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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br />DATE: 2/04/2025 <br /> Regular <br /> <br /> <br />TO: CITY COUNCIL <br />AGENDA ITEM: Approve Access Agreement with Bay West to conduct PFAS Destruction <br />Research on city owned property <br />FROM: Nicole Miller, City Administrator <br />REVIEWED BY: Marty Powers, Public Works Director <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The City of Lake Elmo supports research focused removing and destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl <br />substances (PFAS) to provide safe drinking water to our community and the entire East Metro. <br /> <br />The City has been a proud partner with MPCA mobilizing a (surface activated foam fractionation) SAFF <br />system at Tablyn Park. The system captures PFAS as foam that is then separated from the water. The <br />foam is then removed and the water is returned to the environment. <br /> <br />Bay West in partnership with General Atomics and the US Army Engineer Research and Development <br />Center (ERDC), have proposed conducting testing and research to destroy PFAS substances such as the <br />foam concentrate that was removed from the water using the SAFF system within city limits. Bay West <br />has identified city owned land adjacent to our Public Works department located at 3445 Ideal Avenue as <br />their preferred site. <br /> <br />PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: <br /> <br />This access agreement will allow Bay West to enter city owned property to mobilize the temporary testing <br />facilities for a timeline of approximately 4-5 weeks beginning mid April 2025. Below are some key <br />considerations regarding this agreement: <br /> <br />Access to Public Works facility: <br />Public Works access road will remain open and accessible to employees and visitors. <br />Site improvements that are made will be restored to their original condition with the exception of the gravel <br />pad that will remain in place after Bay West vacates the site. <br /> <br />Hours of Operation: <br />The hours for testing will be conducted during the hours of 8 AM to 6 PM that is consistent with the city <br />code. Our city code allows for construction activities exceeding ambient noise levels to be operated between <br />the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m <br /> <br />Noise: <br />The noise decibel level from the research equipment as well as on site generators are within the guidelines <br />of the city code and are not expected to disturb residents. There are no structures located within the 40 <br />decibel noise perimeter. For comparison, our city code allows for heavy equipment usage as long as the <br />sound level from the operation exceeds doesn’t exceed 100 decibels measured along any property line.