years, it has been one of the most valuable air monitoring stations for collecting ozone and nitrogen dioxide data. This location has been designated as a national trend air monitoring site for Nitrogen Dioxide by FDEP and EPA. Maintaining this location allows Broward County to continue to gather valuable data that informs the residents and visitors about the quality of the air as well as provide information to researchers, scientists, FDEP and the EPA for the purpose of evaluating and developing new air quality standards. Furthermore, this MOU will allow the program to update the current air monitoring shelter in the park with a new, energy-efficient converted 8x20 shipping container retrofitted to house monitoring equipment using $244,000 of the Air Trust funds already budgeted in the current fiscal year. Completing the replacement of the old shelter by the end of the current Fiscal Year will ensure that the County's Air Trust Fund will receive full revenue in Fiscal Year 2018.

The MOU has been approved as to form by the County Attorney's Office, and the insurance requirements have been approved by the County's Risk Management Division.

Sermin Turegun, Director, Environmental Engineering and Permitting Division, (954) 519-1460